Migo Adecer
Unhappy with his performances on television after winning the sixth season of the reality talent search “StarStruck,” Filipino-Australian teen actor Migo Adecer admitted he had contemplated giving up on his acting career.
“I had thought about returning to Australia so many times,” he told the Inquirer at a press conference for “Barangay 143,” a Filipino anime series that starts airing on Oct. 21 on GMA 7.
Watching himself act in the 2016 reboot of the fantasy program “Encantandia,” the 18-year-old celebrity recalled, was a particularly discouraging experience for him.
Not ready
“If I were in charge of that show, I would have probably pulled myself out of it. Not to put myself down, but it was obvious I wasn’t ready yet. I didn’t have enough time to learn to speak Tagalog confidently,” Migo said.
“There was pressure on me after ‘StarStruck,’ and I couldn’t handle it,” he added.
He likewise felt that his work ethic then wasn’t up to par three years ago.
“My priorities were still a mess—I was lazy, and I had a hard time remembering names,” he said.
But in hindsight, Migo said he was thankful he had the self-awareness to recognize his shortcomings as an actor early on.
Better direction
“Every person has to go through that. I was down, but I picked myself up, prayed hard and pushed through,” Migo said, adding that it was a good thing he has managed to steer the ship to a better direction, before “Barangay 143” was offered.
“Now I can I say that I’m married to my craft. I’m so glad I was able to see a glimpse of what the real world was about before an opportunity like this came my way,” he added.
In “Barangay 143,” Migo voices lead character Bren T. Park, a young Korean who finds himself in the slums of Tondo, Manila, in search of his missing father. There, he finds family in a group of young misfits who hopes to achieve basketball glory.
“We will highlight the camaraderie of Filipinos, our culture in this animated series,” Migo related. “It’s not going to be just fun, but educational, as well.
Anime fan
As an anime fan himself, he couldn’t believe he would one day take part in a similar project.
“It would be so cool to find out one day that there are kids who grew up watching Bren,” said Migo, who’s a fan of the anime series “Naruto,” “One Piece” and “Bleach.”
He also hopes that “Barangay 143” will help inspire children to put their phones down and take a break from the internet.
“Maybe, the kids will end up going outside to play basketball and hang out with other people outside,” he said.
Aside from the anime series, he’s also part of the variety show “Studio 7,” where he gets to show his love for music.
“I’m so happy I chose to stay,” Migo said. “Now I know that each person’s career moves at a different pace.”