8 breakout Kapamilya stars of 2014 Daniel Matsunaga, Lyca Gairanod and Nadine Lustre. ABS-CBN/MCA Universal/Viva Films MANILA – The year 2014 saw several little-known names in showbiz catapulted to mainstream consciousness. For most of them, it was a case of a long wait paying off; for others, the big break wasn’t just one role in a big-budget series, but the unfolding of a journey on reality television. 1. Eighteen-year-old Jane Oineza, for instance, has been acting since 2001 but would only get supporting roles to her contemporaries, such as Julia Montes in “Muling Buksan ang Puso.” That changed this year, however, when she joined “Pinoy Big Brother,” where she was often seen crying over rifts with several of her housemates. Seen as the underdog, Oineza enjoyed a surge of support from her fans, who became more vocal of their loyalty to the actress amid issues that plagued her 120-day stay inside the house. When she exited the reality show at its conclusion — she finished third with the highest number of votes to save, but also the biggest percentage of votes to evict — Oineza had a career reboot of sorts: her boosted popularity, thanks to primetime exposure, was tied to a personal journey about the frustration of being the one left behind as her peers approached superstar status. In late 2014, ABS-CBN unveiled a new drama series penned by Ricky Lee — the first to star Oineza in a lead role alongside Vina Morales and Denise Laurel. A premiere date has yet to be announced for the soap, which will also star Oineza’s housemates Loisa Andalio and Joshua Garcia. 2. The grand winner of Oineza’s batch in “Pinoy Big Brother,” Daniel Matsunaga, similarly credits his revitalized career to the reality show. The Brazilian-Japanese model, for years, has been known for his polished looks in print and TV ads, but nothing endeared him to the general viewing public as much as his stint under the care of “Kuya.” The 26-year-old, despite being a foreigner, displayed values that made him relatable to the ordinary Filipino. Always ready to lead his housemates in apparently impossible tasks, Matsunaga was also a big brother to Maris Racal, a love interest to the already-attached Vickie Rushton, and a devoted son and brother who cried at the sight of his family inside the house. The “Pinoy at heart,” in recent interviews, still describes the months following the end of the reality show as surreal. Matsunaga has since bagged several new endorsement deals and plunged into acting, with roles in the just-released “Shake, Rattle & Roll” and Star Cinema’s “Past Tense” early this month. 3. Like Matsunaga, 10-year-old Lyca Gairanod clinched her showbiz breakthrough after winning a TV competition. The first-ever champion of “The Voice Kids” in the Philippines, Gairanod was a clear front-runner early in the program’s two-month run. It was a different story behind the cameras, however, as Gairanod, at a young age, was aware of the struggles of raising and supporting a family of 10 members. When not in school, Gairanod willingly helped her mother scavenge junk to sell in a fishing village in Tanza, Cavite. She also helped earn by entertaining neighbors with her singing during stops to collect bottles or scrap. Her story became a focal point of her journey on “The Voice” as much as her talent. When she took the semifinals stage with “Pangarap na Bituin,” the hopeful, rags-to-riches anthem often performed in singing competitions, Gairanod sent a message to viewers that her turn on the No. 1 TV show at the time wasn’t just a shot at fame, but a means to take her family out of poverty. And her message was heard. When “The Voice Kids” concluded in July 2014, Gairanod easily got the biggest number of votes, beating fellow Team Sarah bet Darren Espanto, who had consistently impressed with his soaring vocals and stage presence. In the months following her win, Gairanod appeared in the primetime series “Hawak Kamay” and moved Filipinos to tears with her acting debut in “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” where she played herself in one of the drama anthology’s highest-rating episodes. 4. Born with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth, Julia Barretto‘s rise to fame, meanwhile, was a story of patience as she waited years to be allowed to follow in the footsteps of her famous relatives. The daughter of Marjorie Barretto and Dennis Padilla and niece to Gretchen and Claudine Barretto, Julia had a taste of showbiz when she appeared in a number of ABS-CBN series in 2007. Now 17, Julia only recently got the go-signal from her parents to pursue acting full-time. She was launched, along with 11 others, as a member of Star Magic Circle 2013. Early this year, Julia finally had her dream come true, when she was cast to play the title characters in “Mirabella,” about a girl cursed with wood-like complexion who exacts revenge on her oppressors in the guise of her magical alter ego. In the months following and leading up to the series, Julia became a cover-girl favorite and a visible product endorser. In 2015, she will make her film debut via “Para sa Hopeless Romantic” opposite Inigo Pascual and co-starring the wildly popular tandem of James Reid and Nadine Lustre. 5. and 6. Dubbed “JaDine,” this love team was only launched in April this year and yet now commands the fierce loyalty of an ever-growing fan base that rivals that of the more established “KathNiel.” The success of Reid and Lustre’s film debut “Diary ng Panget” had producers cooking up another adaptation of a WattPad novel, still with the two up-and-comers in the lead roles, that would hit theaters only four months later. “Talk Back and You’re Dead” also had huge box-office draw, casting away doubts that Reid and Lustre’s team-up could only pull off one big hit. Considered among the most bankable stars today, they have since signed up as contract artists of ABS-CBN and starred in the weekend miniseries “My App Boyfie.” Their consecutive successes on TV and the big screen were a long time coming for Reid and Lustre, who are both 21. A half-Australian who won a 2010 edition of “Pinoy Big Brother,” Reid admittedly had little interest in pursuing a career in local showbiz. By the time he came around to the idea, his contemporaries had already made strides in their respective careers, while he was still best remembered as the heartthrob housemate with an accent. That is, until Viva picked him up as one of its homegrown talents. Lustre, on the other hand, had always wanted to perform in front of the camera even at a young age. Formerly one-fifth of the singing act Pop Girls under Viva, she was initially groomed as a singer until she was tapped to lead the cast of a TV5 series in 2011. However, it was only as Eya in the relatable “Diary ng Panget” that Lustre got the attention of a wider audience. Fans of Lustre’s tandem with Reid will be delighted to know that not one, but two movies starring the two are already in the works for release next year. 7. With the ongoing “Forevermore” on primetime, Liza Soberano is similarly poised to welcome 2015 as one of the most visible young stars today. But it wasn’t a quick rise to fame. The 16-year-old, Barretto’s Star Magic batch mate, was assigned three times in a row to play the third wheel to romantic leads. She was Angel in “Must Be Love,” Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo’s launching movie. A year later in 2014, she joined the onscreen couple in the primetime series “Got to Believe,” once again as Padilla’s other love interest. Soberano’s last big-screen outing, “She’s the One” in 2013, saw her as Gillian, Enrique Gil’s best friend who can only love him from a distance as he pours his affection on someone else. Partnered with Gil in “Forevermore,” which debuted to strong ratings in October, Soberano is finally the leading lady. The two are also set to top-bill in 2015 Star Cinema’s adaptation of the Wattpad novel “The Bet.” 8. Like Soberano, Alex Gonzaga is thrilled to finally get a launching movie next year. Although the project to be directed by Wenn Deramas is a big break for the 26-year-old, Gonzaga has had no shortage of career highlights over the past 12 months, starting with her surprise inclusion as a housemate in “Pinoy Big Brother.” In addition to co-hosting back-to-back editions of ABS-CBN’s “The Voice,” Gonzaga also led the cast of the primetime series “Pure Love.” The local adaptation of the hit Korean series “49 Days” drew huge ratings in its time slot, prompting ABS-CBN to unveil this month its upcoming retelling of Pablo S. Gomez’s “Inday Bote” with Gonzaga in the title role. The younger sister of Toni Gonzaga also marked a career milestone with her first Metro Manila Film Festival entry via “The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin,” where she plays head maid to Vice Ganda’s national hero-turned-babysitter character. The post 8 breakout Kapamilya stars of 2014 appeared first on Pinoy Magazine. Showbiz
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 22:29:44 +0000