Still your ordinary kid

Child wonders have always been a part of local showbiz, from Tita Duran of the pre-war classic Tunay na Ina and Tessie Agana of the post-war Roberta to the likes of Nora Dy and Ike Jarlego Jr. at LVN Pictures, Precy Ortega and Boy Planas at Sampaguita, Bebong Osorio and Aida Villegas at Premiere Productions, and later, Vilma Santos, Roderick Paulate, Gina Alajar, Snooky Serna, Niño Muhlach, Matet de Leon and Aiza Seguerra.

Today’s new child wonder is BJ Forbes, better known as Tolits for the Tide commercial where he says Puro na lang ako. Stardom was not given to BJ on a silver platter. He joined the That’s My Boy contest in Eat Bulaga! but only won the Best in Costume award and he was not even among the top five. He also joined GMA 7’s StarStruck Kids but was immediately eliminated in the initial audition.

Now, he’s a bigger star than any of the winners in Eat Bulaga! (where he’s now also a mainstay) or any of the 14 finalists of StarStruck Kids. His mom, Annaliza, says that even if he was rejected in the StarStruck Kids screening, they’re still thankful to GMA 7.

"Kasi, it was there that a talent scout saw my son and asked him to do a VTR for possible TV commercials," she says. "After some months nga, pinatawag siya to audition for the Tide ‘Puro Na Lang Ako’ commercial. Hundreds of kids auditioned, pero siya ang pinalad na makuha."

The rest, as they say, is history. The commercial clicked with viewers it has now become a series. "So far, he has taped 11 versions na po," says his mom.

So has his talent fee increased since then now that he’s a big TV star and has also done a movie? "No. His talent fee remains the same. Ms. Malou Fagar of TAPE, who’s helping me with BJ’s schedules, says na dapat nga, meron nang dagdag. E, wala naman pong ibinibigay ang Procter & Gamble at nahihiya kaming magtanong."

BJ is Bernard Jocel in real life and the youngest of five kids. His dad, Bernardo, is a PLDT installer. His mom used to work with a bank but resigned to accompany him to his shootings and tapings. His eldest sister, Marian, is 23, and just stays at home as she has cerebral palsy. Next is Marion, 22, a band member who plays all kinds of musical instruments; then Marius, 17, a college freshman; and Precious, 11, who’s also a commercial model like BJ.

"BJ earns the most among all of us working in the family and he’s very generous to his siblings," adds his mom. "He bought new beds for everyone then he also told me, ‘Palitan na natin ang ating sala set, dining set, TV and ref.’ So we now have all new appliances. But we see to it that most of his earnings go to a time deposit in the bank in preparation for his future."

BJ is really a wonder kid as he started reading when he’s only three and a half years old. How did his stint with showbiz start? "When he was four years old, we went to a department store and he saw a remote control car and told me to buy it for him. I told him I didn’t have the money for that kind of an expensive toy. When we went home, he got his notebook where he has copied a poem in school. Ano nga ‘yung poem, BJ?"

"The title is Ako’y Pilipino," says BJ.

"He started to recite it and told me he wants to join the That’s My Boy contest in Eat Bulaga! and recite that poem so he can win and have money for the toy car he wants to buy. Then he asked me to take him to the studio at nakuha naman siya. He won in the daily contest and I asked him if he still wanted to buy the toy car. He said, ‘Ay hindi na po. Tama na itong Dragon Ball Z toy na nakuha ko sa Eat Bulaga!’ Ever since, he’s really very thrifty. He doesn’t ask us to buy this or that thing for him. Sabi niya, mahirap palang kumita ng pera."

Another amazing thing about BJ is his having a very good memory.

"He can memorize his lines easily," says his mom. "For his first movie, Ispiritista, Tay May Moomoo, they will send us the script of the scenes to be shot tomorrow, he’ll read it at home sa gabi, and when he reports on the set the next day, nagugulat sila as he already knows all his lines and starts throwing them to his co-actors during the rehearsal. The film’s director, Tony Reyes, is so pleased with him as he takes instructions very easily."

In Ispiritista, the seven-year-old BJ plays Tomtom, Vic Sotto’s son who has a third eye and can see the restless spirits of dead people who have not gone to the great beyond and remain hovering here on earth. Wasn’t he scared when they shot the scenes where he interacts with dead people who look like zombies?

"Hindi po," he says. "Kasi katabi ko sila while make-up is put on them kaya alam kong they’re just acting. Mas natakot po ako doon sa haunted house where we shot some scenes. Lumang-luma na kasi at weird talaga ang hitsura dahil may nitso pa po sa loob."

Does he enjoy being a child actor? "Opo. Parang naglalaro lang naman po ako sa set. In Eat Bulaga!, I can feel that everyone loves me. Lahat sila, mabait sa akin. Dito po sa shooting, enjoy ako kasi lahat ng co-actors ko, from Bossing Vic to Gladys Guevarra, Jose Manalo and Willy Bayola, puro kasama rin namin sa Eat Bulaga!."

Aside from having a daily show like Eat Bulaga!, BJ is also hosting Lovely Day on GMA 7 with Love Añover and Christian Esteban. Considering how busy he is, does he still have time to go to school? "Opo. I’m in grade two sa Angelicum College, pero mostly, home study. Mga two times a week po, I report sa school with my mommy para malaman nila kung nag-aaral nga ako ng lessons ko o hindi."

At this point, director Joey Gosiengfiao, who’s in charge of the film’s publicity, approaches BJ and asks him to sign a photograph for his son. "Fan mo ‘yon, e," says Joey.

BJ gets the photograph and asks Joey. "Ano po ang name ng anak n’yo?"

"Edward," says Joey.

Without anyone coaching him about its spelling, BJ writes "Dear Edward" at the back of the photo and even adds some words of encouragement. Joey is quite impressed. BJ is really quite a precocious kid. What are his favorite subjects in school? "Math po and science."

Does he see himself being in showbiz forever? "No, hindi po. Ayoko pong mag-artista paglaki ko."

So what would he want to be when he grows up? "I want to be a scientist, kasi I want to find out why the moon is following me wherever I go. I have many questions about a lot of things that I want to be answered."

Ispiritista is yet to be shown but BJ is now shooting his second movie, Exodus, an entry in the Metro-Manila Filmfest with Bong Revilla. "Maganda po ang role ko as Silab, a boy who has the power to produce fire through his body," he adds.

Does he enjoy being famous and being recognized in public? "Okay lang po. Kaya lang, yung iba, sobrang natutuwa, kinukurot ako. Masakit po."

We ask his mom if they give BJ any special treatment since he earns so much for their family? "Ay, hindi po. No special treatment as we don’t want to spoil him. We’re just thankful to God for giving him to us and, right now, he remains to be unaffected by the fact na kilala na siya ng tao. He’s no swellhead at all and I hope he will stay that way."