NADINE Lustre and James Reid
When the popular JaDine love team’s new teleserye, “Till I Met You,” was conceptualized and initially promoted, we noted that it would star, not just James Reid as Basti and Nadine Lustre as Iris, but also the third young comer who would be cast as Iris’ first boyfriend, Ali.
Since the plum role had not yet been filled at the time, we hoped that it would be assigned to a fresh talent, so that he could benefit from its star-making potential—if he did exceptionally well in it.
Well, we all know that the role of Ali has been given to a relative newcomer, JC Santos. The big, follow-up question now is, how well does he portray the plum role—and will it propel him to stardom?
After the teleserye’s first week, the signs are upbeat that JC will indeed do stellarly well in the plum part.
His “sensitive” projection contrasts nicely with James’ more “physical” performance, and the new actor also appears to have good rapport with Nadine.
Even more intriguingly, his role seems to be going in an “unconventional” direction. At first, Ali was the usual boy-next-door type we see on TV—but now, while he’s Iris boyfriend, he’s also attracted to Basti!
Now that’s an edgy departure from the norm—but that’s fine with us, since we welcome variety and unexpected spice in the shows we view.
At this early point in the series’ storytelling, we don’t know how far this “departure” will go.
After a period of denial, Ali faced up to his true feelings and inclinations.
Being innately honest, he eventually admitted to it, thus ending their relationship—but, hopefully, not their friendship.
What about Basti? When he finds out, how will he relate to the newly redefined Ali? That’s where the real conflict could lie.
And, how does Basti become Iris’ new boyfriend, after everything that happened?
Even more speculatively, let’s extend our admittedly risky guesswork: Could there come a time in the series’ edgy storytelling that Ali would opt to adjust his gender? Could this be the reason why the production opted to cast the “sensitive-looking” JC in the plum role?
His fine features and versatility as an actor indicate that he could be transformed in an impressively convincing transgender femme—or not! What do you think?
If at least some of these speculative developments do pan out, they would make “Till I Met You” a special viewing attraction to people eager to see what else the show has up its provocatively creative sleeve!