Ciara adjusts to married life

Ciara Sotto (Contributed photo by Carl Valenzona)Ciara Sotto isn't so gung-ho about showbiz right now because  she’s trying to “get the hang of things” as a wife. Ciara and her husband, Joe Oconer, got married early last year.
 
“I think I've adjusted enough but there are still things na I have to get used to. Like, paying the bills on time or making sure there's food in the ref. Yung ganun. It's a learning process,” she told Yahoo! Philippines OMG! during her rehearsal for “Sweet Charity” recently.

“I have to make sure na he had food, I have to make sure that he's well-fed at home, taken care of,  that he's not getting sick. And the house has to be a home. Dapat yung house namin clean enough and he's excited to come home to the house.”

Family life

Ciara adds that her present family life is similar to her parents' when she was younger.

“I grew up with my parents who have been really intact and sweet. And nakita how my mom took care of my dad and dad took care of my mom din. So I think that's the  reason why I married a man who's kaugali ng dad ko kasi yun yung nakalakihan ko. Kasi my husband is so much like my dad e. Siya yung nagba-balance ng ugali namin. He's very practical, like my dad. So kung ano yung nakalakihan namin in the household, ganun din yung nagagawa ko sa apartment namin,” she said.

Asked when she plans to have her first child, Ciara says she’s not in a hurry.

“Whenever God gives it. We're both ready for it but... whenever God gives it talaga.. Sabi namin after one year. E more than one year, so any time na yan. No pressure,” she shares.

“We really need time siguro off  work para maka-vacation kaming dalawa because we're both really busy. If we take time talaga to rest, baka mas mabigyan talaga yan ng panahon.”

Theater work

If there's one thing Ciara Sotto learned from theater work, it's that talent is more important than popularity.   Talent, Ciara says, is what's recognized and appreciated when she performs onstage.

“It's what you do, it's the work you put it, it's the talent that's going to be recognized and appreciated. And in theater you are appreciated right away. You see how people react to you. Achievement na yung papalakpakan ka nila right then and there. So for me, mas masarap yung feeling na nakukuha ko from theater,” Ciara says.

In fact, the 31-year-old artist says it doesn't bother her that she's playing support to Nikki Gil for her latest theater work.

“Here, I'm in a supporting role. You know, normally, people would go, 'bakit si ano, supporting lang.' But it's not like that e,” she relates, adding that there are no small roles in theater.
Ciara shares that she  was never really conscious about her  popularity,  and that she  “believes in pure talent.”

“I mean, there are so many talented actors and actresses in show business na hindi nabibigyan ng projects," she explains. But in the end, Ciara believes that “when you're talented, when you have real talent, it's impossible for the world to ignore you.”

Critics lauded Ciara as Mimi, the HIV-positive dancer in “Rent,” which was staged last February.

“(Theater is) really fun. It's addicting, I guess. Once it bit me, ayaw na tumigil and I want to do more. So yun, parang blessing na rin nakasama ko,” Ciara says. “It's very different especially from showbiz that I got used to. Dito parang, yung commitment mo andun. Kailangan disciplined ka.”

“Sweet Charity” will run all weekends of August at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza, Makati City.