MANILA, Philippines - We always remember young actress and singer Cris Villonco as the famous granddaughter of the feisty film artist and producer Armida Siguion-Reyna and niece to internationally renowned movie director Carlitos Siguion-Reyna.

Actually, Villonco is her own person especially when she decided to shy away from show business and went to the United States to further her studies.

To begin with, she didn’t capitalize on Tita Midz and Carlitos’ names. “I have my own personality.”

She’s back on the scene, particularly onstage where she started her acting career.

After doing theater classics such as “Cinderella,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Orosman at Zafira,” she accepted Repertory Philippines’ recent production of an off-Broadway musicale, “Romeo & Bernadette.”

It’s a Mark Saltzman’s interpretation of William Shakespeare’s ending of “Romeo and Juliet.” It follows the life of Romeo who wakes up in Brooklyn many centuries after he drank a poison. It turned out that it wasn’t a deadly liquid but a mere potion.

Villonco plays Bernadette, a sexy, vulgar, spoiled brat who in reality is a sincere lover.

“It is a challenging role since it’s a comic because I am not used to comedy. I am more of a serious person and I love playing serious characters,” she shared.

Being a descendant of artists, Villonco has the passion for the arts. However, after finishing her course abroad, she opted to join the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Manila and Asia Society Philippines.

A couple of stage performances had eventually beckoned and that jumpstarted another entertainment career for her.

Villonco was schooled at the Sarah Lawrence College in New York and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in diverse studies in Music and Economic Development.

As an independent soul, she had to fend for herself after graduation so she also looked for work overseas. She auditioned and later bagged a role in Hong Kong Disneyland’s “The Golden Mickey.”

More color

Singing and acting inspire her a lot, but what makes her world more colorful and exciting is her romance with former actor Niccolo Manahan.

Villonco and Manahan have been going steady for a couple of years now.

It’s a wonderful relationship, according to her, especially when the guy quit show biz and focused his attention on advertising instead.

“I am a very jealous type. I don’t know where I got it,” she confessed.

“[But] no plans of settling down yet,” she quickly clarified.

If there’s an offer, Villonco, who appeared in Fernando Poe Jr.’s film “Ang Dalubhasa,” is also open to making movies and television shows. -Boy Villasanta, abs-cbnNEWS.com