From acting to ‘being’

JANELLA Salvador (left) and Elmo Magalona

We’ve watched the new drama series, “Born for You,” enough times to come up with a more “totalized” view of its essence and prospects:

Our first “accumulated” observation is that the show is turning out to be a good showcase for its female lead, Janella Salvador.

She fits her assigned character like a glove—an ambitious but hardworking 19-year-old who wants to become a singing star to help her relatives, and is not afraid to put in the hard work required to make it big in the often bruising and bitchy biz.

Janella’s combination of vulnerability and street smarts makes her portrayal believable and accessible, and the fact that she sings well makes her character’s dream a more “achievable” reality.

Which is not to say that the series’ youth-oriented vibe doesn’t allow itself some sappily “fantasticating” flourishes.

But, its lead actress’ relatively focused and grounded performance keeps them from unduly and exceedingly watering and dumbing down its progression.

On the other hand, it looks like Janella’s new screen partner, Elmo Magalona, is having problems making his character believable and worthy of viewers’ involvement, concern and empathy.

He’s cast as a well-off and spoiled musical scion—no problem there, he can project “rich and spoiled” well enough, thanks. But, he has a harder time getting under his character’s skin, to make him believable and real.

Last July 4, for instance, Elmo’s “smooth” persona was supposed to be deeply affected by Janella’s seeming rejection of his proffered affection.

But, despite the huge disappointment and perceived “rejection,” Elmo made insufficient expressive emotional adjustments to convey his “deep” feelings.

Yes, he raised his voice, scowled and sort of “bristled,” but not enough to convince his viewers that he was “in” the hurtful moment.

Others in the same situation in real life would feel it more, instead of just proficiently mouthing dialogue about how they were “really” taking the “rejection.”

To complicate the issue, the “rejection” wasn’t Janella’s idea, but was forced on her by Elmo’s mother, who snidely felt that she didn’t “deserve” his love because she was “just” his road manager.

Elmo didn’t know this, so he accused Janella of toying with his feelings—and promptly got back at her by making her life  difficult “on the road.”

All this would have worked well if Elmo had made things real for himself and the show’s viewers—but, he stopped short at delivering his lines and “acting” instead of being, so the key “transition” moment for his character ended up as an unconvincing flub.

“Born for You” has obviously been designed as a “breakthrough” showcase for the new ElNella love team, so Elmo has to measure up and indeed break through his emotional reticence.

He can still make that all-important shift (as Piolo Pascual and others have belatedly done)—if he forgets himself and his “nice, suave and cool” image, and portrays his assigned character to the best of his “felt” and “applied” ability.