Princess Punzalan returns to acting on ‘The Last Prince’
By Alex Valentin Brosas
Posted: January 2010

As the cliche goes, once an actress, always an actress.

This holds true for prima contravida Princess Punzalan who is doing a short but notable stint on GMA-7's “The Last Prince,” a fantasy series starring Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal.

Princess, who is currently in the country on break from studying nursing in the US, said she accepted the project to flex her acting muscles anew.

“Nagpasabi ako kay Angeli (Pangilinan-Valenciano). Timing naman na may binubuo silang show kaya napasama ako,” Princess said in the press huddle for the fantaserye.

Princess was last seen on “Now & Forever,” a soap that also aired on GMA-7 in 2005.

“Na-miss ko 'yong challenge na 'pag binigyan ka ng script, mabigyan buhay mo at mapaniwala mo 'yong nanonood na totoo ang sinasabi mo,” she said.

The actress still has to fulfill one day of taping for “The Last Prince.” She's set to leave the country end of January.

In the huddle, the second year Nursing student at Santa Monica College revealed how life is for her in the US.

“Gigising ako ng 5 a.m., mag-aaral ng konti, tapos mag-aalmusal. Pagkatapos, gagayak na ako. Kailangan 7 a.m. nandoon na ako sa school kasi mahirap ang parking. Pagdating ko magluluto ng hapunan,” she narrated.

Adjusting to college life wasn't easy for the actress. “Sa umpisa mahirap uli bumalik sa pag-aaral kasi iba 'yong discipline. Pero nakatulong 'yong nagmememorya ka ng script, so hindi ganoon kahirap mag-shift."

Asked about her grades, the actress replied, “Ayoko namang magyabang, pero o kay naman. Nasa Dean's List naman ako.”

She gave an interesting comment about her ex-husband Willie Revillame and his successes.

“Wala naman akong masasabi [tungkol dun]. Ang tunay na kaligayahan ay di nanggagaling sa materyal na bagay o sa posisyon mo sa buhay. Nasa relasyon mo 'yon sa Diyos---kung at peace ka sa Diyos, sa sarili mo, at sa mga tao sa paligid mo.”

Princess eventually said categorically that she's happy over Willie's success on TV.

“Happy ako sa kanya dahil alam kong pangarap na niya iyon, matagal na.”

But that said, Princess said Willie is now just another chapter in her life.

“Naghiwalay kami nang maayos, hindi kami nagpalitan ng masasamang salita. Okay kami.”

Princess is now happily married to a man whom she met through a friend.

“Meron kaming common friend. Minatch niya kami. Sinabi niya, ‘Princess, parang nararamdaman ko na 'yong ugali niya at ugali mo, eh magiging swak.’

“Pinag-meet niya kami tapos noong umpisa, friendship-friendship hanggang sa na-develop. Nakita ko naman kung gaano kaganda ang paraan niya sa pag-approach niya sa problem situation at saka kung paano siya magtrato ng tao,” she said.

The actress revealed that she subjected her then-boyfriend to a battery of tests before agreeing to marry him.

“May mga test akong pinadaan sa kanya, pasado siya...'yong mga advice ng mga nanay ko, pasado siya.

“Malalaman mo ang ugali ng tao pag nakita mo siyang maglaro, pag kumakain sa party, at pag nakita mo ang kanyang checkbook, kung ano ang priority niya sa buhay.

“Sa laro, makikita mo kung pikon, mandadaya, manloloko. Sa pagkain, nakikita mo kung concern ba siya sa ibang tao. [Kung] minsan pagpunta mo sa buffet, inubos mo na lahat, takaw-mata 'yong ganoon.”