Julia Barretto grew up around famous names, but she said the industry never went easy on her because of it.
The actress opened up about her early showbiz years on Matteo G. Primetime, Matteo Guidicelli’s talk show. Although the episode originally aired in April, Matteo recently re-uploaded excerpts from the interview.
She spoke about living on her own at a young age, being shouted at on set, and how much has changed now that social media has rewritten the rules.
Julia is the daughter of Marjorie Barretto and Dennis Padilla, and the niece of Gretchen and Claudine Barretto. Several of her cousins are also in the business. The surname, she said, came with other people's expectations long before it came with any perks.
Asked if she ever felt pressure being a Barretto, Julia said the doubts were loudest at the start.
"Maybe when I was starting, yeah. Because people were a bit more critical and I think unaccepting of me just because baka they feel, 'What is she doing here?'" she said.
Instead of backing off because of the comments, she used them.
"I think you just learn with experience and trust in yourself. It was good pressure. It was a driving force for me that motivated me so much to give a hundred percent in everything that I did. Ultimately, my dream was really to be able to make a name for myself," she said.
The harder lesson came on set. When Matteo asked if she had ever been shouted at while working, Julia recalled Mirabella, the 2014 fantaserye that gave her her first lead role.
"I went through that baptism of fire which, at that time, it really made me sad. But looking back, I'm really grateful that I went through it, Matt, because there's nothing glamorous when we're actually already on the set. And no one's actually given special treatment," she said.
Nobody gets a pass on a shooting day, she said, whatever their last name is.
"Everybody is expected to be at the top of their game and to perform. I went through that and it taught me a lot," Julia said.
"And experience is the best teacher. I'm glad that the people that I worked with along the way were very gracious," she added.
Julia also talked about life outside work. She left the family home early, and said there are still days she misses it.
"I miss living with my mom. Just being under her roof and her taking care of everything in the house and living with all my siblings, that's what I miss the most," she said.
She has since gotten used to living alone, but she made sure her family stayed close by.
"I've been living alone since the age of 22. I've been able to adjust a lot already. My sisters are two to three minutes away from me," she said.
"I don't think I'll survive not seeing any of them in a week. So that's how we are," Julia added.
She also named a role she hopes to play one day, going back to something she did as a kid.
"I think if there was a material that I would love to do, I wanna play an ice skater. I used to ice skate. I competed once," she said.
Julia, who started before social media took over the industry, was also asked how she feels about ordinary people becoming stars online. She said she has no problem with it.
"I mean, good for them. Now everybody can be a star and make money for themselves," she said.
"I'm glad that everybody is getting the same opportunity," she added.
For her, the shift took work. She built a career in one era, then had to learn another one midway.
"I reached the era where social media really wasn't a thing, so I felt that transition, and it's a lot of work," she said.
Now 29, Julia has been acting for 20 years. She made her screen debut as a child in Gulong ng Palad in 2006 and appeared in several other ABS-CBN shows before she was launched as part of Star Magic Circle in 2013, alongside Liza Soberano and Janella Salvador. Mirabella, where she starred opposite Enrique Gil, gave her her first lead role in 2014.
She made her film debut in Para sa Hopeless Romantic in 2015, then starred in Vince and Kath and James, Love You to the Stars and Back, Block Z, Expensive Candy, and Un/Happy For You. She moved from Star Magic to Viva Artists Agency in 2020 and has since gone freelance, saying she is open to working with any studio.
Her next film is Regal Entertainment's Haunted Carnival, one of the official entries to the 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival, with Maricel Soriano, John Arcilla, and James Reid. It opens on December 25. Outside acting, she runs her own fashion and beauty ventures.