Nova Villa on joining 'Can't Buy Me Love': 'Pwede pala ako mag-drama'

MANILA, Philippines — Screen veteran Nova Villa said she discovered something about herself while she was doing the hit drama "Can't Buy Me Love." 

The seasoned actress plays the adoptive grandmother to lead actor Donny Pangilinan's Bingo. She stands as his loving grandmother in the absence of Bingo's mother, played by Ina Raymundo, while trying to raise him in Binondo. Bingo grows up as a streetsmart and sensible young man under her care. 

"Sa tagal ko sa industriya, alam niyo forte ko comedy, pero ako mismo na-discover ko ang sarili ko. Pwede pala. Pwede pala ako mag-drama," said the veteran star. 

Although Nova has been seen in quite a lot of teleseryes in the past decades, the respected actress is known for her comedic roles in well-loved TV series, including as the snooty Azon in the 1990s sitcom "Home Alone Da Riles," which ran from 1992 to 2003 with the late "Comedy King" Dolphy; and as Mimi, one of the wacky cast members of the weekend show "Pepito Manaloto" airing since 2012. 

The veteran star then turned emotional at yesterday's finale presscon when she talked about how she had grown to love the cast of "Can't Buy Me Love." 

Nova said that what they are showing in their nightly show goes beyong acting. They have imbibed what their characters are feeling and their viewers were able to feel them. 

"Pero hindi lang drama, kung hindi makatotohanan... Hindi po acting ito. Talagang nararamdaman namin. 

"Everybody tells me, 'Tita Nova, nakakaiyak, nakakaawa.' Nata-touch ang mga viewers namin. Hindi na kami umaarte. Totoo na 'yung lumalabas. 

"Kahit sabihin mong telebisyon 'yan, pero tumatagos. Tumatagos sa puso ng viewers natin," she said. 

"Can't Buy Me Love" is down to its last few weeks as it leads to its end in May. — Video by Kathleen A. Llemit, editing by Martin Ramos

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