From a little girl with big dreams, Belle Mariano has turned into a superstar. In her interview with Star Magic Head Lauren Dyogi for “Tatak Star Magic Celebrity Conversations,” the actress–influencer talks about the patience and tenacity it took to get here.

Belle, since she was a child, has loved performing and acting. Family gatherings served as her training ground where she would perform in front of her aunts and grandmas. Calling herself a ‘bida-bida kid,’ she just loved the feeling of making her family happy. At the same time, she’s always dreamed of joining showbiz, which her parents forbid, thinking it would be a distraction from her studies.

But, to Belle, she could be a Hannah Montana living the best of both worlds. After exhausting all her convincing powers and giving her dad free massages every night, she earned her parents' go signal for her to join showbiz.

She tried out for a hundred VTRs for commercials, going to auditions almost daily until she was picked by a milk brand at 9 years old. Soon after, she heard about an audition for child actresses who can pass off as Carmina Villarroel’s younger version in the Kapamilya series “Lorenzo’s Time.” She got the role and that’s what jumpstarted her acting career.

From there, a string of other roles in more teleseryes blessed the young dreamer, though she was just in the background most of the time. She had to endure the so-called awkward stage – pimples, brace, and all – while waiting for her big break. Belle’s 10-year journey as an artist, if anything, has been a test of patience.

“You’re just gonna wait. But then, by the end of the day, what you learn and what you get from that is you really have your own time. You just have to be patient. There’s a time wherein you bloom,” she mused, bringing to mind a particular devotional about facing adversities on the way up to success.

Her breakthrough finally came by the way of Maxpein del Valle, her role in “He’s Into Her.” However, she had to pay the price of success and popularity. “I didn’t know what it feels like to have other people having their attention on you not because they like you, but because they don’t like you for the role,” she said about the amount of bashing she got after she was announced as Donny Pangilinan’s leading lady.

Belle feels like words will never break her bones, but it’s a different case when her family becomes the subject of hate, “Just because I want to pursue my dream, masasaktan pala sila.” But then, her family encouraged and reassured her. And at the time, her motivation was to prove her detractors wrong by showing them that she can breathe life to Maxpein.

Not only did she portray Maxpein with flying colors, but she also grew and learned a lot because of “He’s Into Her.” Belle takes on every project passionately. She enjoys living the life of her characters either by method acting or incorporating it with her personal experiences as long she’s able to articulate the right emotions to her audience, “Natutuwa po ako ‘pag napaglalaruan ko, nagagawan ko siya ng character analysis.” And after every good take comes a sense of fulfilment.

Belle went on to reveal her ultimate goals – to win an acting award, learn and excel in what she does, inspire people, and so on. Among her dream roles is a ‘bida-kontrabida’ character, “Gusto ko pong ma-try kasi, parang, paano kaya ‘yun? Maging maldita?” When asked about the importance of a good relationship between co-actors and the production, Belle underscored that it greatly affects the output, “Kailangan talagang okay kayo para ‘yung ideas n’yo nagma-match at magawa n’yo ‘yung best n’yo.”

This conversation tells the story of a girl who persevered to make her wildest dreams a reality – her words, echoing her beautiful soul, inspiring every person to hold on until things get better, to enjoy the ride until you reach your destination.

“Sa 10 years na nandito po ako, ang dami rin pong maliliit na natututunan. But, all in all, patience po talaga. You have your own time to bloom. You just trust God, trust the management,” she smiled. “I know in the long run, there are challenges. Madadapa kayo nang madadapa. But if you’re down, there’s only way to go and that’s up. Never give up on your dream.”

With her beauty, grace, talent, and unwavering tenacity, Belle will continue to live the dream despite the challenges. In Direk Lauren’s words, “Nobody can put a Belle Mariano down.”