Bright season’s start for lucky and plucky comers

SIMON “Onyok” Pineda (right) with Coco Martin

This new show biz season’s first quarter is turning out to be a lucky and plucky time for some comers to establish their stellar credentials.

In particular, Arci Muñoz is coming on strong—after scoring preliminary plus points on TV in “Pasion de Amor,” she’s adding to her “K” on the big screen with “Always Be My Maybe,” her costarrer with Gerald Anderson, which is turning out to be a “sleeper” (unexpected) success.

For his part, Matteo Guidicelli is similarly adding to his credentials with his spot-on depiction of a wealthy Italian swain “hopelessly” in love with Liza Soberano’s character in “Dolce Amore.”

It’s no big deal that Matteo can get his dialogue in Italian down pat (he’s surnamed Guidicelli, right?). Even more remarkably, he makes his assigned character more than just a third leg in the latest TV showcase for the LizQuen love team.

We know darned well that Matteo will never get to end up with Liza at the new series’ final fade, but he invests his portrayal with such sincere, puppy-dog appeal that he sometimes diverts viewers’ attention from Enrique Gil.

In addition, Matteo is scoring extra credits in the recording field, launching his first self-titled album on January. And he’s also making waves as a TV host.

On the new child star front, the latest best bets are Simon Pineda on “Ang Probinsyano” and Xia Vigor who was first showcased on “It’s Showtime.”

Simon has clicked with viewers as Coco Martin’s sassy and streetwise sidekick on his cop series on ABS-CBN, and his masa looks and appeal could take him all the way to TV-film stardom.

ARCI Muñoz

Trouble is, he’s being made to come on so strongly and sassily on “Ang Probinsyano” that he sometimes says things that are too smart and “wise” to be believed. More consistently child-appropriate dialogue would keep his portrayal on a more even keel.

As for Xia Vigor, she had her own portion for some weeks on “It’s Showtime” and did well in it, but it was of limited duration. But, she’s still making her precocious presence felt by way of some TV commercials and occasional appearances on “Ang Probinsyano.”

Jana Agoncillo has already become a popular child star by way of TV series like “Dream Dad” and “Ningning,” but we hope that her handlers will be able to come up with a film starrer for her this year. If they wait much longer, she’ll no longer be as cute and vulnerable as child performers are expected to be—what a waste that would be!

Other promising child performers who deserve follow-up stellar showcases soon include Alonzo Muhlach and Marco Masa.

Speaking of follow-up projects, older actors who have done well in the past couple of seasons should be showcased in new vehicles, to keep their promising careers on an upward ascendancy.

They include Nash Aguas, who finally made his mark by playing a teenage dad in “Bagito” and Ketchup Eusebio, who scored big as the “ordinary” dad of the title character in “Ningning.”