Child’s play

MANILA, Philippines - It’s child actors who usually crash and burn the easiest. The high-profile plunge of child actors, like Drew Barrymore’s substance abuse-filled childhood or Lindsay Lohan’s continuing struggle to get back on her feet (and drink some more), have long been tabloid and E! News/TMZ fodder. Theirs are cautionary tales of Hollywood fame: even after a string of successful films, TV shows, and albums, the trouble always winds up when the pressures of staying afloat in the game start dragging them down.

The local entertainment industry has had its fair share of these trainwrecks (see Niño Mulach). In a country high on cuteness, child actors provide the necessary glimpse of innocence in a world consumed by its own greed and glamour. But fortunately, most of our child stars have enjoyed pretty good careers. Former child stars like Judy Ann Santos, Janice De Belen (she started as a junior newscaster on RPN 9), Aiza Seguerra, and Billy Crawford (the “saling pusa” of That’s Entertainment) still headline TV shows and films, maintaining a decade-spanning stay in showbiz (that’s a lot of nasty rumors).

While we’re all mulling over the appeal of today’s child stars like Ryza Mae Dizon, here’s a rundown of some former and recent child actors and a brief trajectory of their careers.

Stefano Mori

Stefano (whose name is apparently Stefano Umberto Mori) was the one-third of JCS with John Prats and Carlo Aquino (both actors are still active in showbiz) and played Borj in G-mik opposite Camille Prats. Since he disappeared into obscurity, he has been the subject of several blog posts, Pinoy Exchange threads, and nostalgic Facebook posts. In 2011, rumors of his death circulated around the Internet but Ogie Diaz confirmed in his Pinoy Parazzi column that Stefano was alive and well. He told Diaz, through a Facebook message, that he studied college here in the Philippines and graduated October of that year.

Vandolph

Vandolph was four years old when he started acting. His first film was Balimbing: Mga Taong Hunyango where he starred with his dad, Dolphy, and mom, Alma Moreno (his name is a combination of his father’s name and his mom’s real name, Vanessa). He played Baldo, Mang Kevin Kosme’s son in Home Along Da Riles and was the requisite chubby kid in TV shows and films for a long time. After Home Along he shuffled between networks, occasionally joining his dad in his TV shows.

He co-starred in Praybeyt Benjamin (or if you want to be really specific, it’s The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin) as one of Vice Ganda’s fellow trainees. He is currently in the top-rating morning show Be Careful with My Heart as Lino.

Maybelyn dela Cruz

Known for her role as Aling Ason’s (Nova Villa) adopted daughter in Home Along Da Riles, Maybelyn dabbled in youth-oriented TV shows on GMA 7 (Click, TGIS) after Home Along ended its run. In 2010, she was elected as a councilor in Dagupan City. She was last seen in GMA7’s Amaya.

LA Lopez

LA Lopez used to be that hyperactive, squeaky-voiced figure in our television screens. He starred in Eh Kasi Bata, a comedy show he hosted along with RR Herrera, and Aiza Seguerra. He was the one responsible for the annoying iodized salt jingle of the Department of Health back in the ’90s. He had a “successful” music career in 2002 with the song Yakap. He left the country in 2003 to study Musical Theater in Florida School of the Arts and then became a pastor in a missionary church.

He had a brief comeback in 2011 as a contestant in the “Former Child Star” category in TV5’s Shall We Dance. He also contributed a song in the soundtrack of My Binondo Girl.

RR Hererra

Prior to Eh Kasi Bata, RR Herrera won the best Child Performer award of the 1988 Manila Film Festival for the film Anak ng Agila. He also won the 1989 FAMAS Award for Best Child Actor for Rosenda. Throughout his career as a child actor, RR has reaped recognition for his acting in several films such as Andrea, Paano ba ang Maging Isang Ina?, where he starred with Nora Aunor and won Best Child Actor in the 1990 Metro Manila Film Festival. Among the child actors of his generation, he’s one of the few who have worked with great directors such as Lino Brocka (Orapronobis), Gil Portes (Andrea), and Laurice Guillen (Rosenda). He has also starred in several action movies alongside Fernando Poe Jr. He stopped acting to pursue his studies and graduated from Ateneo De Manila University with a bachelor’s degree in communications technology.

In a 2011 appearance on Kris TV, RR admitted that he briefly suffered from depression after his failed attempt at a showbiz comeback. He is currently a motivational speaker and a regional director of training company TrainStation.

Tom Taus

This dude used to bombard our TV screens with cutesy stuff like “Prinsipe Cedie” and “Anak ng Bulkan.” Several years ago, photos of his hot rockin’ bod erased all our memories of Tom Taus as a wee crying boy. His photos also probably landed in many people’s “banks,” further abandoning his cutie patootie image. Hopes were dashed when he didn’t appear in sexy films. He is now DJ Tommy T in several clubs in Los Angeles, serving up some mean beats while (hopefully) taking his shirt off. No? Okay.

Jiro Manio

His portrayal of the title role in Maryo J. Delos Reyes’s Magnifico, as an optimistic boy trying to find happiness for everyone around him, has earned him several acting awards including Best Actor at the Gawad Urian and Best Child Actor at the 2004 FAMAS Awards. He then starred in several of Brillante Mendoza’s films including Tirador and Foster Child. He has also had mainstream success, starring as one of Ai Ai’s many children in the Tanging Ina Mo films and was part of several teleseryes including Tayong Dalawa and Maging Sino Ka Man. In 2008 he was nominated for both Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Adolf Alix’s Tambolista and Best Actor for Foster Child.

Jiro however had personal problems at the height of his career. His character was axed in Tayong Dalawa and his network subsequently dropped him out of their actor’s roster due to unprofessionalism. In 2011, he voluntarily underwent rehab for his drug abuse problems. At 16, he had a daughter with his girlfriend who was then four years older than him. After successfully finishing rehab, he graduated from high school (his daughter graduated from nursery the same day as he did). He now has two children and was recently seen in an episode of Wish Ko Lang. Industry insiders and critics are expecting the return of this talented actor onscreen.

Kiray

Johanna “Kiray” Celis served as the butt of “ugly girl” jokes in Going Bulilit during her stay (2005-2007). She first appeared on TV at the age of four as contestant in MTB’s (does anyone actually still remember this noontime show?) Munting Miss U. She was one of the mean girls in the 2010 remake of Mara Clara. In 2012, Chalk magazine set her up on a blind date with Bee Eye’s Julius Valledor as part of their Social Experiment feature. She is reportedly said to appear in the band’s new video.

She is now currently the butt of jokes in the Sunday teen show Luv U.