5 minute read
BREAKS IT DOWN
By Michelle Elizabeth
In the entertainment industry, it's no secret that fame can come with a hefty price tag. For 13-year-old actress, Bruna Aruna Tomas, the cost of her success was bullying. Despite her talent and passion for acting, Bruna was constantly targeted by her peers who were envious of her accomplishments. However, rather than let the negativity consume her, Bruna used her experiences to speak out and raise awareness for the effects of bullying on young individuals.
Bruna Aruna Tomas started modeling at 2 years old in Portugal then continued when she moved to Switzerland at 4 years old. Her first work was for Levi’s and Mayoral for Babymag magazine. Then Bruna was chosen to walk for designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, which was a great honor for her. Her resume also includes a lot of publicity work for Kaizen Models, La Redute, Wella, The Olympic Games in Tokyo, Wallis Valais and more. A couple of her favorite acting experiences so far were when she spent 2 days filming for I am a Girly and filming for Miss Bellyfoo- a series coming out soon where she plays the lead. When it comes to modeling, Ms. Tomas’ favorite experience was a fashion show she did for Mini Mode London. She adds, “They work very correctly, the models are chosen because of our quality not for the quantity (money). Nowadays if you contact most designers to walk for them, they don’t care if you have talent, they ask you money to walk for them, some in the moment are asking 1500 to walk, it’s insupportable for someone who is not rich. But Minimode London was really a great experience.”
This amazing actress is a self-taught artist who has honed her skills in a unique way. She has an insatiable appetite for movies and enjoys watching them in English. Bruna has always been fascinated by the art of acting and the way in which actors bring their characters to life on screen. She has a natural talent for mimicking accents and picking up on the smallest of details in a scene. Bruna's passion for acting led her to spend countless hours watching movies and television shows, and she would often act out all the scenes by herself, which helped her to learn English. (She’s also fluent in French and Portuguese and is currently learning German.) This practice has also helped her to develop her acting skills and has given her the confidence to pursue her dream of becoming a professional actress. Her hard work and dedication are paying off, and she is becoming known for her talent, versatility, and dedication to her craft. In fact, Bruna was just recently crowned Miss Teen Portugal/Switzerland 2023 which is a dream come true. She was the youngest contestant in her category. Now she will represent the Portuguese community in Switzerland in the National Final in Portugal. It was the best experience in her life, and she is grateful to the CNB Beauty Contest for giving her the opportunity to meet and learn so much with Miss Universe Portugal Telma Madeira, Miss Portugal/Switzerland Débora Castro and all the team. A big thank you goes out to all of them. Bruna's story is a testament to the power of passion and hard work, and it serves as an inspiration to aspiring actors everywhere.
When it comes to goals and plans for the future,Bruna says, “School is a priority.” She also adds, “I am sure that I want acting, I love it! I love being in the modeling and acting industry but it’s a very competitive and expensive world to be in.” In fact, Ms Tomas had recently slowed down and she took a small hiatus from modeling because of how she was suffering from being bullied at school. It disrupted her life so much that she couldn’t focus on the things she loved like modeling and acting. Luckily, Bruna already had booked some work in advance and has her schedule almost full for the next Fashion weeks in Paris and Milan. She’s working on getting back into it while she tries to heal and move on from the torture at school.
Sadly, Bruna has been bullied most of her life. It started when she was about 6 years old. The same group of boys and girls have been tormenting her, with one particular boy often being the instigator. They hurl insults and spread false rumors about her to other students, causing Bruna to feel anxious and unable to concentrate. “Bullying makes me feel very nervous, anxious. I cannot concentrate on anything. I hate injustices with me and with all.”
The latest incident involved the bullies creating a group without her and sharing a photo of someone's private parts on social media, claiming it was Bruna. She laments that sadly her peers seem to consider bullying as a norm, and they often enjoy capturing and broadcasting such acts on social media. “Unfortunately the new generation don’t try to stop it’s normal for them, they love confusion,” Bruna adds.
When faced with this stressful situation, Bruna immediately turned to her mother, then to her teacher for help. Together they confronted the bullies who immediately stopped… but only temporarily. The bullies stopped long enough to get out of trouble but eventually started up again. It began to impact her confidence, which is crucial in the fashion industry. Bruna elaborates, “The first thing you need to know about fashion is that it requires a certain attitude.. Very few are able to pull off. In order to look stunning in such clothes you need to emanate a great amount of self confidence. Wearing a designer dress doesn’t make you more special. On the contrary, it is the way you wear the dress that makes it special. Your style is part of who you are and you need to learn how to express it with confidence.” Being constantly harassed, put down, and distracted by the bullies, Bruna’s confidence took a blow and it was hard for her to keep up with the fast paced industry of fashion, while still keeping up with school and holding on to her sanity, which is why she took a step back for a bit.
In Bruna's opinion, schools should implement stricter rules and penalties for bullies, and such incidents should be reported to the police. She believes that bullies are often insecure and lacking in self-confidence, and adds “[They] only feel good when they see people suffering, people who need psychological help, and unfortunately most parents in these days of stress don't even know the children who [they] have at home, and we never know what they can do tomorrow if we don’t stop them immediately.” She advises that parents should pay attention to their children's behavior, and victims of bullying like Bruna should always speak up and seek help from the authorities or support organizations.
Bruna Aruna Tomas' journey highlights the importance of passion and hard work in achieving one's goals. Despite facing bullying, she chose to turn it into a positive experience by advocating for anti-bullying whenever she can. Her story is an inspiration for young actors and models alike. It is crucial to understand the adverse effects of bullying on children's mental health, which can last into adulthood. Therefore, we must take a stand against bullying and provide support to those affected by it. Harsher rules and penalties should be implemented in schools, and parents should pay attention to their children's behavior to prevent bullying from becoming normalized. We must work collectively to create a safe and supportive environment for our children.
