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Exclusive: Alessandra gets emotional about network switch

By Rachelle Siazon

For Alessandra de Rossi, making the big network switch was not an easy decision for not only did she say “no” to a project being offered to her, she also had to say goodbye to the people whom she practically grew up with after eight years in show business.

Since the network move happened so suddenly, Alessandra is still in the process of digesting her decision. During her first taping day for I Love Betty La Fea, she shared her thoughts with ABS-CBN.com. “Ayun napahalinday ako maiyak. Feeling ko nawawala ako. Alam mo yung feeling na mababait naman lahat pero nung time na yun—parang usually meron kang malaking step na gagawin sa buhay mo, pray ka lang kay God ‘di ba?—Hindi ko na naisip yun. Nung sinabing ABS ka na, [sabi ko] ‘Okay, okay.’ Tapos pag-apak ko mismo dito sa studio (EcoModa Manila) biglang [naisip ko], ‘There’s no turning back. Oh my God! Totoo na ‘to! Hindi na ako makakabalik dun.’”

After just three days at her new home network, Alessandra admits that she has yet to overcome the feeling of being in a strange place. “Siyempre hindi pa rin. Hindi mo naman maipagpapalit yung eight years sa three days ‘di ba? Medyo mahirap yun pero ganon talaga. Sana talaga tuloy-tuloy na ang career ko dito sa ABS. Sana mga 20 years dito lang ako,” she says. But her brave front suddenly collapses as the full impact of her move hits her at this point of the interview. The feisty actress bursts into tears over the controversies surrounding her network jump for the first time.

Alessandra slowly regains her composure as she tearfully explains, “Siyempre wala namang gustong umano ‘di ba? Kumbaga na parang nabuild mo na yung buong buhay mo sa isang lugar, tapos biglang one day para kang nangibang-bansa eh, para akong OFW. Pero of course masasanay ka naman talaga. Kahit anong sabihin ko choice ko ‘to and kailangan kong panindigan. And masaya ako talaga and excited ako sa kung ano mang pwedeng mangyari sa akin dito. Pero siyempre kung ano mang pamilya ang meron ako dun, hindi ko makakalimutan yun. Kasi walong taon din yun ‘di ba? Pero masaya ako.”

Though her friends from the other network knew about her returning as a Kapamilya, Alessandra shares that there was no formal goodbye between her and the bigwigs from GMA. “Hindi lang ako nakapagpaalam sa mga higher levelings. ‘Pag nakita ko na lang sila. Kasi hindi naman ako yung tipong tinetext sila or pinupuntahan sila sa taas. Syempre ayoko naman na, ‘Hey aalis na ako.’ So ‘pag nagkita na lang [sasabihin ko], ‘ Ma’am thank you po.” Besides she knows that they understand where she’s coming from. “Ay I’m sure naiintindihan nila ako kasi kailangan ko ‘tong gawin eh. Personal growth ko na din. Wala eh. Wala akong pwedeng ibang puntahan,” she explains.

A member of Star Circle Batch 7, Alessandra says that she is looking forward to creating a new family here in ABS-CBN. “Of course, kaya nga kapamilya ‘di ba? So yun ang dapat ko gawin, magbuo ng bagong pamilya. Pero siyempre naman, hindi ko makakalimutan [yung mga kaibigan ko sa kabila].” When we remark that at least she is getting herself a bigger circle of friends, the bubbly actress replies, “Oo naman. Siyempre ako pa napaka-friendly, lahat kaibigan ko. So parang hindi naman ako yung tipong natatakot o kung ano man.