R is for Rhian, and the signature of her performances, which is strength in vulnerability.

Like one of the pivotal scenes in her lesbian-comes-of-age soap, The Rich Man’s Daughter, where she plays Jade Tanchingco, willful but overprotected, the only daughter of a wealthy Chinese clan, uber-traditional, and unwelcoming of fringe views. Jade becomes infatuated and falls for the mestiza and doe-eyed Althea (Glaiza de Castro), self-made and sure of herself, if still hesitant, like Jade, of her newfound desires for someone on the same gender fence.

The scene: inside the restroom where Jade has gone to collect herself. She’s just about to exit but spots Althea washing up and checking her face in the mirror. Jade is forced to wait and confront her hesitation, unwilling to unchain her emotions and yet yearning to engage by simply opening her bathroom stall. Everything could change; nothing might change.

The conflict, the emotions that play on her face is a treasure. It is precious in not knowing what it wants to be.

“I agree that vulnerability is a strength,” says Rhian. “And I will be the first to admit that I was bad when I started all this [acting]. But now that I’ve gotten some depth in [performing] it is where I set free all the things I can’t be and I can’t do. Acting to me is freedom. Every second between the words ‘action’ and ‘cut’ is freedom. If you’ve ever fallen for someone, but you’re with somebody else? That’s how it feels. You can’t act upon that in the real world, but you can in movies. All the bad, all the forbidden, all the taboo things I wish I could do I put in acting.”