Aagbilao, Quezon – It’s deja vu for actress Chynna Ortaleza. During the first casting for “Darna” (where Angel Locsin starred in the title role), she had wanted this particular role. GMA-7 asked her to audition for the most popular Pinoy heroine. But during the interview when Chynna was asked why she wanted to do Darna, she shocked the producers with this reply: “I don’t.”

At the Sisters feminine napkin tour in Pagbilao Quezon, Chynna recalled to Manila Bulletin this scene. “Alam mo ba may kuwento pa ako niyan. Noong first Darna, pinag-audition nila ako dun. Tapos during the interview, tinanong nila ako kung gusto kong maging Darna. Sabi ko, ayoko po. Sabi nila ‘Ay bakit? Eh bakit ka nandito?’ Sinabi ko sa kanila, gusto ko po maging si Valentina. Sinabi ko talaga sa kanila yun.”

Like a second lease on a dream role, Darna is happening again on GMA-7, this time there were no auditions as Marian Rivera was handpicked for the role. However, if GMA would hold tryouts for Valentina, Chynna will try to beat others to be the first to line up.

She said, “Opo kung mabibigyan ng opportunity kapag sinabi sa akin ng GMA na ikaw ang Valentina, gagawin ko talaga. If they have auditions I’m willing to give it my best shot.”

The 26-year-old actress admitted to a kind of fascination for the Medusa-like character. “From before pa, yun pa yung time na hindi pa ako nagkokontrabida. Yun pa yung time na hindi pa nakikita ng artist center na puwede ako ilagay sa mga kontrabida roles. Feeling ko napakalakas niyang character.

Kasi si Darna will always be Darna but si Valentina is her arch-nemesis na nakadikit din sa kanya at hindi mo puwedeng sabihin na si Valentina lang yan. Tapos andun din yung fascinatiion ko sa past actresses na gumanap kay Valentina, Celia Rodriguez, Cherrie Gil... hanggang kay Alex (Alessandra de Rossi), people that I look up to talaga.”

She continued, “Kaya sa akin if mabigyan ng chance talagang pagbubutihin ko pero kung hindi, okay lang, iba naman. Maraming kalaban si Darna ngayon Babaeng Ahas, Babaeng Tuod, Babaeng Lawin tapos pilay si Narda so it’s a homage talaga to the classic Darna. [If they get me to play another villainess] okay lang but the character I love is Valentina but if they tell me that I’m gonna play B     abaeng whatever, I’d still go for it kasi trabaho yan eh. Wala pa ring word from them.”

Chynna left the protagonists’ den when she dared do Maya, who has been making Jennylyn Mecado’s life a living hell in “Paano Ba Ang Mangarap.” The role churned out positive reviews for Richard Gutierrez’s first screen love pair.

The underrated actress slated to do an independent horror “Ukay Hukay,” shared, “Kahit nagli-lead ako noon, may something na hindi nafu-fulfill sa akin, dun ko naisip na baka puwede ako magcharacter roles so ako yung lumapit sa artist center for that. Noong una apprehensive sila pero nung nakita na nila, natuwa naman sila. Unexpected siguro kasi parang bata yung face ko. For some reason, I like playing contrabida kasi magandang paglaruan. Tapos natatandaan pa ng mga viewers whether maliit yung role or not.”

HAPPY WITH SISTERS and RAILEY

An apologetic Chynna told the press she would be singing at the Sisters event hosted by Aileen Go, owner of Megasoft, makers of Sisters feminine napkins (who was with Sarina Jamera, owner of Prince Maya bus used for the Pagbilao stop of the tour). “It’s my first time to sing live, she said before going up stage,” Chynna said.

Chynna awarded outstanding high school girls in Quezon with special gifts from Sisters before launching her singing career with Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles.” There was a unanimous exchange of look from us media who were just beside the stage where Chynna was singing. The exchange of looks all said, “What was this girl apologizing for? She’s in tuned and she had an easy voice to listen to.”

Needless to say, Chynna – along with another untapped skill in hosting – charmed the crowd that gathered at La Suerte supermarket warehouse (owned by Julian and Violeta Ong along with the couple’s son Rachel and Robbie). Chynna even left them shouting for more.

On her personal life, Chynna gamely answered questions about her relationship with boyfriend Railey Valeros. “Maayos kami. Six years na kami today (July 1). Nakablock yun. Very spontaneuous lang kami walang plano how to celebrate but special yun dahil six years na kami kaya nakablock yun. Pati yung Aug. 11 kasi darating si Lady Gaga sa Araneta. Ay naku sobrang fan ako niyan.”

Asked whether she is hoping that she and Railey, 24, will end up marrying each other, she admitted, “Oo naman! Ang tagal na rin namin, siyempre umaasa kami na dun din ang kahihinatnan nun. Not right now though... siguro pag 30 na ako.”