READY OR NOT
When Charlie Dizon welcomed me into her space, I immediately felt a connection. She was that affable. Like a stream, our conversation flowed freely. Her quips and sense of humor were enough to reel me in, but what truly hooked me was the unconventional narrative of her successful, colorful career.
You’ll meet a lot of people along the way who are what you would dub as, “sigurista.” The type who would only engage when they’re 101% sure that the outcome they desire will come to fruition. In contrast, there are people like Charlie: the quintessential go-getters.
And more often than not, the world favors the latter. The world rewards intrepid people for stepping out of their little squares equipped only with faith. Charlie’s story is exactly like that. It brims with courage and moments of thrusting herself into the unknown and discovering the best version of herself every single time.
Atypical at its finest, this narrative doesn’t commence where you’d expect the subject to be. Charlie, before pursuing acting, was actually training to be a K-pop idol.
Without stopping a beat, she quickly admits,
“Hindi ako nag-workshop o nag-training sa kahit ano. ’Yong sa Korea, first time ko lang din mag-training sa pagkanta.” And yet, she trained alongside now household names in the multi-billion industry, like Nancy of the K-pop group Momoland.
Although that blossoming career was quickly nipped in the bud, it was a short but sweet tale that had “self-made” written all over it. “Hindi ako na-discover. Dahil lang gustong-gusto ko, nag-audition ako for Korea,” Charlie quips. “Sabi ko nga dati, ang baon ko lang is will power. Promise!”
“Will power,” a phrase that came up in our conversation so often that it led me to believe that it’s the most fitting way to characterize her promising career.
Continuing her story of breaking barriers and jumping straight to the unknown, she gives an unadulterated answer on her career’s humble beginnings: “Gusto ko lang dati. As in never ko naman in-expect na matutuloy kasi wala naman kaming connection. ’Di ko rin alam kung saan puwede mag-audition.” Despite the odds, she landed her first role in a 2017 film Finally Found Someone, which was top-billed by veteran actor John Lloyd Cruz and superstar Sarah Geronimo.
While the initial part of her journey to stardom began by powering through despite lacking in practice and expertise, Charlie now displays a prowess that has catapulted her to great heights. While she has her grit and courage to thank, she constantly keeps in mind those who’ve lent their helping hand in this ongoing arduous journey. The generous people who’ve offered their knowledge are also disguised as answered prayers for her.
Revealing her fervent hope, she says, “’Yon ’yong laging pinagdadasal ko na sana na makilala ko ’yong right people that will help guide me papunta sa goals ko . . . Kasi di ko nga alam what to expect. So, palagi lang akong pray nang pray talaga na, ‘Lord, kailangang kayanin ko ito.’”
In detailing who these people are, she also notes specific moments and notable highlights from her young career. With a fusion of both humor and genuine concern, she quips “Pinaka-worry ko talaga noon is paano umiyak. Paano ko gagawin ’yon?”
Like someone reminiscing the good old days, she recalls working alongside big names like Enrique Gil and renowned director, Cathy Garcia Molina, for the film Seven Sundays. “’Tapos si Direk Cathy talaga ’yong nagdedemo kung paano. Na-realize ko ang suwerte ko kasi ang bait ni Direk Cathy. Sobra ’yong effort niya to teach me.” Expanding her thank you list, she shares, “Si Enrique, sobrang thankful ako sa kaniya noon kasi tinulungan niya ako kasi alam niyang baguhan ako.”
Now, look at Charlie. She’s got a bag full of accolades from prestigious film guilds and ceremonies such as the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) and the Entertainment Editors’ Choice (EDDYS) for her outstanding performance in Fangirl, where she was referred by Iza Calzado for the main role. On top of that, she’s even part of Star Magic’s next generation of stars. The glow-up is undeniable.
It only goes to show that there’s merit in the saying, “You can never truly be ready.” To wait means to lose momentum. To linger translates to possibly waiting your whole life. So, why not take the leap of faith now?
At merely 30 minutes, I left my captivating talk with Charlie with a fistful of wisdom in tow. My most favorite being, “Try to always take risks. Kasi after ng risk na ’yon, there’s always a good reward waiting for you. Manalo o matalo, tumapang ka.”
In prospective time, Charlie still sees herself jumping into the unknown and pushing her own boundaries. Eventually, she wants to pursue international projects, with Japanese and Korean production companies in particular.
How will she execute those? Nothing’s set in stone just yet. We just know she can and she will—most probably, in brilliant flying colors.