Kate Valdez

Small Girl, Big Dreams

Standing at just 5 feet and 4 inches, the young, gritty, and battle-tested Kapuso star Kate Valdez has her sights set high!

By Felix Ilaya
Photos courtesy of GMA Artist Center and Kate Valdez Instagram

Despite being a new face in the industry, some of Kate Valdez’s portrayals on-screen has made quite a profound impact on her audience, such as her role as Mira in the 2016 hit fantasy-action series Encantadia and Natalie in the 2018 family drama Onanay.

However, the success and fame she currently enjoys in her career did not come easy as she had to fight for a lot of the things she has now.

Even on the day of her birth, on the 21st of August in the year 2000, Kate has done nothing but fight.

“Nung nilabas ako ni Mama, wala akong heartbeat. Akala nung mga doctors and nurses na wala na talaga. Napulupot kasi ’yung umbilical cord ko sa leeg ko.

“Hindi alam ng Mom ko kung ano ’yung nangyayari and kinuwento nila na nilagay na raw ako sa sink kasi nga they thought na wala na ako. After a few seconds, para daw may pusang umubo! Siguro sabi ni God, ‘Bumalik ka doon, kailangan ka ng parents mo.’

“Growing up, hindi ako healthy na baby, akala nila may Tuberculosis ako, ’yung mga antibiotics ko raw, mas malalaki pa sa’kin. Kasing laki lang daw ako ng bote ng soft drinks. ’Pag kinakarga raw ako, isang braso lang. Thankfully naman ngayon, kahit papaano, may laman na ako [laughs]. 'Di ko talaga maisip," shared the young actress.

Her struggles didn’t stop there. At an early age, Kate had to step up and mature quickly due to her family’s less than ideal financial situation.

“Nung wala pa ako sa showbiz, ’yung parents ko, nag-wo-work abroad pareho. Naiwan ako sa Lola ko and ako ’yung nagbu-budget ng pera na pinapadala ni Mama at the age of 12.

“Maaga pa lang na-realize ko na mabilis lang pala nauubos ’yung pera, na hindi birong kumita ng pera. Hindi lang siya basta-bastang pinupulot sa kalsada. You really got to work for it. Hindi lang din pwedeng maging magastos sa pera kasi hindi naman talaga kami mayaman. Kailangan talagang maging wise.

“Dumating sa point na hindi pinalad ’yung Mom and Dad ko abroad so umuwi sila dito and nagkautang-utang. Sobrang thankful ko kay God na gumawa siya ng paraan para magbago ’yung buhay ko and nagbago naman talaga in a good way."

“Nung in-announce nila ’yung result talagang tulala lang ako tapos kinukuhanan nila ako ng video! Nandoon ako sa state na ‘Please slap me! Pinch me!’ It’s a big project, it’s Encantadia!”

It was at this point Kate decided to do something to help her family and follow her dreams. With the support of her parents, she used her love for modeling to pursue her passions.

“Ginusto ko talaga, originally, modeling lang kaso nga hindi ako ganoon katangkad [laughs]. Height ko lang is 5’4” so dinadaan ko lang siya sa heels! Noong na-realize ko na hindi na ako tatangkad, napaisip ako ng kung ano pa ang puwede kong gawin. Saan pa ba ako ilalagay? That’s why I started doing commercials. Eventually, sinubukan ko rin mag-VTR dito sa GMA na hindi ko naman talaga ine-expect,” she said.

During Kate’s phase of auditions for GMA Artist Center, it seemed as if all her life’s hurdles would not let up any time soon. It even came to the point where Kate’s doubts and worries started creeping in and shook her confidence.

“Nung unang audition ko dito, hindi ako nakaramdam ng kaba. Pagpasok ko pa lang sa gate ng GMA, parang bahay mo, relaxed and feel at home ka lang, walang pressure.

“Hindi ko talaga kasi na-imagine na mag-aartista ako. Sinubukan ko lang at kung palarin, e di okey. Kaya nung makapasok sa first audition, parang doble 'yung surprise sa akin. Akala ko nga nung una, biro lang!

“Nakailang panel screenings din ako pero dumating din sa point na ayoko na. Nakakapagod kasi, hindi ko rin alam kung kukunin pa ba ako or what?

“Sabi ko sa Mama ko, ‘Ma, stop na tayo kasi nababaon na tayo sa utang. ’Di biro ang pamasahe sa probinsya papunta dito.’ Hindi rin naman kasi stable ’yung work ng parents ko so I think hindi ako para dito.

“Suddenly, after a month of my first audition, nag-offer na ’yung GMA na i-sign ako as an artist.

"Hindi ko ma-explain ’yung saya, halu-halong emotions. Naramdaman ko ’yung feeling na kung para dito ka, doon talaga ’yung path mo at walang makakapigil doon. Kahit na lumiko ka or mali ’yung decisions mo, kung para doon ka, doon ka pa rin babagsak. And now I’m here!"

Her first on-screen appearance came in 2015 in the role of Violet Vitto Jacobs in the groundbreaking Kapuso teleserye titled Destiny Rose. It was also there where Kate first had a taste of the artista life which made her question whether she really was cut out for this industry.

“Tumawag ’yung handler ko and sinabi sa’kin na kailangan nila ng certain character and ako nga ’yung kukuhanin nila. That time, di pa ako tapos sa acting workshops ko so sabi ko ‘Teka, kaya ko na ba?’ I felt like I don't have the right pa na magkaroon ng show pero binigay pa rin sa’kin 'yung role.

“Nung nag-start na mag-taping, wala akong idea, as in zero talaga! Kinabahan talaga ako kasi first show, naranasan kong mapagalitan kasi hindi ko alam 'yung timing, nangangapa pa ako, ang dami kong firsts doon.

“Doon ko na nalaman on-the-job kung papaano talaga ang buhay sa set. Hindi pala ’to natututunan sa workshop, kailangan palang sumalang ka talaga para malaman mo,” she recalled.

“Nung nilabas ako ni Mama, wala akong heartbeat. Akala nung mga doctors and nurses na wala na talaga. Napulupot kasi ’yung umbilical cord ko sa leeg ko."

However, to Kate’s surprise, her supposed brief stint in the drama grew larger and larger as her acting and character resonated with a lot of people watching her at home.

“I felt surprised, blessed, and confused na parang ‘Anong nakita nila sa’kin? Bakit ako?’ Sabi nila ’yung character ko doon, saglit lang and then after a few weeks, biglang bumibigat ’yung mga eksena. Akala ko ba saglit lang ako dito? Kasi pala, nagiging effective ’yung role ko and I’m doing good as an actor. Siguro nakikita nila na natututo talaga ako.”

Straight after her appearance in Destiny Rose, Kate received her biggest break yet when she was given the role of Mira in the 2016 remake of the iconic Kapuso telefantasya, Encantadia.

“Hindi ko rin in-expect ’yon kasi marami akong kasabay na nag-audition for the role.

“Nung in-announce nila ’yung result talagang tulala lang ako tapos kinukuhanan nila ako ng video! Nandoon ako sa state na ‘Please slap me! Pinch me!’

“It’s a big project, it’s Encantadia!”

Since Encantadia, Kate continued to take on bigger and bigger roles. One of her most memorable on-screen characters was Natalie in 2018’s Onanay. It tested her abilities even more and sky-rocketed her to fame.

“Maaga pa lang na-realize ko na mabilis lang pala nauubos ’yung pera, na hindi birong kumita ng pera. Hindi lang siya basta-bastang pinupulot sa kalsada. You really got to work for it."

“Masaya ako na ’yung ibang roles ko, tumatatak sa mga tao, tinatawag nila ako ’pag nakikita nila ako sa labas or sa mall, ‘Violet, Mira, Natalie!’ Lahat! Wala nang Kate? Siguro isa rin ’yon sa dahilan kung bakit malaki ’yung tiwala sa akin ng home network ko dahil alam nila na I’m effective as an actor.”

Now five years strong in the industry, Kate has opportunities and projects in spades. Despite all the success and adoration, she remains to be that wide-eyed probinsyana who’s always willing to learn more about her craft.

After everything she’s been through, Kate believes that these challenges played an important part in molding the young woman she is today.

“Naniniwala ako na may purpose ang lahat ng nangyayari sa buhay natin, whether it be good or bad kasi it will help you to grow as a person.

“Kagaya ng mga failures, takot tayo magkamali pero hindi natin naiisip na paano tayo matututo kung hindi tayo magkakamali? Kung hindi naman sinasadya, that's okay and kung alam mo naman kung papaano bumangon ulit, that's important. Kailangang bumangon at bumawi ka talaga. Kailangan din talagang tatagan 'yung faith kay God and sa family mo and maniwala ka sa sarili mo."

Currently, Kate stars as one of the lead actresses in the 2020 Kapuso drama series Anak Ni Waray Vs. Anak Ni Biday. Due to the lockdown that happened last March 2020, the series temporarily put their filming schedules on hold along with many other shows.

The Anak Ni Waray Vs. Anak Ni Biday team then resumed work in September that same year at a lock-in taping where they could finish taping the remaining episodes of the show.

In a separate interview with Kate, the young actress openly admitted that she had a challenging time during their lock-in taping. Apart from the limited off-screen interactions with her castmates as they strictly observed social distancing, Kate also had difficulties getting back into her character, Caitlyn, after being away from the set for too long.

“Ilang months din po kaming walang taping. Medyo nahirapan ako mag-adjust sa character ko nung nagkaroon na kami ng lock-in taping, kinabahan din ako. Paano na nga ba si Caitlyn, saan na ba nag-stop 'yung emotions niya, gaano na ba kalaki, gaano na ba kabigat?

“So, nahirapan po akong mag-adjust sa totoo lang pero pagdating naman sa set, na-surprise naman ako dahil kasama ko po [sina] Ate Barbie (Forteza). So kahit papaano natulungan din na ma-boost ulit 'yung emotions ko."

“Nakailang panel screenings din ako pero dumating din sa point na ayoko na. Nakakapagod kasi, hindi ko rin alam kung kukunin pa ba ako or what?"

This 2021, Kate aims to become a more adventurous version of herself and plans to try many different things outside her comfort zone.

“Ang gusto kong ma-achieve this 2021 is magkaroon ako ng more courage na mag-try ng mga bagong skills na makakatulong for me. Kasi tamad ako lumabas nung wala pang pandemic, kahit sa mga places na gusto ko naman puntahan, mas pipiliin ko na lang mag-stay sa bahay.

“I don't know why, hindi ko lang siguro talaga ugali lumabas. Kapag may rest day, dito lang ako sa bahay manonood ng movie.

“Ang pinakapasyal ko na lang [ay] mag-mall o manood ng movie sa movie house. Medyo boring pero masaya na ako doon. Before noong wala pang pandemic. I’m also praying na maging okay na ang lahat para ma-push ko na talaga na maging adventurous ako.”