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For many celebrities, fame is something that comes gradually. The modeling campaigns they front and the shows they star in become bigger and bigger until eventually, their name is known in households everywhere.
But for our April 2024 cover girl Ina Raymundo, fame came when she starred in an iconic Sabado Nights commercial opposite Paolo Abrera, stunning onlookers with her quiet yet commanding demeanor that made her one of her generation’s most sought-after sexy stars.
“It catapulted me right away to stardom. Hindi ko na napagdaanan yung mga bit characters and napabilis yung pagiging kilala ng tao sakin. I was 19 and right away, boom, I was doing movies na with action stars,” she shared, looking back with nothing but gratitude.
Almost three decades later, Ina is experiencing a career renaissance—turning heads when she recently strutted the runway of Bench Fashion Week 2024. The energy, joy, and oozing sex appeal that the veteran actress brought to the runway was infectious, no wonder her video quickly went viral.
With her fit body and youthful charm, she’s seemingly defying the laws of nature. Unsurprisingly, Ina’s pulling power extended to her acting career—being the talk of social media town for her recent projects, the film X&Y and Netflix's top-watched series Can’t Buy Me Love.
On starring as the vengeful Annie Mariano, Ina made sure to be in a pretty good place when it comes to authentically playing the part. “My creative process was I was thinking like a lion and a serpent at the same time, that’s why I was acting that way. I felt like a fierce animal. That’s what I was thinking—that I’ve been waiting for this moment. I’ve prepared my speech for years and years, so facing them was the highlight of my revenge. So kailangan talaga prepared.”
Ina is wearing a one-piece swimsuit and Solasta Jewelry
She represents more than just a powerhouse talent, but also a reel-life mother figure to Donny Pangilinan, whom she likened to her own son Jakob Poturnak. “Doing scenes with Donny was so amazing because he’s a good actor. Nananalaytay talaga sa dugo niya yung pagiging actor. It was easier for me to do scenes with him because he kind of reminded me of Jakob, my only son. They have exactly the same height, same built, same pagka-gwapo.”
That said, Anny’s rocky relationship with her son Bingo brought out ~feelsy~ emotions from Ina. “Maiisip ko pa lang si Jakob na ganun yung treatment niya na ayaw niya sakin, that’s so heartbreaking.”
But, as established as she is, nothing is taken for granted. More than once, Ina mentioned how grateful she is to be acting again and having the chance to take risks at her age. “I feel grateful, blessed that this happened to me. Now that I have kids, I appreciate work more, I appreciate acting more. Because I feel that I have worked harder this time than before, na parang pinagdaanan ko uli yung pagiging from the bottom,” she shares.
In her late 40s, Ina radiates a confidence that goes beyond mere movie-star power and charisma. Life isn’t a bed of roses, but she makes sure to focus on the positives. “My goal is to inspire women, especially mommies. Gusto ko talaga ma-realize nila that self-care and self-love is very important. After having kids, don’t let yourself go. You should take care of yourself, still prioritize yourself. Prioritize your mental and emotional health. That’s why in my profile, it says balance is key. That’s really the life you need to live.”
Ina is wearing a bikini and wraparound, Baobab sunglasses, and Solasta Jewelry
In her book, both work and play are of utmost equal importance. “There’s a time to be a mother, [and] there's a time to be an independent woman. There’s a time to be healthy, and there’s a time to enjoy the food that you eat. There’s a time to be sober, but there are times that you can have a few drinks and have fun,” she says.
Despite being in the limelight, Ina’s personal life is something that she fiercely protects. She has five kids and an adoring husband, and the appreciation she feels for this is palpable. After all, she is obviously part of the ~*cool mom club*~. She offers her all-out support to her kids, especially Jakob and Erika—who are both living abroad but are also enjoying a bit of social media buzz here and there.
Yet despite the interest for the two to join showbiz, it seems like Ina’s offspring have different plans. Currently, Erika is interested in pursuing a professional career abroad after graduation, while Jakob has big dreams in his sport baseball. About all these, Ina is the most cheerful mom, “They have a lot of fans, but they have their own plans for themselves. As for me, I’m just going to support them.”
Such chill disposition extends to her love life too, being married to her foreigner husband Brian Poturnak for 24 years now. “We're so chill,” she shares. “To be honest, a relationship that works is a relationship where you're just chill. As a body of water, you're like a lake. Just calm. Not a raging river.”
She added, sharing the upsides of marrying someone from a different culture. “I think if you know that you are a strong-willed person, you have to date a foreigner because they're more liberated. Never ever date an insecure man. That's a red flag. A giant red flag.”
Ina is wearing a Bench one-piece swimsuit
Uhm yes, she speaks from experience. “I had a jealous boyfriend. I was traumatized and I promised myself I would never ever date a jealous person. I'd be miserable. I'd be unhappy. I knew it wouldn't last. So, if you know your worth and you are an empowered woman, the last thing that you need is an insecure man.”
Ina might have staged an acting comeback, but given her penchant for work-life balance, she makes space for the mundane moments in order to not get too overloaded. She sticks to her everyday workout routine, maintains a healthy diet, dances with her Zumba friends, and hangs out with her family. She loves a good dose of pleasure, even the ones that bring a bit of guilt. Take, for instance, a hearty pack of truffle-flavored chips with soda. “Eating chips is so orgasmic. Sometimes I say it's better than sex when you eat chips especially when you haven't had it in a long time. That gives me pleasure.”
Ina is wearing a Bench one-piece swimsuit
She’s not really so hard on herself, a trait she wanted to pass on to her daughters. “Being a part of Gen X, I’m not really bothered. It's really the youngsters that I’m worried about. Sana nga, I could advocate for that. To teach young girls not to compare themselves to others. Because that’s where depression will start, or you’ll feel so bad, you’ll have dysmorphia. So, I really hope kids would slow down when it comes to the physicality of the world. They need to understand that there are way better things in life than to focus on what you look like, what you will wear, or what you will eat. Girls, you need to be easy on yourselves.”
She adjusts well on social media, too—having active Instagram and TikTok accounts. “It's not for everyone, but for me, it's been very helpful. And if there are negative comments, I delete them right away. I don't want it on my feed. Why would I have this negativity on my account? No, thank you.”
Ina doesn’t do regret or competition in her career—she only has the future and herself to look forward to now. “I want the producers to know that I am more committed to work. I hope that they will invest in a middle-ager. I know [a] love team is their favorite thing and I'm happy for those love teams because they really work hard. But I think you should also invest in middle-aged actors. Make a movie for us to showcase our experience and talent.”
Right now, she’s open to anything: an international film, a musical ala La La Land, a feel-good comedy-drama. They say life begins at forty, but for Ina, there’s no deadline to pursuing new dreams, really. After all, she’s living in a world where time has evolved, and women are having thriving careers deeper in their lives, all while enjoying the joys of having a beautiful family and a strong sense of self.
As we wrapped up our interview and shared our pleasantries, I asked her the million-dollar question: What’s the secret to the fountain of youth? “I go natural, e. I’m always for organic—less chemical, less toxic. That’s why I exercise regularly. And I don’t look in the mirror all the time.”
That, and an unapologetic, carefree attitude. She said, “I’ve been an advocate for that. Nothing should stop you from doing what you want. Wear what you want to wear, whatever makes you feel comfortable and your best [self].”
PRODUCED BY: Cheska Santiago
ASSISTED BY: Ira Nopuente, Andie Estella, Cass Lazaro
PHOTOGRAPHY: Andrea Genota, assisted by JV Rabano
ART DIRECTION: Pau Moyano
SITTINGS EDITOR: Thea Alberto-Masakayan
STYLING: Mika Reyes, assisted by Clyemae Suarez and Kla Dela Cruz
MAKEUP: Lei Ponce, assisted by Jopay Quirino
HAIRSTYLING: Francine Quirino
WORDS BY: Cass Lazaro
VIDEOS: Jino Del Mundo
SOCIAL MEDIA: Aina Lizarondo, assisted by Jessica Musni
MARKETING SPECIALIST: Marie Bilgera
GROWTH LEAD: Dom Domingo
PUBLISHER: Iza Santos
Shot on location at The Westin Manila
