Elmo Magalona Puts Singing On The Back Burner To Concentrate On Acting

ELMO MAGALONA says he didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable at all when he came to the PEP Awards Night at Solaire with Janine Gutierrez and they bump into the two girls who were also linked to him, Lauren Young and Julie Ann San Jose. “Why would I feel awkward when it’s not the first time namang nagkasama-sama kami, kasi nagkikita naman kami lagi sa ‘Sunday All Stars’,” he says. “That night, we all smiled and said hi to each other, so walang problema.”

Elmo won the Male Teen Star of the Year Award while former ka-love team Julie Anne San Jose won the Female Teen Star of the Year. Lauren, in turn, accepted the Pinoy’s Pride Award/ Editor’s Choice for being the first Filipina to win the Miss World title. But it’s Janine who’s Elmo’s date that night and they’re both sad that their hit afternoon soap, “Villa Quintana”, will end on June 6, to be replaced by “The Half Sisters” starring Barbie Forteza.

“I guess ganun talaga, all good things somehow come to an end,” says Elmo. “But I will remember this show for the rest of my life kasi first lead role ko in a soap and dito kami naging close talaga ni Janine. I’d like to thank everyone who helped me interpret my role well, lalo na si Director Gina Alajar who’s very supportive and Ate Sunshine Dizon, who played my mother, dahil talagang she helped me in our scenes together. Ang galing-galing niya at nakakatakot kaeksena and most of my scenes are with her. I always ask for her advice, tama ba yung gagawin ko, kulang ba o sobra? Malaki talaga ang tulong niya sa’kin. I really enjoyed doing this show kaya sa last taping day namin (which is today), magdadala ako ng souvenir na gifts for everyone as a sign of appreciation.”

Will he still be seeing Janine even after the show has ended? “Of course, tuloy-tuloy pa rin yun. Sana nga, mabigyan kami uli ng bagong show. Pero maging magkatrabaho pa rin naman kami in ‘Sunday All Stars’.”

So what’s next in store for him after “Villa Quintana”? Will he be doing a new album? “No, I really want to concentrate on acting muna. Right now, I’m doing a movie, “Hashtag Y”, for Cinemalaya, directed by Gino Santos. Five shooting days na lang kami. I’m paired with Sophie Albert of TV5 at kasama rin namin si Slater Young ng ABS-CBN. I’m really enjoying working with actors from different networks. I play a very mature role here at magustuhan sana ng viewers.”