ABS-CBN Cebu's newest Cebuanovela AMORCHIKO will take off in TV screens this afternoon right before TV Patrol Central Visayas.
The cast graced its mall tour last Saturday at SM Entertainment Plaza, led by its two central characters played by Eda Nolan and Charles Christianson.
Apart from a Q&A portion with the media in full view of shoppers, we cornered the main young actors backstage for a more probing chitchat. Admittedly, I knew very little of these young stars save for some volunteered information (i.e. both are alumni of the now-defunct nationwide artista search "Star Circle Quest").
So, how else would I start my interview but with a self-serving question about what it was like shooting several episodes at Silliman University (my former alma mater) in Dumaguete City? Both Eda and Charles related their surprise upon seeing the seemingly ever-present scooter plying the main thoroughfares of the university town.
"Na-shock jud ko mga babaye ang nag-drive ug mga gwapa pa gyud," said Charles who, at the time of the interview, just flew in from his hometown in Davao.
As I've written here in the past, Silliman is made for TV with its inherent camera-friendly topography. And I'm glad ABS-CBN Cebu will be touring viewers to this campus beside the sea with AMORCHIKO, which will be shown in Visayan-speaking regions.
According to writer and co-director Jurey Mirafuentes, Silliman's oft-photographed landmarks such as the Silliman Church plus the city's favorite seafront promenade, the Rizal Boulevard, will be showcased in the romantic comedy series.
Now, let's get to know its Cebuana female lead star, Eda Nolan. According to Donna Ocampo, ABS-CBN Cebu Entertainment head, Eda was a top choice. "We know she's bound to break through this year. We're really lucky to get her."
Albeit overshadowed by more recent discoveries from Cebu like Kim Chiu, her presence in the entertainment capital is, nevertheless, steadily making progress. The 18-year-old Eda Nolan actually hails from Jagobiao, Mandaue. As a high-schooler at University of Southern Philippines, the petite teener, who is of Spanish, German and Chinese descent, joined and won some beauty contests before landing in show business.
Eda scored a couple of guest appearances in the local variety show "Sabado Na Gyud" before she was personally handpicked by starmaker Johnny Manahan to join ABS-CBN's stable of talents in 2004. Following a very brief stint at SCQ (a mere two weeks, she said), she persisted in cutthroat Manila, attending workshops and patiently waiting for breaks and projects.
"I'm really proud to say, niagi jud ko gikan sa ubos. Naghuwat jud ko pila ka months for projects. After SCQ, nag-workshop pa ko ug six months. Before may accent problem pa sad ko.
"Sa tinud-anay lang, this is not my dream but my dad's. Three years old pa ko gi-train na jud ko sa akong papa sa pag-kanta. Ka-remember ko na pag-audition nako, ako pang Papa ang gabira-bira nako kay dili jud unta ko ganahan. I remember akong audition piece sa SCQ kay gipa-act ko, unya di man ko kabaw mag-Tagalog, so nag-binisaya jud ko. Pero karon [I realized] na nindot siya na trabaho," she said.
Now, tapings packed her everyday schedule. She has an upcoming soap that casts her alongside A-listers Claudine Barretto and Piolo Pascual entitled "Walang Kapalit," set to air anytime soon. She will also star in a new sitcom with Aga Muhlach tentatively titled "Agaton." She's presently a regular and semi-regular in the teen sitcom "Let's Go" and the fantasy series "Pedro Penduko," respectively. Her role as the shy provincial lass Junniper in "Let's Go" somewhat resembles to her character Amor in AMORCHIKO, said Ocampo.
So young, so busy-isn't Eda afraid of burning out? "Yes, moabot ko sa point na murag kapoyan ko. Pero ganahan jud ko mo-trabaho," explained Eda, who out of her showbiz earnings, she was able to buy herself a Sportage car and townhouse in Manila. The youngest daughter of seven children, Eda is accompanied by her mom in Manila, while her father, who runs a factory-laboratory that makes alcohol, acetone, etc., has remained in Cebu.
"Nag-enjoy kaayo ko," she summed up her showbiz adventures so far, beaming to her ears. "Daghan kaayo ko nakaila karon. And thank you Lord, wa pa gyud ko ka-experience ug intriga." (To be continued...)