Andrea Brillantes has officially been unveiled as Tanduay’s 2026 Calendar Girl, joining the ranks of some of the industry’s biggest names—including Kim Chiu, Bea Alonzo, Heart Evangelista, Kylie Verzosa, Erich Gonzales, and Ivana Alawi—who have all graced the iconic calendar before her.
The 22-year-old star was introduced at a grand media launch held in Quezon City on Friday night, November 14. And while she now radiates confidence in her new role, Andrea admitted that her first reaction was pure disbelief.
“Yung unang reaction ko parang, ‘bakit ako?’ ‘Sigurado kayo?’” she shared with a laugh. “I was shocked at first as in napaisip ako. Weh, talaga ba? Nung napaisip ulit ako, wait, ready na ba ako? Ready na ba yung mama ko, yung lola ko… ready na ba yung fans ko? Kasi lumaki ako sa screen, nakita nila ako bagets pa.”
But after the initial hesitation came excitement—and pride.
“But now that I’m here, I could say that I’m really grateful and honored. Masaya po ako that they see me worthy of the role. I knew that I was ready. This is such an honor and a huge milestone for me.”
Preparing for her sexy calendar shoot, however, didn’t go exactly as planned. Andrea revealed that she got hospitalized a month before the pictorial, preventing her from working out.
“I had to prepare physically and mentally. Gusto ko pa sana itodo yung preparations ko, but I got hospitalized… I was too weak to work out,” she said. “So I stayed disciplined, but I didn’t push myself. Ayoko rin i-promote yung idea na dapat specific body type ka para maging calendar girl. Love ko yung body ko. Unahin muna ang health. Gusto ko ring maging more body positive.”
Andrea’s recent calendar feature may have caught attention for its glamour, but for the actress, it represents something deeper: A stepping stone into a more mature and empowered phase of her career.
At the launch, Andrea expressed a desire to take on more varied and challenging roles, signaling a deliberate shift toward projects that reflect her growth, both on screen and off.
