Rhoda Montemayor

Actress / Dancer / Choreographer

Now in New Zealand to pursue a promising career in the entertainment business, with an exciting new project in the pipelines and still going strong, Rhoda is on her way to realising her reason of being. Her focus and determination proves that something can come out of nothing. Never having to do much, but was already heading to that direction, her imprints on her hands tell her she’s made to perform, with luck on her side too of course.

Inspired by Paula Abdul’s music videos, at the time when she was doing cold hearted snake, was one of her biggest influences in dance, along with Janet. She soon found herself gearing towards acting, finding opportunities in theatre and especially film more alluring and rewarding.

Her love for dance still brings her back to the memories of where she first started, with Regine Velasquez’ concert ‘Forever After’ being her first major job role as a choreographer, she created a show-stopping act that alleviate herself into a multi-talented performer.

Rhoda challenges herself to build a foundation for the wider audience to recognise filipino talent, wanting the community to support each other and help scrub away any stereotypes. She truly magnifies the whole purpose of New-Manila and we are here to support her every move. She is an inspiring role-model, down-to-earth and stunning, if you could define beauty, it’s her.

How would you describe your journey up until this point?

The weird thing, I don’t know how they say it, but you know when people have a calling? Like to be a priest or whatever, I feel like I never really tried to do this. When I was little, my parents always said that I was dancing or was doing something. And Filipino parents when they’re new to something, they don’t know how to nurture it.

It wasn’t until I was about 13, when I took my little sister to her ballet class because my mum couldn’t one night. Coming home that night after watching my sister, I wanted to do it too. So I started doing ballet, they put me in with all the younger kids, I was the oldest girl there. When they saw I had a naturally gift for it and they moved me up to the advanced class.

I did my GCSEs, but didn’t get to finish my A-levels, it wasn’t quite what I wanted to do. My older sister Renee always knew what she wanted to do. I was dancing at the time, going to part-time classes, Renee suggested colleges I should go to and audition. I did and got in.

I took a dancing course at Laines Theatre Arts, came out and have been very lucky since, because I never really knew what I wanted to do, you know when you just fall into things. I really believe that if you are meant to be something, you will, no matter what

When did you realise at what point that was the right direction for you?

I went to a lot of castings and stuff, but never truly understood that that was meant to be? I was still trying to dance and it got to a point where I was going up for things, like the ‘King and I’ the musical and on tour, I got offered the understudy of tuntim, which is the slave girl. I got that through my dance agency but at the same time my acting management had got me a casting for a film with Steven Seagal.

I decided not to take the ‘King and I’ because the possibility of doing a film was that more enticing. I got flown out to Thailand to meet Steven Seagal and to audition again. They said if you get the role you’d have to stay for a month. So pack your suitcase as if you’ll be there for a month. I didn’t get it, so I had to come back with a big massive suitcase, crying because I didn’t even stay there for a month, I was back in like a week?

I came back to London and thought I could have taken that dance job. But you’ll never know. I would always have that thought of ‘what if?’

I auditioned for ‘Bombay Dreams’ and got offered a years contract as the dancer, to be working as a free-lancer for a year that’s good. My acting agency said I would be unavailable for any castings for a year. If anything big comes up you’ll be committed for a year. I got the sense that they won’t be happy with me taking a contract, so I had to turn that down.

I went through auditions and I going through recalls, getting offers for stuff and I’m turning it down. I look really bad, because I’m wasting their time and I’m wasting my time so I had to make a decision, dancing or acting. I was getting good results from the acting, so I said I’d stick it out for a few years and see where that leads me. I can always go back to dancing, but I will always be an ensemble, or someone’s understudy, I don’t have an amazing voice to have a lead part on stage, I will always be in the chorus, and that’s when I realised I’m sticking with the acting?

Was that one of your hardest decisions?

Yeah, it was, because there isn’t much auditions for an actress than there is for dance? You can always crash commercial auditions, there’s always something going on. With acting it’s different, you always have to wait for the castings to come in or for them to say ‘she looks the part’.

I wasn’t working for the first 6 months after having said no to Bombay dreams. It got really quiet and I weren’t sure if I had made the right choice? I might have well have done that, because nothing else was coming in. But then I got offered ‘Chorus Line’, that was a really good job and good for my CV. I don’t regret it, I don’t think you should regret things, but you do say.. ‘oh?’

What is your first memory of performing?

Me and my sister use to live in Earls Court, till I was about 6 years old. When we were really young, we use to do little shows for our parents and would get them to watch us? We choreographed something to ‘Solid as a Rock’. It involved duvets, where I’d go underneath it and I was the rock? I think that was my first memory, I didn’t know then but that’s how we use to muck about, those were the games we played. I’m older now and I know that isn’t quite.. Normal?

How did you get into acting/dancing?

My older sister who is also an actress, was up for a part in ‘ Holby City’, as the big sister and she asked her agent if they’re looking a little sister. They were, she recommended me saying I’m also in the business. And for her incentive it might increase the chances of her getting the part, if they’ve got two sisters going for it. We didn’t get it.. but from the auditions it was good feedback, they were like we’ll take you on as a trial, and the rest, is what they say is history?

What struggles have you been through to get to where you are now?

Loads, financially it’s been hard. If it’s not a good run, then you get into debt. With freelance work, payment is not always on time, so you’re waiting around, for money you know is there, but it’s not visibly there?

And also emotionally, I’ve always had to go away a lot, one of my first dance jobs was in ‘West Side Story’ on tour, around the UK for 9 months. Being away from your partner was difficult. I’ve always gone away on contracts, away for a few months and over Christmas. So its hard on your relationship, any long-distance relationship is quite difficult.

How hard is the entertainment industry to break-through as a Filipino? Is there a lot of marketing areas for a Filipino face?

There is a lot of undiscovered area and there’s a lot of potential for a better word to use. I really want to do something about that. We really need to do something as a community. As a performer its really hard, because everyone is going for the same role. It can get quite depressing for your self-esteem, you have to be able to take so many knocks, be prepared and just accept the fact that you’ll get more rejections then people accepting you. You learn from it and get yourself up again. Things like ‘X-Factor’ and people crying as stuff, that’s just the reality of our lives. Obviously, it’s not as harsh as that, they don’t tell you about yourself in your face.

There aren’t any roles specifically written for a Filipino girl? Instead they’ll say oriental, Chinese or Japanese? My sister and I get called in for these roles, people have struggled with the fact that I’m Filipino, they think I’m mixed? I’d be waiting in a room full of girls who are really Chinese or Korean, and I just know I’m not what they’re looking for?

I asked a casting director after an audition what can we do because we keep finding ourselves in this situation? She said there’s not much you can do, unless they write the parts out there, it’s all about what’s available? So it’s not about finding them, it’s about creating them.

Do what Matt Damon and Ben Affleck did, write yourself a part. We need to get pro-active, we need to get recognised in a positive way

What would be your ideal role?

I’ve always wanted to be an X-Man. I went through a phase of wanting to be a witch like on Harry Potter? I went up for Cho-Chang, his love interest, I was so gutted when I didn’t get it because I’m a big Harry potter fan. She is 15 and at the time I was like 20 something. I thought it was meant to be for me, and now I just know some people are meant to be those parts, that wasn’t mine. When I see the girl who got it, it was for her.

What has been your most memorable performance?

Chorus line… that was a big challenge for me, I played Connie Wong, someone who was meant to be 32 but looks younger, which is something I can relate to, I’m 27 and always go for younger parts. I was working with amazing people. I got really nervous because I felt like I had a lot to prove.

How important was that role to you?

The whole thing, I proved a lot to myself, if I had to prove anything to anyone it was myself, it was for me, that I can do it, I had my doubts.

What is it about acting that makes it worth all the energy? Why do you do it?

I can’t imagine doing anything else? I love doing it, being able to live someone else’s life. I love watching someone really good or inspiring, and I can’t wait to be that person, someone watching me. It’s something that I can’t imagine not doing? I tried to give it a break for a while, focus on my wedding and save money. But I got really down and depressed that I wasn’t going up for stuff, then I said I’ve made a mistake, ok put me up for stuff.

What challenges are worth fighting for?

Life’s too short, if you’re not happy in a situation, then you know what to do, do whatever makes you happy. Dancing, acting, it really makes me happy, that’s what’s vibrant about me, the colour of my soul. That’s just me? That’s always worth fighting for.

What does it feel like to perform?

Performing at the Regine Velasquez concert, it was the first time experiencing that! It was amazing! When I was up there, when it first started, that roar from the crowd?! When I opened my eyes, the lights? All I could make out was the flashes? And it was so much to take in? We all came off stage and we were all so high? Your adrenaline is going.. I couldn’t stop smiling! It’s a good thing it wasn’t a drama, because I couldn’t stop smiling! It was a real rush!!

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to venture into the same field?

Just go for it, you’ll never know until you do, and if you really want it and it’s meant to be, then it’ll happen. Be prepared to put the hard work into it. And when you do make it? Still enrol yourself to courses, go to classes, you got to keep wanting more, keep bettering yourself. And to let go and have fun with it.