When it comes to star-building, the Star Magic (the talent development and managing arm of ABS-CBN), can certainly be credited as having produced the biggest number of young superstars and competent thespians.
Star Magic gave us John Lloyd Cruz, Piolo Pascual, Jericho Rosales, Bea Alonzo, Maja Salvador, Kim Chiu, the LizQuen and KathNiel, and of late, the MayWard.
Of course, not everyone they discovered became big stars. Some did not even become stars at all. Showbiz and stardom is a mysterious preoccupation. It’s not really for everyone.
But it’s for the same reason that talent and management arms like the Star Magic never stop from discovering new faces and honing their talents…finding that diamond in the rough, so to speak, that just might be the next big thing.
Formerly called the Talent Center, Star Magic was the brainchild of then ABS-CBN executive vice president and general manager Freddie Garcia and Johnny Manahan—fondly called Mr. M—who was then the network’s program director. They wanted to create a stable of new stars to fill in the demands of the network’s growing number of TV shows and subsequent film projects.
From Ang TV to launching batch of new faces every year through the Star Circle, Star Magic grew into the biggest talent management firm in showbizlandia. And year after year, it gives the public fresh faces to adore and new idols to patronize.
Now its 27th year, the Kapamilya talent management arm introduced on May 22, 16 more new faces—fresh from workshop series, commercial modelling stints, and PBB house exposures— poised for possible stardom.
The launch of this new batch of talents, called the 2019 Star Magic Circle, coincides with the month-long celebration of Star Magic’s 27th anniversary, which is marked with digital documentaries and retrospectives, catalogue launch, and the Tatak Star Magic party happening on June 2.
In the meantime, here are the 16 new faces to watch for:
The Gents
Glen Vargas, 23
IG: @_glenvargas
Glen, a former boyband member, is possibly the one with the most showbiz experience among this batch. He’s had small roles in such films as Chain Mail, Talk Back and You’re Dead, and Diary ng Panget. He’s also done international ramp modeling stints and commercial shoots abroad (Singapore and Thailand).
Glen says he doesn’t mind playing kontrabida onscreen but his dream role, he says, is to play a superhero character.
“Kasi bata palang ako mahilig na ako manood ng mga Avengers, mga ganyan… mga Batman, Superman…so nakikita ko ’yong sarili ko sana one day ako naman ’yong [lumilipad].”
JC Alcantara, 19
IG: @jcalcantaraofficial
JC is already a familiar face as he was part of the recently-concluded top teleserye, Halik. And prior to that, he’s part of a viral food-chain ad. That was in fact, his ticket to showbiz.
This cutie, who’s also a budding guitar player and songwriter, has already appeared in the Bea Alonzo-starrer Kasal in 2018. But he’s able to show his acting chops in a few epsiodes of ABS-CBN’s Ipaglaban Mo.
And although he’s already worked with his idol Jericho Rosales in Halik, JC says he wants another chance to exchange on-screen dialogues with him in the future.
When asked what his mom says of him, he laughingly says: “Sabi ng nanay ko g’wapo daw ako . . . hahaha! Sa kanya lang ako naniniwala.”
Javi Benitez, 22
IG: @javibenitezzz
Six-footer Javi is the scion of the Benitez political clan of Negros Occidental (his dad is former 3rd District of Negros Occidental Congressman Albee Benitez). Possibly in preparation for a future political career, Javi finished a double degree in Political and Computer Science. But he wants to take a detour first by dipping his hands at show business.
A ramp and commercial model on the side, Javi is understandably gym rat. That’s the reason why he has a toned body to match his 6-feet frame. But he’s out to prove he isn’t just beauty and brawn.
For one, the fellow has already tried his hand in hosting for the ANC show Game Changer and Studio 23’s Sports Kidz.
This Negrense is another Jericho Rosales fan, who finds the senior Star Magic actor as “sobrang cool at magaling umarte.”
RA Lewis, 21
IG: @ralewis
RA has three ancestral bloodlines running in his veins— Filipino, Canadian, Polish. And his most striking feature, besides his 6’3” height, is his pair of magnetic eyes.
RA, who was just vacationing here, auditioned for the Pinoy Big Brother. He was prodded by his lola, no less. That’s where the Star Magic people spotted this semi deadringer of the young Leonardo di Caprio.
He was initially hesitant to pursue showbiz. But he saw the new opportunities coming his way as a sign to go on.
“Gusto kong maging artista dahil kasi it was my grandma’s dream for me to be in the big screen so I want her dream also to be, you know, come true before she losses her eyesight,” RA told pikapika in heavily accented TagLish.
Now, he looks forward to having the chance to work with Piolo Pascual and Kim Chiu or probably donning the hat of a kontrabida in a crime or action film.
Kyle Echarri, 15
IG: @kyleecharri
Kyle may be one of the youngest in this Star Circle batch but he is way ahead than most in terms of experience and fanbase.
We all know him as the kid from The Voice Kids Season 2 and the reality music competition We Love OPM. His musical talent and innate charisma landed him regular stints in ASAP and subsequently, the show launched him as one of the members of the show teen group “ASAP G!” last year along with Darren Espanto and Ylona Garcia among others.
He was also given a chance to try prove himself in acting via the Aga Muhlach comeback movie Seven Sundays in 2017. And Kyle did not disappoint. Now, alongside his singing, Kyle is acting full time via the highly-rated show, Kadenang Ginto, where he has been making waves as Kristhoff Tejada opposite Andrea Brillantes.
Kyle says he didn’t mind being included in this latest batch of Star Circle despite the fact that he’s already “more established” than the rest. He says he just trusts everyone that’s been handling his career.
In the very near project, we can expect a collab musical album courtesy of this guy along with his bros—Darren Espanto and Iñigo Pascual.
Jeremiah Lisbo, 20
IG: @jeremiahlisbo
At six-feet tall, Jeremiah is described by his Star Magic family as as a “big ball of energy.” Read: he’s the most pilyo in the group, the joker, the clown.
But while he seems your typical pilyo, Jeremiah believes in three things—training, hard work and prayers—being the passport to success. These three, he says, helped him in juggling his budding modeling career, his being the head of their college’s sports organization, and his studies (He is currently completing his internship for his Hotel & Restaurant Management course at a 5-star hotel in Makati).
Someday he hopes to able to be on the same screen with his idols Gary Valenciano and Piolo Pascual. But before that, let him enjoy his moments with the LizQuen [Liza Soberano-Enrique Gil] tandem first as he is reportedly taking part in an upcoming LizQuen project.
Anthony Jennings, 18
IG: @anthonyjenningss
Filipino-British Anthony Jennings may look really familiar. That’s because he’s already been a part several TVCs. Thanks to his friend who egged him on. Now more confident, Anthony, is aiming for big-time acting.
Already, he has taken part in some Kapamilya shows like iWant’s Touchscreen starring Pokwang. He also has an introduction role in the much-anticipated Kathryn Bernardo-Alden Richards movie Hello Love Goodbye and is also set, along with Jeremiah, to star in the upcoming LizQuen soap.
His dream, however, is to be play a mad character while
sharing screentime with everyone’s favorite it seems, Jericho Rosales.
Kendru Garcia, 20
IG: @kendrugarcia
Besides being an artista, Saipan-reared Kendru Garcia also dreams of becoming a pilot.
But his best talent, the one that sets him apart from the rest, is his rapping skills. Rapping, he says, helped him speak Filipino fluently as well as enabled him to tap on his inner composer.
However, his various workshops under the Star Magic workshop series gave him a keen interest for acting. Now, he also dreams of working with John Lloyd Cruz someday. That is, after he’s realized his other dream: to release his own rap album.
The ladies
GILLIAN VINCENCIO, 19
IG: @_gillianvincencio
Chances are, Pinoy horror film fans already got spooked by the “small but terrible” newbie. Her acting debut, Mikhail Red’s Eerie, pitted her against movie giants Ms. Charo Santos and Bea Alonzo no less. And she delivered! So much so that she now stars in her own iWant series, Karga.
When asked to share something she’s never done but has always wanted to do, the 19-year-old Gillian says: “Gusto ko po talaga ma-try mag-live alone, gusto ko pong maging independent, gano’n. Para makita ko kung kaya ko na po ba talaga or something.”
As for dream role? Anything as long as it’s with the Bea Alonzo-John Lloyd Cruz tandem.
Sophie Reyes, 20
IG: @soupwithsophie
Sophie has large shoes to fill. Her great grandmother is no less than the Sampaguita Pictures goddess, Paraluman; her grandmom is thespian Baby O’Brien, and her mom is the equally talented actress Rina Reyes.
But Sophie—who has been part of stage plays and musicals such as The Sound of Music, Magsimula Ka, and Sleeping Beauty—is up for the challenge. In fact, she maybe considered more talented than her well-adored elders as she also delves into songwriting and dancing.
This multi-talented young lady just got her degree in Theater. And now that she’s part of Star Magic, Sophie says she just didn’t want to be known as her famous relatives’ younger version, but as her own person. In the future, this romantic-not-a-skeptic tisay hopes to share the screen with Kathryn Bernardo. She also wants a femme fatale role. Fierce.
Aiyana Waggoner, 12
IG: @_aiyanawagonner
Filipino-American Aiyana Waggoner is already a six-footer at 12! This Pampanga-born potential beauty queen has already joined a number of ramp modeling events, the most recent of which was the Bench Fashion Week last March 2019.
Besides becoming an actress and an international model, this looker also dreams of becoming the onscreen sister of Chantal Videla, Liza Soberano, and Bea Alonzo. But she’s already proven, via the film Eerie, that she can take on roles other than just the “sister of.”
But she’s in no hurry. After all, she is only 12.
Melizza Jimenez, 17
IG: @jimenezmelizza
After her breakthrough project with the KathNiel loveteam in the film, Barcelona: A Love Untold in 2016, Melizza took on roles for top-rater shows Wansapanataym’s Tikboyong and FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.
Melizza, who just finished senior high school, decided to forego her plans to study in Australia to discover what showbiz has in store for her. After all, she has a lot more to offer than acting. The girl can also sing. In fact, she wants a future musical collab with one of her best friends, Kira Balinger. And possibly write and release her own songs, too.
The 17-year-old stunner shares that she once screenshot a fan message that said she looked like Bella Haddid. “Ang layo-layo pero thank you sa nagsabi sa akin,” laughs Melizza.
Eisel Serrano, 20
IG: @eiselserrano
Eisel easily grabs one’s attention as she tends to look like actress Janine Gutierrez at some angles. In fact, Janine’s own lola, Pilita Corrales no less, told her the same. They met at an airport once and the iconic singer couldn’t help but tell her so.
But this Travel Management cum laude graduate from UST isn’t using that as a passport to showbiz. She’s already tried honing her acting skills through constant workshops and she’s out to prove now what she’s learned so far. Given a chance though, she prefers kontrabida roles in the future. “Kasi ang features ko po, mas pang-kontrabida,” Eisel said during the press Star Magic press conference.
Given the chance, too, to choose her loveteam partner, she says she wants Marco Gumabao.
A determined go-getter, Eisel, at 20, has already checked off all her major goals including losing weight, traveling the world, obtaining her degree, and now entering show business. “’Yong pag-graduate ko po, para sa parents ko…dream po nila ’yon; eto pong pag-aartista, para naman po sa akin.”
Belle Mariano, 16
IG: @belle_mariano
This Goin’ Bulilit alumna just finished junior high school. But don’t be deceived by her teeny-weeny sweet face as Belle’s acting prowess had already been harnessed by such heavy drama shows such as Maalala Mo Kaya and Ipaglaban Mo.
But Belle, who’s a K-Pop fanatic, says she hopes to be appreciated in the singing and vlogging scene, too. At the moment, she is polishing her guitar-playing and singing skills by posting song covers on her social media accounts.
In the future she wishes to collaborate with other jazz and RnB singers like Moira dela Torre.
Right now, Belle is possibly one of the busiest in the group. She has upcoming films: Danztep and Sa Isang Sulok ng mga Pangarap, and an upcoming iWant show called 13 Reasons Why Not.
Arabella del Rosario, 17
IG: @arabelladelro
Besides her obvious beauty, Arabella’s milky white complexion might be the next thing you’d notice about her. But there’s certainly a lot more to this 17-year-old fiery dancer.
At 17, she already runs her life with big words such as passion, drive, and putting smile on people’s faces.
This 5’5” stunner, who likes “cooler than women’s men’s clothing” also dreams of giving life to “literally” fictional characters. Name it, she’d go for it. Superhero, mermaid or even a vampire. Now, that’s a trooper.
Arielle Roces, 22
IG: @arielleroces
This morena beauty has already been the face of a number brands as TVC and print ad model, a work that has already given her a lot of opportunities working with seasoned celebrities. Thus, even before she knows it, the idea of being in showbiz has already been ingrained in her brains.
Thus, Arielle, who is business analytics graduate, after dipping her hands at corporate work, soon she realized that her heart belongs elsewhere: showbiz. Someday, this wanderlust and interior-decorator wannabe hopes to work with both Sam Milby and Gerald Anderson.
PHOTOS & VIDEOS: Melo Balingit
VIDEO EDITING: Stephen Jan Cruz
SHOOT PRODUCTION: Anna Pingol & Irene Mislang
SPECIAL THANKS: Thess Gubi & Lyka Venessa de Nava-Bendanillo
