CinemaBravo

What began as a simple search for elegant diamond jewelry turned into a heartfelt conversation about hardship, discipline, and her journey to showbiz success when veteran actress Amy Austria visited Charo Cordial of Maddox Jewelry.

Austria was looking for simple and elegant diamond pieces that she could wear every day. The veteran actress admitted that she has never been particularly fond of jewelry, noting that most of the pieces she owns were usually given to her as gifts by her husband.

While checking out different natural diamond pieces, Austria shared that she had visited other jewelry stores before and had an unpleasant experience after asking about discounts.

“You just want the worth of your money,” she said.

She was eventually encouraged to check out Maddox Jewelry. After seeing some of the pieces and their prices, Austria could not hide her reaction.

“Oh, it’s true!” sabi niya nang makita ang isa sa mga alahas. “It makes you happy just by looking at it.”

From jewelry, however, the conversation took a more personal turn as Austria opened up about the difficult circumstances she experienced long before becoming a respected actress.

At just three years old, Austria was already learning how to earn money. She recalled accompanying her mother to Roxas Boulevard, then known as Dewey Boulevard, where she would be given a box of chewing gum to sell to passersby.

“I was only 3 years old then,” pagbabalik-tanaw niya.

Some customers were apparently so charmed by the young Austria that they would simply give her money without even taking the chewing gum.

When Cordial asked whether their family was wealthy at the time, Austria gave a straightforward answer.

“No. It’s hard. Super.”

Her father worked as a taxi driver, while her mother earned money through buying and selling various items. Their family lived simply near a river and did not even have a proper bathroom of their own.

At six years old, Austria moved in with her aunt, who was a teacher, because she wanted to continue her education despite her parents’ financial difficulties.

The experience forced her to become responsible at an early age. She would wake up at around 4 or 5 in the morning before school to clean the house and canals and prepare food. After taking a bath, she also had to immediately wash the clothes she had worn. Her chores had to be completed before she could even have breakfast.

Although those years were difficult, Austria believes they left her with habits that she continues to carry to this day, particularly when it comes to cleanliness and organization.

“I don’t want it to be messy,” kuwento niya tungkol sa ugaling nadala niya maging sa trabaho.

The journey from selling chewing gum as a child to becoming one of the Philippines’ respected actresses eventually brought Austria to some of the country’s most memorable films.

Among the projects that gave her the opportunity to showcase her acting ability was Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s ‘Brutal,’ in which she played Monica.

Despite the significance of the role to her career, Austria was quick to give credit to the people and material that helped bring the character to life.

“I was lucky to get the role of Monica in ‘Brutal,’” aniya.

She further pointed out that actresses such as Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos could also have elevated the role had they been given the same material, reflecting Austria’s humility despite her own accomplishments in the industry.

From a three-year-old girl selling chewing gum to becoming a veteran actress, Austria has never shied away from talking about the difficult circumstances she came from.

Instead, she continues to carry the lessons she learned during those years—hard work, discipline, and appreciating what she has—long after making her mark in showbiz.

For more updates, follow Maddox Jewelry’s official Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube pages.