The serious side of Nanette Inventor

MANILA, Philippines - She has always been more known to my generation as the hilarious, nouveau riche Doña Buding, dispensing behavioral tips for those still social climbing. To those who follow closely the current stand-up comedy circuit, she is Janet Napoles, delivering an act outside the Women’s Penitentiary. But for those who truly know Nanette Inventor, she has talent in heaps — an intelligent comedienne, a well-honed singer, a formidable actress and a disciplined educator all rolled into one.

The name Nanette Inventor has been blazing in the marquee of Philippine Comedy from the ’70s to the present time. Because of her innate acting prowess, plus an enviable memory, coupled with proper direction and push from her new management team (headed by Carlo Orosa and Audie Gemora), she is now fulfilling one of her dreams, that is, to be given recognition as a serious actress, appearing in movies, teleseryes and indie films. She is so busy with acting that even the exclusive interview for the article at the Buenissimo Restaurant took several postponements to give way to her television tapings.

In the past year alone, ABS-CBN has featured Nanette in several teleseryes and Maalaala Mo Kaya episodes in serious roles nobody ever thought she could actually do because of her comedic image. She is very excited to be a part of the teleserye, On the Wings of Love, starring James and Nadine Lustre.  She is also proudly a member of the cast of the movie-musicale Ang Larawan based on Portrait of the Artist as a Filipino, a play by National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin, and starring Joanna Ampil and Rachel Alejandro. Nanette has also appeared in seven indie films since last year, the latest of which is the much-awaited Ms. Bulalakaw, to be included in this year’s Cinemalaya Indie Film Festival, about a transgender who becomes “pregnant.” Here, Nanette had to learn Visayan to play a very serious role. There has been an offer for a daily radio show, which for Nanette is regretfully impossible to accept because of her schedule. Yet, her burning desire is still to have that solo concert where she will do serious singing as singing is still her foremost love. “I will be singing with a big band and do a little comedy a la Bette Midler,” Nanette enthuses. “The show will be covered live and distributed to the public in a CD. That is now in the planning stages and hopefully, it materializes next year,” she adds.

 Nanette believes that she got her serious, disciplined side from her father who was a trial court judge, and the long bloodline of academicians including her mom. She herself enjoys teaching Communications courses every Tuesday and Thursday at the Wesleyan College of Manila. “I started teaching 17 years back. I am good friends with my students out of school but inside the classroom, even if I sometimes crack jokes, I am a very disciplined mentor,” Nanette shares. “Television tapings are for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and if there are no shows on Saturdays, I join my choir rehearsals. Sundays are reserved for serving God by singing at all the services in my Church,” says the busybody and devout Christian. At home, she does not want clutter and avoids a disorganized lifestyle. She takes care of herself well by having regular medical check-ups, taking her prescribed medicines and eating right.

With all that talent, discipline, determination and faith in God, I have no doubt in my mind that Nanette Inventor will stay in showbiz for still many years to come. And I am not joking.