These are very exciting times for Maxene Magalona. Since moving to the Kapamilya network, she has kicked her career up a notch. She’s been getting into new projects, pursuing different opportunities, and taking advantage of all the good things coming her way.
Maxene feels that the move did her and her career a lot of good. Now, there is a new energy that leaves her more excited about work. “Not that I wasn’t excited before,” she clarifies. “Siguro lang, that time, hindi pa ako ganoon ka-mature, hindi pa ako ganoon ka-wise, at nag-aaral din kasi ako at the same time (so I wasn’t really that focused on showbiz). I started in showbiz very young kaya noon, wala pa talaga du’n ‘yung isip ko. Hindi pa ako nag-ma-mature masyado. Pero now, I’m much older, wiser and stronger.”
She is also more motivated now. “Super-motivated ako!’ she grins excitedly. “Yes, it’s a new environment. More than a decade ako sa kabila since I was 15 years old pero hindi naman ganoon kalaking adjustment ‘yung paglipat. Siyempre, it’s a new environment, and the fact that I’m here really excites me so much. I’m so motivated, so the adjustments hindi ko masyadong napapansin kung malaki ba. Basta, I’m definitely excited and pumped up to work.”
When Maxene moved, she left behind a lot of friends she’s made over the years but she’s forging new friendships now at ABS-CBN. Who are they? Most of the new friends she’s made are her co-stars from Dream Dad, the new primetime project in which she has a featured role. The warm reception she got from her co-stars was a sign, says Maxene, that she made the right choice when she decided to move. “Napakabait nilang lahat, sobra, lalo si Beauty (Gonzales, former Pinoy Big Brother teen housemate). Sobrang saya niyang kasama sa set, chikahan kami nang chikahan hanggang matapos. Ang tagal naming nagtra-trabaho, ilang oras din kami sa set. Lalo na si Ketchup (Eusebio) at saka si Zanjoe (Marudo, who plays the lead role in the show). And of course, sila Miss U (Gloria Diaz), everyone on the set, we get so chika-chika, lahat sila mababait talaga.”
She’s so excited over developments in her career that she is setting aside her love life temporarily to focus on her job. “Yung love life ko ang career ko ngayon,” laughs the daughter of the late Master Rapper Francis Magalona. She explains to those who doubt her declaration, “Seryoso. Dati kasi meron akong relationship, but this time, I chose not to date anyone muna para maka-focus talaga ako dahil napakaganda ng trabahong binibigay sa akin ngayon. I’m so thankful. Kaya talagang gusto kong mag-focus sa career ko ngayon.”
Probably the only wrinkle in her otherwise perfect career and life these days is the fact that her father is no longer around to see her success. For her, FrancisM was a dream dad.
The good thing about him was that he encouraged each of his children to pursue their dreams. He successfully raised and was able to provide for his eight children. He also found the right balance between being a father and being a friend to them. She only has good words about her father. “Sobrang proud talaga ako sa dad ko. Tingin ko kasi, para mas maging talagang tatay, kailangan mo mag-spend ng time at maging kaibigan ang mga anak mo. At ‘yun talaga ang daddy ko. Proud na proud ako sa kanya. At talagang dream dad ko siya dahil sa panaginip ko na lang siya nakikita ngayon. Lagi ko siyang napapanaginipan pa rin at siya pa rin ang nasa puso’t isip ko. Proud ako na anak niya ako at sana, proud din siya sa akin ngayon.”