Mature for her age, Xia appreciative of newfound success

Xia Vigor

Xia Vigor has been in show biz since she was 5, entering talent contests and playing small roles in various television series. But it wasn’t until last year—when she starred in the local adaptation of the hit South Korean drama, “Miracle in Cell No. 7”—that the child actress started to really catch the public’s attention.

“Some of the kids at my school have written letters to me, saying they enjoyed my movie and thanking me for being a kind classmate. Knowing that I’m appreciated makes me happy,” Xia, now 10, told reporters at her recent contract signing with Viva Artists Agency.

More people are recognizing her, too, she related. “Sometimes, when I’m outside, people would come up to me and ask to have their photos taken with me. I don’t mind it; I’m enjoying and getting used to it.”

Last year’s holiday season was her most memorable yet, because she got to spend it on the road, promoting her movie, which was reportedly the top-grossing entry at the 45th Metro Manila Film Festival.

“I went to the parade. I’m happy I experienced that. I also enjoyed doing all the promo shoots and events, especially our cinema tours. The people were always surprised to see the cast there. It was a lot of fun watching their reactions!” she said. “Then, I spent Christmas at home with my family. We had Noche Buena and opened gifts.”

Xia, who won the second season of “It’s Showtime’s” impersonation contest, “Mini Me,” in 2015, cherishes her experience working and learning from her costar, Aga Muhlach.

“I call him Tito Aga, and he’s like a friend now. He’s very malambing and makulit. There was no pressure on the set, because he made it feel like we were just playing. But he also gave me some pointers on what to do in our scenes together,” said Xia, who follows her own routine, when preparing for a heavy scene.

“I motivate myself by staying in a corner, in my chair by myself. No one speaks to me. I just bow my head and think about what I have to do. I try to think that I’m really the girl I’m playing. And that makes me cry,” related Xia, who’s born to a Filipino mother and a British father.

Asked which actors she looks up to, aside from Aga, Xia said she would love to work with Jaclyn Jose. “She’s so good. Her acting is natural. I get carried away when I watch her scenes, because she makes it seem real.”

Like many child stars, Xia is mature for her age, which becomes even more pronounced when talking about her career aspirations. But as precocious as she is, she still revels in things children her age enjoy. “I would like to have a dog—50 of them! Sadly, pets aren’t allowed in the condominium we live in,” she said. “I want to have a zoo with monkeys and snakes. I think snakes are cute!”

She has always wanted to be an actress for as long as she could remember. Whenever she saw ads for contests on television, she would ask her mom to let her join. And now that she has already made it in the biz, her dream now, she said, is to continue acting until her adulthood.

“I want to try different things. I’m now doing gymnastics and learning Arnis. I also want to learn how to sing and dance, so that if I get roles that require those, I will be able to do my job well,” she said. INQ