Q&A: Solenn, Isabelle, and Liz on being an ‘It Girl’

Solenn Heussaff, Isabelle Daza, Liz Uy, and Georgina Wilson will star in their very own reality show, titled It Girls (style as !t Girls), which will air starting Mon, Oct 24 on cable channel E! Asia.

The show’s title, of course, is apt. The four have long been tagged as Philippine showbiz’s “It Girls,” along with their other friends which include ABS-CBN star Anne Curtis (who cannot be part of the show because she has a contract with another cable channel). 

You’ll be hard pressed, however,  to have them define what makes someone an “It Girl.”

“It’s so uncomfortable, that question!” quipped Liz.

Raymond Gutierrez, a friend to the girls and director of the show, admitted his show’s stars did not initially find comfort in being called “It Girls” at first. They later conceded to the title. After all, being an “It Girl” means people look up to you as an inspiration and an aspiration. What’s wrong with that?

But, the new show won’t just focus on being an “It Girl.” It’s basically a show about four friends and how they live their lives while being in the spotlight. 

The first episode of the show will feature Georgina’s pregnancy and the death of Isabelle’s father, Bong Daza. It will also show give everyone a peek into the life of Solenn and her husband Nico Bolzico, who is fast becoming a social media sensation thanks to his hilarious Instagram posts. 

Coconuts Media and other members of the press talked to Solenn, Isabelle, Liz, and Raymond last Tue, Oct 18. Here’s an excerpt: 

What should viewers expect from the show?

Raymond: We see these girls, we see them on social media. And we think we know everything about them, but actually there’s so many layers to them than their Instagram feed, their Snapchat, what they share online. 

The comments that we usually get are like, squad goals, relationship goals, weddings goals. And all those things you get to see on this show. Does an “It Girl” really have it all? What’s nice about the show is that you’ll see them on their downtime, you’ll see them not full made up, you’ll see them interacting with each other that you do not see online.

Were any of you hesitant in doing the show since it will will feature your personal lives?

Liz: I was. Only because it’s a reality show and I’m not very used to it. I work behind-the-scenes. I do shoots once in a while but I’m not like them who are always in front of the camera. So that is my only concern, how I do not want to share my personal life. But it’s there now.

Isabelle: Well, I think, at first, definitely. Because we kind of want to put a space in between what we have in show business and what we have for our personal lives. But we all agreed to do this because we knew it was gonna be fun. 

Liz: Also, for me, it’s the experience. 

Isabelle: Because when else were we ever gonna be offered to do a reality show?

Solenn: You get to enter not only our homes, but you see the advices we give each other.  

Is there pressure that because you are tagged as It girls, you always have to look good?

Liz: Well, I woke up like this. (Laughs)

Isabelle: We don’t put pressure in ourselves to be somebody we are not. We don’t wake up everyday thinking, ‘How does an It girl dress?’ We’re just ourselves. And we’re so blessed that people are interested in that.

Liz: It also helps that we’re genuine. We love what we do. We don’t pretend to be someone we’re not. 

For the longest time, you’ve been called It girls. By doing this program, does that mean you acknowledge the title?

Raymond: This is the only time they actually acknowledged it. For the longest time, there’s a bit of discomfort with the tag. Because what is an “It Girl”? How do we define it? How does one become an “It Girl”? I think now, as we grow older, they just learned to accept it, that it’s what people call them. It’s not such a negative thing. It’s a positive thing, if you look at the different It girls they call around the world like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Alexa Chung, and Kim Kardashian. I think it’s a good thing that people are genuinely interested in your life. 

Raymond Gutierrez talks to Liz Uy, Isabelle Daza, and Solenn Heussaff during the media launch of E! Asia’s It Girls on Tue, Oct 18. 

So how does one become an It girl? 

Liz: How to be you po. (Laughs)

Isabelle: It just has to happen.

Solenn: Hang out with people that inspire you. And be true to yourself, I guess. 

Raymond: And do you. Find your passion and do what you love.

Solenn: Don’t try to copy someone. Find your own path. 

Liz: And also I don’t think I’ll wake and think na, ‘Oh, I want to be an ‘It Girl!'”

Solenn: That’s already the wrong mindset. 

How will you deal with the bashers of the show?

Solenn: There’s so many nega people out there. They are just really there.

Liz: I’m sure there are haters, but there are more lovers.

Isabelle: You also can’t get all this love without some hate.

Solenn: Love them. Love to fight them.