GMA Artist Center star Martin del Rosario has time and again proven his versatility in acting, taking on challenging roles that capture and impress the viewers.

A Kapuso since 2014, Martin has been part of several notable and top-rating series such as Buena Familia, Pinulot Ka Lang Sa Lupa, Mulawin vs. Ravena, and Hindi Ko Kayang Iwan Ka.

This time around, he takes on a new daring role with via his big screen comeback in Born Beautiful, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed and widely-successful 2016 movie, Die Beautiful.

Martin breathes life to the well-loved character of Barbs, a transgender who sets out on her own adventures following the death of her best friend, Trisha.

“I feel pressured, but at the same time, honored to be chosen by Direk Perci (Intalan) and Direk Jun (Lana). Of course, people will be expecting a lot from the sequel and from me as the new Barbs, but I believed that I did everything, or at the very least, to match the success of Die Beautiful,” he shared.

For Martin, the preparations went beyond the usual acting workshops and required a complete physical transformation: “I had to go on a strict diet to shed pounds for me to fit the women’s clothes. I avoided working out. But the hardest part is the waxing experience. I ended up shaving the rest of my body hair. And of course I had to psyche myself prior to actually getting into the character. The character of Barbs is difficult and complex that’s why I need to study it first.”

On what fans can expect from the highly-anticipated movie, “The twist of the story, the transition of Barbs’ character from Die Beautiful to Born Beautiful, and the story itself. If there’s one takeaway they can get, it’s that we all have the right to be happy. Love knows no gender” said Martin.

Born Beautiful follows the life of Barbs and her journey towards self-discovery. After Trisha’s death, she continues to join beauty pageants and becomes torn between two men. But complications arise and she finds herself trying to transition into becoming a man — but Trisha, or rather, her ghost, isn’t having it.

Born Beautiful is under the direction of Perci Intalan and Jun Lana. The movie premieres this 23 January in cinemas nationwide.