erhaps the bravest thing that Anne has ever done is to wear her heart on her sleeve. In an industry that venomously feeds on the private lives of its stars, to tell the world that you're in love is much like openly inviting the vultures to start feasting on you alive. But Anne seems unafraid, even a bit naïve, unaware of what she's done. Maybe her passions have overwhelmed her senses. Maybe her heart has gotten the better of her mind. Maybe she's rebelling against the system. Or maybe she's in love.

Practically everyone in show business denies romantic involvements left and right. They call it self-preservation. Doesn't Anne see that opening the door to the wolves is a big mistake? She says that she's young and she doesn't see the need to explain her actions to anyone. She says, laughing. “I can make mistakes. It's all part of life and it's all part of growing up.”

If she's bothered about anything, it's that her busy schedule prevents her from seeing more of her man, entrepreneur Paolo Araneta . “It's just the time,” she says sadly. “I hardly get to see him unless he visits the set.”

But she's quick to point out that she won't her love life get in the way of her career: “It doesn't really affect me as an actress. As a girlfriend, I'm loyal. I'm super sweet na malambing. I like to be babied. I'm always pa-cute to my boyfriend. But I like to spoil my boyfriend!” She giggles delightedly as she says this.

Love Team

They look good together, that's for sure. She's young, sexy, extraordinarily pretty, and downright adorable. He's a handsome mestizo from the Revilla-Araneta dynasty who's prone to treating Anne like a princess.

“Every day he does something romantic,” she shares dreamily. “We've been together for almost nine months. We've never fought yet! There are times na, let's say medyo tipsy ako o whatever, I start picking a fight and he's like, ‘You miss fighting na, ‘no?” He's like that an I laugh na.”

Paolo's patience with Anne (tipsy, moody, or otherwise) stems from the fact that he's almost 10 years older than she is. “It helps kasi that he understands what I'm going through because what I'm just about to go through for the next 10 years of my life, he's just been through and he can help me.”

She says she appreciates the age difference because she's aware that she can still be quite a baby. She understands that there can't be two babies in a relationship, and Paolo's being much older is a source of strength for her. “I guess [the age difference] helps a lot because he understands ever immaturity I still have in me. He guides me along the way with decisions and it really helps.”

All That

Before you start rolling your eyes at her utter girlishness, consider this: Anne has been working for eight years, received a best actress nomination for her very first film, has appeared in number of popular TV shows and movies, has several high-profile endorsement contracts under her belt, and is still the favorite cover girl of many glossy magazines. With her earnings, she has just bought a lot in an exclusive village overlooking Laguna Lake and is building a Victorian-style mansion on it for her pleasure. The house isn't for her family; it's for her simply enjoyment. And she just turned 20. There's got to be a lot of spunk and steely determination behind her girly-girl façade.

Anne shot to her current stardom playing Stephanie in the top-rating ABS-CBN soap, Hiram. Millions of viewers turned in to see Anne crumple her pretty face into tears in the unfolding love triangle between Heart Evangelista 's Margaret and Geoff Eigenmann 's Harry/Andrew. On Sundays, those same viewers watch as Anne drops the drama to be the wacky host on The Buzz in her tsismis segment, ‘Wanna Buzz.' Currently, she is the lead star of Kampanerang Kuba , where she sheds her stylish image to play a hunchback mercilessly abused by Jodi Sta. Maria .

Lip Service

She's been getting a lot of unwanted attention lately for her promotion of an alcoholic beverage. Apparently, people have complained that it doesn't suit her tweetums image. “I'm not really super pa-sweet but I can be in certain aspects. But I'm not rin naman the super all-out bad girl,” she says.

Why people even bother with her image is a mystery to her. She says she never hid the fact that she likes to drink when she's out partying with the girls. In fact, the night Paolo fell in love with her, she was actually dead drunk.

Anne knows that nasty gossip is part of the business. “I hate people who are liars and who are, you know, not true people. I hate that. I hate tsismis even though I now it's part of my job. But I don't like it when it's dirty tsismis. But I don't let it get to me. Just as long as the people I care about and the people who are really close to me know who really am, that's what matters.”

As far as she's concerned, Anne has never pretended to be someone she's not. She's so unguarded with her thoughts—she'll say one thing and then plead, “Don't put that na lang!” because she'll suddenly realize that she may be misconstrued. In front of strangers, she transforms from sophisticated woman with a strong Australian accent (she was born and raised in Wangaratta , Australia ) to a super bakya character who talks gay speak so rapidly no one in the room can keep up. She can bat her lashes prettily one second then guffaw loudly the next. She's sweet and endearing to everyone around her, speaking to you with her big brown eyes, then all curt and business-like when the cameras start rolling.

Anne adores being on the cover of Cosmo a second time—the first was two years ago, a coming-out event for her. “Kasi at 18, I was coming of age, you know. It was my first ever shoot that I was dressed like a woman! And now it's different,” she shares. “I don't know, it just feel different! I'm more confident with myself, I guess. I know what my angles are and everything. I know how to pose and emote when I'm in front of the camera unlike my first cover shoot, people had to really help me.” It may also have helped that the venerable news network, CNN, was also there to cover Anne's shoot for a feature on Summit Media.

But while she seemed to enjoy every minute of the shoot, Anne never shied away from saying what she thought all women should enjoy—and that is the protection, provision, and adoration of men.

Obviously, Anne is a girl in love. She can't quite hid the kilig in her voice, even when she's talking about her laptop or wakeboarding—two of her favorite things. You know that even when she talks about Buddy, her white Maltese puppy, or her passion for Havaianas flip flops, or her favorite authors (Paolo Coelho books, Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, and Judith Mcnaught), or even her favorite color (“I love the color pink to death!”), she's thinking about Paolo. The sparkle in her eyes when she talks about everyday things can't possibly come from these everyday things. She smiles brightly and confesses, “I'm a hopeless romantic, eh!”

Heart Strings

Then, just as you think she's gone over the edge with this business of love, Anne pulls the brakes. “Have you read The Celestine Prophecy?” she asks earnestly as she tries to explain why she believes women should still strive to be independent in a marriage. “Well, that book kasi says we all have our own source of energy. [When two people come] together, one starts pulling the energy of one person, and the other person becomes weak. So you have to still have that own source of energy for yourself. That's why I think kahit papaano you still have to be independent in your own way. Like an advantage for a girl is she, you know, doesn't have to supply for her family. But then again, she should still work to have her own money for herself to buy her own personal needs, things to spoil herself. That's how a girl should be independent.”

Despite her lovestruck aura, she stresses that a man is not always the answer, “Learn to have more fun with just your girlfriends and learn to spoil yourself more,” she points out. This particular tip is something that she has taken to heart as Anne is part of a posse of pretty women, showbiz actresses such as Danica Sotto, Antoinette Taus, and Cheska Garcia, who despite their hectic schedules, still make the time to see each other and call each other up. “I love my friends,” Anne smiles. “I like people who are honest and who are frank.”

Anne also likes the idea of work, especially now that her star is on the rise. But she smiles and shrugs. “For me, I don't really want to put that in my mind. Even though things are finally working out, I'd like to think that still really have to do my best in everything to reach my goal—to get [acting] award. I don't really think I'm rising and that it's still the same and that I still have to do my best in everything.”

Girl Power

Even as she revels in her happy love life, she also likes to tell girls that a career is a great way to get your mind off men, “If you're just out of a relationship, try and focus more on work,” she advises. Yet in the same breath she says, “But always look good when you do go out!” She grins as she says this, obviously someone who makes sure all her bases are covered. Just in case.

Devoid of pretensions, feminist angst, or any need to defend her choices, Anne is unabashedly feminine, unapologetically naïve, and proudly, so proudly, in love. ‘I think you really should live each day like it's your last. You give it your all, enjoy. Don't let problems get to you. yeah, I really think you should just enjoy. And try to be happy, you know! Problems will just make you age and look ugly,” she giggles.

“Always have your own identity,” she finishes with a satisfied smile. She definitely has hers.

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