Why I like Carlos

I like Carlos Agassi. This guy smiles a lot. "I have smiling eyes kasi," Carlos explains. "That’s why people think I’m always smiling." Carlos flashes his pearly whites to anyone – even when wild adoring fans grabbed, conquered and divided his shirt into a number of helpless pieces of cloth while performing in a concert in Davao City. "I just laughed at pinabayaan ko na lang sila."

Carlos also has a lot of reasons to smile nowadays. Besides his product endorsements for Hanford, Shakey’s, Stork Candy, Pee-wee, Cheez-It and another one soon to break, Carlos will embark on a bar tour showcasing his rapping skills. He is also set to record his sophomore album under Star Records with his idol Andrew E as producer. Furthermore, this 24-year-old actor has been cast in Star Cinema’s Dekada ’70 with dramatic heavyweights Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon. And together with Claudine Barretto and newcomer Luis Alandy, he is one of the lead stars of ABS-CBN’s top-rating soap opera Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan (aired every Monday to Friday, 7:30 p.m.)

In the teleserye, Carlos plays Benjie, who according to the press kit prepared by the ABS-CBN Talent Center, is "a poor but ambitious guy working his way up to win the affection of Angeline portrayed by Claudine. Benjie is the persistent admirer who slowly earns the attention of Angeline with his innocent and sometimes comic gestures revealing his pure intent."

"I feel so flattered that ABS-CBN has given me enough trust and had me cast in Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan," revealed Carlos in a recent press lunch. "I feel so excited yet at the same time, nervous because of this big responsibility."

In the same press lunch, Carlos related his showbiz journey. "I was just doing commercials then I auditioned for Star Circle batch 3. Luckily I was accepted but I was just a second-class citizen pa noon. Pero I’ve always believed to give my best in everything I do. I don’t take things for granted. So I was just working my way slowly but surely until I was tapped by Hanford to be its endorser. Things started falling into place."

Someone then commented that Carlos looked more handsome now and teased him about Jolina. Rumors have it that the two are playing sweet rap music together. "We’re just friends," he replied. "Showbiz ka ha!" a reporter quipped. Carlos just smiled.

But a few minutes later, Carlos was no longer smiling. Someone in the press lunch insinuated that people in Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan aren’t satisfied with his performance as Benjie. "I don’t think so. After each take, my director would praise my work. I’m now very much at home working with the cast, especially Claudine. But I really think you can’t please everybody," he mulled.

Another reporter butted in. "But what if Claudine says ‘Carlos, you suck as an actor.’ What would you do?" "I don’t think Claudine is that type of person," Carlos shot back.

"But what if she says it?" The reporter was persistent.

"Maybe you should ask her first," retorted Carlos.

"But it’s only a hypothetical question. I’m not saying Claudine will say it but what if she indeed says it?" The reporter was relentless.

Then, the smiling rapper’s mood changed and obviously irked, he blurted, "You know what, I think I have proven myself. I’m now working with the best and I think acting is a never ending process. I respect people and I hope they would respect me too as a person. I hope they respect the things I do. Here I am giving my best tapos hindi nila ako re-respetuhin."

This time, the reporter was kinder. "Don’t worry Carlos, we respect you." And in an instance, Carlos flashed his megawatt smile again to the press and declared. "No! Don’t get me wrong! Hindi ako galit! Ha ha!"

The press hounded him with other issues but Carlos would parry them with his deadly grin. He smiled and smiled and smiled. He then talked about his upcoming album and other projects he is busy with.

Carlos Agassi is coping with his stardom. He may not realize that the easiest way to deal with it is simply to smile.

Stardom is not forever but a smile can last a lifetime!