“Althea Vega: Watching a Rising Star, Part 2″
Our first scene had me (the friar) having breakfast with my “alaga” (actually I had two alagas) in the story for the independent movie “Kolorete” and our parish guest from Manila. Althea played as one of my “alagas”.
After the take, we went back to the stand by area where I had a getting to know talk with Althea. That was when she told me about herself. Kababayan pala siya ng aking maybahay. She was born on February 26, 1988 in Pangasinan but she grew up in Gonzaga, Cagayan. She studied Mass Communications in a school in Las Pinas. After graduation she immediately went through the process of auditioning for several movies and television shows. She got some bit roles. She had a short stint as a scriptwriter for DZRH.
She was asking me on the nuances of the showbiz. She sounded very serious in making a career in showbiz. She admitted she really wanted to become a star! I told her point blank: she has the makings of another Angel Locsin.
I narrated to Althea how I met Angel Locsin when Angel was just starting it out. I was in the house cum office of Tita Becky Aguila whom I had a booking arrangement for my TV appearances when a sexy young lady walked nay swayed in front of us. She was then Tita Becky’s latest discovery. I remembered how Angel slowly but surely transformed from a new face to become Angel Locsin – the star! We had a project together when Angel was just starting in showbiz: an episode of GMA 7’s “Hwag Kukurap” which was based on a real ghost experience of Angel Locsin where she played an owner of a condo unit inhabited by a ghost. I played the condo administrator. I narrated to Althea that when Angel was just starting it out, she was the first newcomer whom I told that she will make it in showbiz. As a souvenir, I asked Angel to record in my cell phone a personalized ring tone which Angel right then and there recorded, “hello tito egay, si Angel Locsin po ito, bubulabugin ko po kayo. Ha? Busy ka? Tito egay talaga, masyadong nagpapayaman! Ayaw mo sagutin? Sigue, ibababa ko na ito!” That was when she had just started taping for “Mulawin” as Alwina. I still have that recording of Angel in my cellphone which I used as a ring tone.
The day’s shooting was packed up a few minutes before midnight. It was a long day for all of us. All throughout the shooting, I became like an uncle (ehem, di naman tatay!) to Althea. Giving her pointers on the ins and outs of the crazy world of showbiz!
When I received another call slip for the next shooting day of “Kolorete” I got a text message from Althea. She told me our “Kolorete” shooting was in conflict with another important shooting for a project that she had also accepted. She did not give details on her new projects. When I went to the location, I learned from the staff that indeed Althea could not make it because she had another important commitment.
Althea hinted that the other commitment was a big break for her. Without giving the details, she texted me it was a project with Director Joel Lamangan at the helm.
It was by accident that I came to know the details of Althea’s launching project. After my taping for “Ligaw na Bulaklak”, Beth, a bit player hitched a ride in my car. She called her boyfriend whom she told me later was a crew member of a new project under Direk Joel Lamangan. I asked Beth if her boyfriend had mentioned to her if the project has a newcomer with long black hair in the cast, of course, describing Althea. Beth told me that her boyfriend narrated to her how good is the new discovery in their new project which is a bold movie! Beth’s boyfriend description of the new discovery exactly fitted Althea! So, I showed Beth a picture of Althea in my cell. Looking at Althea’s picture, Beth called her boyfriend again if the name of the newcomer was Althea. Bingo! Yes! Althea has three love scenes where she is topless in the movie according to Beth’s boyfriend!
(to be continued…)
