Angel
Locsin (born Angélica Locsín Colmenares)
was discovered by a talent scout while she cut classes
with a friend and was shopping at SM City North EDSA
in Quezon City. She auditioned for several commercials
and later landed in Click, a youth oriented produced
by GMA. She was plucked from obscurity and as fate
would have it, did what was expected of a newbie –
accept and accept offers just for visibility.
In Click, she played the tomboyish Charley (short
for Charlotte) and her first TV screen partner was
Brian Revilla. She was later paired with Railey Valeroso.
After appearing in Click, Locsin was seen in Ang Iibigin
Ay Ikaw Pa Rin, All Together Now and Love to Love.
Angel’s popularity was neither here nor there
in spite of all these shows. In fact, it was very
easy to dismiss her as just one of those pretty young
things. Her cuteness may have brought her projects,
but it only did so much for her.
Then in December of 2003, tragedy struck. Her boyfriend,
actor Mico Sotto, accidentally fell to his death from
his 19th floor condominium unit. It devastated her
and many still recall the news footage showing her
grief-stricken, clutching Mico’s shoes to her
chest during his wake.
Her boyfriend's mother, actress and newscaster Ali
Sotto, later donated her son’s eyes so someone
else could benefit from them. Angel eventually portrayed
the dramatization of the life of one of these recipients
in the TV drama show Magpakailanman. To say that the
ratings of that special episode went ballistic is
an understatement.
Clearly, Mico’s death started the ball rolling
in earnest for Angel’s career, morbid as that
may sound. Thousands sympathized with the biyuda sa
buhay.
The highest TV rating ever
Angel was soon cast as one of the lead stars in the
fantasy-themed television series Mulawin. Her role
as the half-human, half-avian Alwina paired her with,
her one time ka-mutual understanding and favored leading
man, Richard Gutierrez, who played Aguiluz. The Mulawin
series was an instant hit and considered instrumental
in GMA 7’s ascent to its current status as the
Philippine’s number one television network.
Soon after, she auditioned for the title role of the
classic Filipina superhero, Darna. She bested her
contenders and was chosen to don the iconic red suit.
To illustrate how popular Angel has become, when she
first swallowed the mystical stone and transformed
into Mars Ravelo’s super heroine, the episode
hit 52.4% ratings. So far, no TV show has toppled
those numbers.
In Darna and in her next tele-fantasya Majika where
she played Sabina, her leading man was another former
ka-mutual understanding, Dennis Trillo, who portrayed
the roles of Gabriel and Argo.
To put an exclamation point to her popularity, Locsín
agreed to grace the cover of FHM (Philippine edition).
The magazine consistently listed her as one of the
"100 Sexiest Women in the World,” as well
as the sexiest Filipina, ranking No. 2 behind Hollywood
actress Angelina Jolie.
She also gave her voice to the character of Kyoko
Iwase in the Philippine version of Initial D aired
in the all-anime cable channel, Animax.
Angel Locsín does not only appear on TV but
also in films. Among her big screen credits are Kuya,
Mano Po 2, Singles, Siga, Txt, Mano Po 5 and Let The
Love Begin, where she worked with on-screen partner
Richard Gutierrez. Her team-up with Gutierrez is considered
by some as one of the best pairings in the country.
She also reprised her role as Alwina in the movie
adaptation of Mulawin. The two are paired again in
the Valentine’s movie, The Promise.
And now for the lows
Of course, an angel becoming a superstar attracts
its fair share of controversies. When she appeared
in a TV ad for the men’s deodorant, Axe, many
feminist groups, as well as former Senator Nikki Coseteng,
complained about the offensive gestures in the advertisement.
In the said television commercial, Angel is shown
teasing a man by showing off money and her body. When
the man approaches Angel, he takes only her money.
The complaints prompted the manufacturer, Unilever,
to pull out the commercial.
Her recent breakup with Oyo Boy Sotto, son of Vic
Sotto and Dina Bonnevie, and cousin of her late boyfriend
Mico Sotto, sent reporters on a speculative frenzy.
While the widely-held notion is that the couple broke
up because Angel lacked time for Oyo, some believe
the break up is just a gimmick to drum up interest
for her new TV series Asian Treasures.
Looking oh-so-lovely in her black halter-top, Angel
was profuse in her thanks for her new project during
the press conference to launch the series. She thanked
GMA Network and thanked leading man Robin Padilla.
With her face aglow and a sincere smile, it was hard
to imagine the emotional and romantic aspects of her
life were in a jumble.
“Well, what I want to do right now is just work,”
Angel begins during our short conversation.
“I’m okay. I am okay,” she reassures
the press, as much, we suspect, as she does herself.
“Of course there are times when the sadness
hits me but what can I do except to be strong.”
The break-up with Oyo was still fresh at the time
of the press conference but she says she’s glad
they have somehow managed to remain friends.
“I have no choice but to move on,” she
adds, echoing the mantra of the broken-hearted in
showbiz. “I mend my heart by working, hanging
out with well-meaning friends, enjoying their company,
and my family. However, (even if) Oyo and I are no
longer together, we still communicate. We talk, we
exchange SMS but we have not seen each other since
the break up.”
They have too much history to break cleanly. “Para
kasi kaming mag-utol before so we want to maintain
the friendship,” she confesses. “I know
many people find that strange, (that) ex-sweethearts
can still maintain a friendship. With regard to people
asking me for the reason of the break up, I am requesting
na ibalato niyo na muna sa akin yon. Please let me
be entitled to my privacy especially on that matter.”
Angel sees action
In Asian Treasures she plays Gabriela, an iron-willed
young lass well-trained in the field of combat for
an all-important task of carrying on the mission of
her ancestors. Her quest brings her to various Asian
destinations in an elaborate production that’s
part adventure, part love story.
“You know, this TV series is very ambitious
and it offers many new things to the televiewers,”
she promises. “I will be doing a lot of daring
stunts. I will be wearing different disguises. I even
have to learn new languages. It poses a lot of challenge
as an actress and I am giving my best to make sure
that Gabriela will become a character that people
will not forget.”
She calls her working relationship with Robin as a
partnership. “We enjoy our work, we enjoy each
other’s company and he has become my mentor
of sorts. He helps me execute my fight scenes. I learn
much from him and respect him a lot.”
Addressing intrigues that it may have been Robin who
caused her breakup with Oyo, she says, “I feel
that it is unjust to link us. Kuya Binoe respects
women a lot and that is why he treats all women special.”
Our conversation was all too brief. Flashing her patented
bedimpled smile, she excused herself to shoot the
series primer and tape her new show.
The verdict on Asian Treasures? The pilot episode
was heavy-duty, hitting 41.38 in the ratings.
Angel, in full wing span, has soared higher yet again.
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