It’s a hot morning in June, and Gabbi Garcia walks into 10a alabama in New Manila, completely nonplussed by the humidity. The 17-year old is elegant but effortless in sunglasses, denim shorts, and a light cardigan, an instagrammable dream come true. as she goes about her rounds of greetings and hi-hellos, she introduces herself by name: “hi, i’m Gabbi,” even though we already know. humility, they say, gets you far in showbiz, and this girl’s off to a pretty good start.

Gabbi looks, speaks, and acts just like any girl her age would, except she is surrounded by a busy vortex of publicists, assistants, and hair and makeup artists. But in the eye of the hurricane, she’s serene, sharing laughs with her team as she gamely responds to our questions. She has been Nicole (My Destiny), Sophie (Maynila: DIY Happy Ending), Marikit (InstaDad), Sophia (Let the Love Begin), and so much more: she has played the part of student, daughter, endorser, scuba diver, vocalist, role model. and yet, above and beyond it all, her easy grace and lighthearted demeanor show her for who she truly is—simply, unapologetically Gabbi.

At what point in your life did you realize that you wanted to be an actress? Has this always been your dream career? i’ve been joining pageants and contests since i was four years old, but i never thought that the opportunity to enter showbiz would come at the age of 15. i was in my junior year of high school, so i had to weigh things: should i leave school and enter showbiz, or try to do both? i decided to do both. i graduated, so i’m happy i made it work. My parents, luckily, are very supportive.