With the constant glare of the spotlight and all his movements under the scrutiny of rabid fans and haters alike, Alexander Diaz has made peace with the fact he can’t please everyone. So, he just stays chill with his family, friends and the people he loves and who love him back. Being chill, he says, “is choosing your moments.”
Speaking as the face of the new Axe Ice Chill body spray, Diaz sat down with To be You at the launch of Axe Chill Night, held at One Bonifacio Parking Lot, to talk about what it takes to be authentic.
His true self
Diaz says his most natural, true self shows itself when he’s away from the cameras, at home, on a road trip with friends. He enjoys hiking, working out and eating. “And there’s the drinking,” he adds.
“My most authentic self is when I can just laugh and joke, and connect on a level where I’m not constantly worrying about the framework of what I’m supposed to be in show biz. When you’re an actor or a show-biz personality, you tend to put yourself in this box and it can be very suffocating,” he says.
Backstage, he was in a relaxed mood, a rare moment of being away from the spotlight of the launch party, which, as Axe parties go, was filled with drinks, food, neon lights, and music from the best DJs in the metro.
But once onstage, Diaz showed his different side. Poised and measured, yet upbeat and fun, he still seemed his true self.
“If you had to go overboard for somebody, then I don’t think that person is worth your time,” he says.
“This applies to girls, boys, people at work, wherever. I’m a very rambunctious, eccentric individual, but if you’re just meeting someone for the first time, take it back a notch, ease into it, because what I’ve learned about first impressions is that sometimes it can be a lot to take.”
As to how he would describe the Axe Man, Diaz says: “The Axe Man is not confined to the cisgender male: You could be a transgender man, a straight man, a gay man, a bisexual man.
“An Axe Man is a modern-day chivalrous, respectful and inspiring individual. And I think the Axe Ice Chill scent is for anyone who just wants to go out and make a good impression.” —CONTRIBUTED
