Maja Salvador excited but nervous about entering ‘new chapter in life’
Maja Salvador once had a self-imposed rule: To never fall back in love again with an ex.
Apparently, Maja defied her own rule after her rekindled romance with Rambo Nuñez in March of 2019. That’s not all, the two are now engaged and, probably by this time, everything is set for their wedding day in July.
Rambo was Maja’s boyfriend when she was 21 years old. The two had the right love then but, woefully, at the wrong time. Their romance only lasted four months because according to Maja, she had to sacrifice their relationship for her family and for her acting career.
“Rambo was sure about me from the very start (of the relationship). He even told Mama (Thelma, Maja’s mother) that if only he had the money and if he could only afford to take care of my needs, he would ask me to quit acting. He also made a sacrifice by letting me go, for me to be able to fulfill my dreams,” Maja ruminated.
Their short but sweet love affair was something that Maja could still vividly remember to this day.
“In those three or four months, si Tita Marilen (Rambo’s mom), iba ‘yung pina-feel. Pinaramdam n’ya na anak n’ya rin ako, ‘yung tipong mas kakampi siya sa akin kaysa kay Rambo.
“When Rambo and I got back together again, he told Mom that we would be having an interview. She watched and recorded it, and then she sent it to their group chat. She then asked Rambo, ‘Bakit hindi na lang siya ulit?’ because Mom had no idea yet that we were already texting each other at that time.”
Maja believes that in a relationship, it’s also important to be on good terms with the family of your partner.
“Tapos noong unang date namin ni Rambo, sabi ko (sa sarili ko) walang balikan pero nandoon ‘yung sobrang laking bagay talaga ‘yung family niya,” declared Maja who appreciates how her future mother-in-law treats her dearly.
With only a few weeks shy to their wedding day, the actress is feeling excited and at the same time nervous.
“I’ve been through a lot in life so, I can say that I know how to handle a challenge. But this one, I am entering a new chapter in my life. So, hindi ko pa ito nadadaanan. This is new to us, sa amin ni Rambo. This is our second chance at love but this time, it’s gonna be forever,” Maja beamed.
Marriage is an important choice in life. For Maja, marriage is a promise of a life together. “There will be no more fear for me because I know that there is one person who will never leave my side, who is always there to support and fight with you whatever difficulty comes your way.”
Marriage also shows gratefulness to the parents — to give thanks to them for raising the children. Maja does not discount the fact of how her mom has always been with her in every step of the way. I reminded Maja how I first met her and her mom when I went to their house after I learned that she was the young girl who wanted to meet her father.
She was 14 years old then and Maja said that it was her younger self’s dream to feel what it was like to have a dad — someone whom she could tell her friends that just like them, she also has a father.
“Kung hindi ko man sya maramdaman, ‘yung makilala ko lang ‘yung tatay ko, ‘yung masabi ko lang sa mga kaklase ko, sa mga kaibigan ko na may tatay rin ako. Hindi ko man s’ya kasama pero may tatay ako,” she articulated.
Although father and daughter were not able to constantly be together because he already had his own family, Maja said she has no ill feelings toward her father, the late actor Ross Rival.
“Masaya na ‘yung puso ko na nakilala ko siya, na may bonding kami, may konting pagsasama kami, kasama ng iba kong mga kapatid,” affirmed Maja who has nothing but praises for her mom for showering her with love.
“I just wanted to meet my dad to thank him because I wouldn’t be here if not for him and my mom. And it’s hard to pretend that because he’s my dad, close tayo agad. Hindi ‘yun madali, kailangan mo ng mahabang oras.”
These days, Maja continues to shine as an actress. She plays the female lead character in the sitcom Open 24/7 with Vic Sotto, produced by MZet Productions and GMA Network.
Two years ago, she ventured into a new business — Crown Artist Management, Inc., an agency that handles the professional careers of actors John Lloyd Cruz, Miles Ocampo, and Jasmine Curtis-Smith, to name a few.
Maja co-owns Crown Artist with her fiancé Rambo, future mom-in-law Marilen, and former network executive Mikki Gonzales.
“So far, Tito Boy wala pa naman nag-bibigay ng sakit ng ulo,” quipped Maja on her new role as president and CEO of the said artist management company.
“I am forever grateful to the people who have been there for me since the beginning of my career. Their guidance and support truly helped in my career. So, now it’s my turn to share my experiences as an actor through Crown Artist.”
She was 14 when she entered show business. “When I was just starting, I was not shy to ask my co-actors how to effectively act out a role,” she reminisced.
Maja recalled that seasoned actor Tirso Cruz told her to always keep in mind that actors are like products “so he would often tell me to think of ways how I am going to package myself through my talent.”
Another piece of advice that Maja has been keeping in mind came from Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos.
“Ang sabi n’ya sa akin, ‘Huwag mo isipin kung paano ka umiyak. Isipin mo kung paano mo sila mapapaiyak,’” shared Maja.
Lucky her. It’s not every day that actors get words of wisdom from the people who know best.
Here lies love: All’s well that ends well
Last week, I wrote about the problem of Here Lies Love (HLL), the first Broadway musical about the Philippines and the first to have an all-Filipino cast. The American Federation of Musicians, Local 802, insisted that the HLL producers employ a 19-piece orchestra at the musical’s venue, Broadway Theatre, per contract with the Broadway League.
HLL producers countered that their disco-pop musical, which utilizes mostly pre-recorded tracks (save for a part where three actors and one musical director play musical instruments), is covered by the exemption to the said contract.
The issue became complicated because of the online pressure that the musician’s union and their supporters put on the HLL producers and cast.
The good news is that an agreement between Local 802 and HLL has been reached. On June 10 (US time) the Here Lies Love producers released a statement on their Instagram account saying, “On behalf of our entire cast, company and creative team, we have reached an agreement with Musicians Union Local 802 per the collective bargaining agreement.”
Sources tell me that the show will be adding eight musicians on top of the current three actor-musicians and one musical director for a total of 12 musicians. The statement also said, “As in its previous iterations, the musical’s artistic integrity and musical concept remains.”
All’s well that ends well. This development warms my heart, and should bring more excitement to HLL when it begins previews on June 17. Good luck to the stars Arielle Jacobs, Jose Llana, Conrad Ricamora, Lea Salonga, and everyone involved in Here Lies Love! As they say in stage parlance, “Break a leg”!
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