They don’t let success go to their heads

This coming Monday is the launch of StarStruck Batch 4 and in no time at all we are going to have a new group of young stars on TV and in the movies. Wasn’t it only a couple of years ago when the likes of Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado were so new and naïve? Now they have become big names – and so did the other stars who came after them. But this much I can tell you. They may have attained stardom but a lot of them have remained really nice, humble and practically unaffected.

Below are the StarStruck Survivors and Avengers whose stardom didn’t go to their heads – based on my personal observation.

Mark Herras – For a kid who had a troubled home life (his biological father was put behind bars and he grew up with a foster father and all that), he didn’t really turn out bad. Although he’d go on days without sleep because of his work load, Mark would always have a nice attitude toward his co-workers – and he is always so polite! Although I don’t get to interact with him all the time, my experiences with him had always been very pleasant. He is Mr. Personality and Mr. Congeniality all rolled into one. Surely, he was raised well and was well-loved by his adoptive father, Daddy Jun, and this shows in his dealings in this business.

Mike Tan – He never fails to say thank you every time you write something nice about him. I don’t know exactly his work attitude, but as far as I am concerned, we are always okay with each other and I like his very polite ways.

Ryza Cenon – Her sweetness is not put-on. Her being nice is genuine and I will always have a soft spot in my heart for her. Recently, she joined the QTV 11 game show Now Na! and we get to work together and it’s fun being with her.

LJ Reyes – Another really nice girl. She is genuinely sweet. I don’t know if she still goes out with Alfred Vargas, but I hope they end up with each other because Alfred is one of the most decent young people (and that’s rare!) I have met in this profession.

Tyrone Perez – When he was still very new and was just a face in StarStruck, I already noticed that he was polite and well-mannered. Now that he had been launched successfully in his own film, Twilight Dancers, he has remained the same – and I hope he stays that way.

Yasmien Kurdi – I am very comfortable with her and she is the same with me. She can be in a bad mood (it happens to the best of us) and she doesn’t have to explain anything to me because she knows I will understand. I will always be protective of her, especially since she is a ward of Lolit Solis and I guess that is our "bonding."

Christian Esteban – From Day One of StarStruck, he had always had the best attitude and I’d never forget how he would always go out of his way to say hello to me (hey, I’m older and that’s how it should be). I haven’t seen Christian in a long time, but my fondness for him will always be there and I had always wished for his success in this business.

Rainier Castillo – I think I’m the one who should try to make it up to him because when he was still part of the Final 14 in the first batch of StarStruck, I was a bit hard on him when I was invited one time to grill the Survivors. I don’t think he ever resented me for that. During an exclusive interview about his father one time, he poured his heart out to me and I began to appreciate him more as a person.

Christine Reyes – She wasn’t all that sweet in the beginning, but her attitude seems to be changing for the better. Well, she has a good teacher, after all, in big sister Ara Mina, who is the epitome of sweetness – the genuine kind, that is.

Marky Cielo – Among the StarStruck Batch 3 Survivors/Avengers, he is Mr. Well-Behaved (the only one who has not given Rommel Gacho a headache). Whenever he’d be in Startalk (which is often), he just sits quietly in a corner. He is not the type who is all over you and doesn’t make an effort. But I’m still okay with that. At least he is never rude. However, for his own sake, he has to start learning about showbiz interaction from the best of them all, Mark Herras. But so far, Marky Cielo is still doing fine.