Maxene Magalona: Child of Cinema

Take a look at the refreshing face on this page and you get a feeling of deja vu. You’ve seen that face before, you’re sure – somewhere in time? Maybe you’ve seen it in an old, old movie – in black and white, fading like a treasured photograph – on Cinema One or in one of those festivals of classic Filipino films.

The face you have in mind is that of the great Tita Duran, favorite of your grandparents and mine, who starred with the dashing Pancho Magalona in several Sampaguita romantic flicks (Sa Isang Sulyap Mo, Tita and Sa Isang Halik Mo Pancho, among them), the leading man who she would marry. Tita Duran was The Shirley Temple of the Philippines (ask your grandma who Shirley Temple was).

This face is that of Maxene Magalona, the carbon copy of her Lola Tita. Look closely now. Isn’t she very Tita Duran?

"That’s what the (veteran) press people always tell me," says Maxene, the pretty girl you see in that Pantene Shampoo commercial. "They say that when they’re talking to me, they feel as if they’re talking to Tita Duran."

Maxene is the third of the eight children of Tita and Pancho’s son, Francis (a.k.a. FrancisM, the rapper), and wife, Pia Arroyo, coming after Unna Sarah (21) and Nicolo (19) and before Francis Michael Jr. (16), Isabella Simone (15), Elmo Moses (10), Arkin Luciano (4) and Clara Santina (3).

A Theater Arts student at Ateneo (she plans to shift to Com Arts because she wants to be a broadcast journalist), Maxene is turning 18 on Nov. 23, the same day her sister Isabella is celebrating her 16th birthday.

Asked how she’ll mark her debut, Maxene said, "Not with a grand coming-out party because it’s not part of our family tradition but only with a simple dinner with my family."

Showbiz is in her genes; there was no escaping for Maxene who started as a commercial model at age 5 (for Pure Foods Tender Juicy Hotdogs, etc.), followed by Modess when she was 14 and now, Pantene. She tried acting on Ang TV (the ABS-CBN pre-teen show) when she was six years old and moved to 5 & Up as a kiddie newscaster and then on to Y2K. She dropped out of the showbiz scene until the offer for the Modess commercial which became her re-launching pad back to showbiz. It was Malou Choa-Fagar (executive producer of Eat, Bulaga!) who convinced Francis to let Maxene be included in the cast of Vic Sotto’s GMA 7 sitcom Daddy Di Do Du.

And then... Hello, movies!

Maxene was launched by Regal Films in Bahay ni Lola (as one of Gloria Romero’s grandchildren) and it was followed in quick succession by Singsing ni Lola, Anghel sa Lupa, Mano Po 1 (as the young Boots Anson-Roa, the matriarch of a troubled Chinese clan, with Cogie Domingo as the young Eddie Garcia, the patriarch), Kuya and Beautiful Life, Regal’s latest movie directed by Gil Portes, in which Maxene again plays Gloria Romero’s granddaughter who helps her lola cope with the loss of her husband who was killed by a bomb during the war.

"I always look forward to working with Mama Gloria because she has a lot of stories about my lola," said Maxene. "She’s my lola’s contemporary. Mama Gloria looks like my lola, doesn’t she? She told me that she started as a fan of Tita Duran. Mama Gloria was an extra in my Lolo Pancho’s movie. She played a nurse and he played a doctor. Mama Gloria told me that her only dialogue was, ‘Yes, doctor!’ She was telling me na sobrang mahinhin daw si Tita Duran, na everytime daw my lola was shooting a movie she was always pregnant. She and my lolo had nine children."

Tita Duran died in 1990 when Maxene was four years old and Pancho Magalona in 1998 when Maxene was 11, so Maxene doesn’t have much memories of them.

"I haven’t even seen any of their movies. But we have pictures of them in our family album. I do remember sitting on my lolo’s lap while he was on his rocking chair."

In this introductory piece, Conversations lets Maxene reveal more of herself in The Alphabet Game.

A – Ateneo. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to go to Ateneo for college. Arkin, my little brother. Acting. Can I live up to the legacy of my grandparents and my father? I hope so; I’ll try my best.

B – Boyz II Men. I’m a big fan. I watched the group’s concert and it was one of the most memorable experiences that I ever had. Gandang-ganda ako, especially their "senti" songs. Basketball. I love watching the game. My favorite player is T-Mac (of Orlando Magic). Beauty. It doesn’t have to depend on your physical appearance; real beauty comes from inside. It surfaces when you have a cheerful disposition, you’re happy, and you look at the bright side of life. Boys? I’m not into them at the moment. Oh, yes, I’m boyish.

C – Clara, my youngest sister. She’s only three years old but she’s already 60-plus pounds. She’s really fat and I just love her so much.

We’re Catholic; maka-Diyos kami. The whole family goes to Mass every Sunday. We pray the Rosary together and we pray before meals. Cry Baby? No, I’m not. What makes me cry? When I fail a test or when I feel that I don’t give my 100 percent. But in my taping and shooting, I find it hard to cry on the spot.

D – Daddy Di Do Du, my first TV show. That’s how everything began. Dream. My biggest dream is to finish my studies and to be a broadcaster on CNN. I admire Cher Calvin (who’s on Fox Channel).

E – Eight. Because we’re eight kids in the family. People ask, "How many are you in the family?" When I say, "Eight," they give me that "shocked" look. But I feel so blessed having seven siblings. Elmo, my brother, named after my favorite cartoon character.

F – Family. I’m thankful to have my kind of family. Friends, too. I have lots of friends. And, of course, Francis, my father. I really look up to him. What he keeps on reminding me is to be thankful for the things that I have. He tells me that if you keep on thanking God for the blessings, patuloy na darating sa’yo ang blessings. Dad is like a friend and a brother. People say na mukha lang kaming magkapatid. But he’s strict when it comes to my studies. He’s fun; he’s a funny father. And, of course, my brother Frank.

G – God. We’re God-fearing. Mom always tells me, "I don’t have to remind you what’s right and what’s wrong because you’re of age and you can decide for yourself. What I need to tell you lang is that God is always watching you." Growing up. They say that kids today are confusing, I don’t know why. For me, growing up is taking one step at a time, just going with the flow.

H – Happiness. It’s when you feel that everything is okay. You are healthy, your family is okay and things are going according to plan. I don’t measure happiness in material terms. Honesty. It’s still the best policy. I don’t see the point in telling a lie. Also, Hepatitis-A. I had it when I was in Grade 6.

I – Inspiration. My inspiration is my family, my friends and people who love me. Impulsive? No, I’m not – not in general. But when I go shopping, I can be impulsive. I love buying this and that for my siblings.

J – Julius. He’s the monkey in my Paul Frank collection. I really like monkeys; I don’t know why. Julius is cute! Jolly. I’m a jolly person. I can be like a clown sometimes.

K – What’s the Key to my heart? Sweetness, and a great and honest friendship. ‘Yon lang.

L – Love. I love love. I’m a hopeless romantic. I love watching romantic movies, like those by Adam Sandler. Ewan ko, but love is such a wonderful feeling. Letters. I’m fond of writing letters. I used to write letters to Mom and Dad when they would leave. But I didn’t mail the letters. I let them read the letters when they came back.

M – Magalona, of course! It’s a great name to carry. I have to take good care of it. Mac n’ Cheese (from Kraft). Oh, I love it! Money. I don’t let it rule my life. It’s not easy to earn so I’m careful about spending it.

N – NBA. You know NBA Live? It’s my favorite game. I’m an NBA fan because my family is fond of basketball. Natural. What you see is what you get. I don’t think I’ll ever change. Whether I’m before or behind the camera, I’m the same girl. Natural.

O – Oysters? Yuck! I don’t like oysters. But I love Orlando Magic. Optimistic. Yes, I’m optimistic.

P – Pancho, my Lolo. He was a good dancer and what a pity that I didn’t inherit his dancing skill. Sayang, sayang! When he was alive, I wasn’t in showbiz yet, so I didn’t get any pointers from him. I was 9 when he died. Of course, Pia, my mom. She’s funny, too, like my dad. She’s my manager, my confidante, my bodyguard, my shock absorber, my make-up artist, my chaperone, my everything! She’s very smart.

Q – Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. I just love that sitcom (in US television). Nakakatuwa! Questions? I have a lot. I ask about this and about that – you know, "What’s this, what’s that?"

R – Rowell, my best friend. We’ve been friends for three years now. He came from Ateneo High and he’s now in UST. Rap. I love rap. My favorite rapper is, you guessed it, my dad. I can actually rap but I can’t do it in public. Mana sa Tatay.

S – Sentimental. I am sentimental. Very!!! Songs. Yes, I love my dad’s songs because he’s a good lyricist.

T – Tita Duran, of course! I didn’t really have a chance to know her very well because I was only four years old when she died. But I’m proud of her and my lolo. Kasi, ang dami nilang na-achieve, e! They were really well-accomplished. They told me that my lola was very demure.

U – UAAP. Basketball, remember? Mahilig talaga ako sa basketball. I never fail to watch the UAAP at the Araneta Coliseum with my best friend Rowell. Who’s my favorite UAAP player? Chris Tiu of the Ateneo Blue Eagles. I’m a big fan of our school’s team. Of course, I always cheer for the Blue Eagles.

V – Victorious. Do I feel victorious? I guess so – now! I get a chance to study and work at the same time. Tingin ko it’s a big victory for me and my family. I’m lucky that I get to balance things. The Virgin Mary. My lola used to play the Virgin Mary in passion plays and I’d love to play the Virgin Mary, too. I think it would be nice.

W – Wholesome. Not only for the sake of my family but also for myself, I want to keep my wholesome image for the rest of my life. Whatever. That’s the expression of Alicia Silverstone’s character in Clueless. Whatever. I love that movie.

X – Xeniebop. That’s my nickname. That’s my dad’s term of endearment for me. Pag nilalambing niya ako, he’d say, "Xenie!" I love it when he calls me that.

Y – Yellow. My favorite color. It’s so bright that it makes me happy. So bright like the sun. To me, yellow symbolizes hope.

Z – Zoology. My favorite subject. Why Zoology? Because I like my teacher who makes the subject so interesting. When he teaches, he makes it fun, so we get to learn so many things. Zub. That’s my term of endearment for my sister Isabella. Zub. Nice nickname, ‘no?

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])