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From Candy PH

David Archuleta Talks Acting, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Eula Caballero, and More!

Soon to star on his first ever TV show, David Archuleta talks about the other firsts in his life.

American Idol alum David Archuleta will soon star on a TV5 show, Nandito Ako, with Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Eula Caballero. He’ll shoot the series for a few weeks before he embarks on the Mormon mission he announced last month.

The show’s gist: David plays a Fil-Am singer who was separated from his Pinay mom at the age of 5 because of a hotel fire. During the same fire, he rescued a young girl. Tune in to find out what happened to his mom and who the young girl is: Jasmine’s character or Eula’s?

1. On his first starring role. “Even though I may not be a pro actor, I feel like it would be a really great new experience to try, especially here in the Philippines because I feel very comfortable with the people here.”
2. On his first acting lessons. “I think that sometimes, people could get caught up just reading lines. My acting coach helped me focus on how I could relate to my character. For the most part, the character I’m playing is very much me, which is nice, but there are parts where you have to play pretend… I really enjoyed it; it was fun for me.”
3. On Jasmine and Eula. “I got to talk to them for a little bit when I got here this morning. They were very nice. I look forward to working with them.”
4. On the first thing he wants to check off his bucket list this year. “I want to finish writing more songs before I go on my mission. That’s one of my New Year’s resolutions. I have plenty of other things on my bucket list like go skydiving, scuba diving, swimming with sharks, bungee jumping, riding a hot air balloon, and learning how to drive a stick shift—I’ve tried but I want to be really good, good enough to go on the freeway.”

What do you love about David? Are you excited to watch his new show? Share your thoughts below!

From Yahoo! OMG PH

David Archuleta in a TV5 press conference for “Nandito Ako,” which will be helmed by ex-GMA 7 Mac Alejandre. (Voltaire Domingo, NPPA Images)

Director Mac Alejandre is now a Kapatid.

The former GMA 7 director signed a four-year exclusive contract for television with TV5 earlier Saturday, January 14, at Boracay 1 ballroom of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City. Present during the signing were TV5 executives Ray Espinosa, Bobby Barreiro, and Perci Intalan.

“It’s always nice to be part of a growing network. It’s always nice that you’re told that they feel na merong kang maico-contribute. At maganda maging bahagi ng mga nagsisimula,” Alejandre said in an interview with some members of the entertainment media after the contract signing.

Alejandre’s first show with TV5 will be the David Archuleta-starrer “Nandito Ako.”

Besides directing TV shows for the network, Alejandre will also be a talent development consultant for the network.

However, he said his contract for the Kapatid network is exclusively for television and he can do movies for any film outfits. In fact, he will direct “Just One Summer” with Elmo Magalona and Julie Anne San Jose for GMA Films this year.

A film and movie director for over 20 years, Alejandre started out  working for ABS-CBN and Viva and has been with GMA 7 since 1998. Recently, he did “Amaya” for GMA 7 and “Panday 2” for GMA Films and Imus Productions.

Growth

According to Alejandre, his desire for “growth” made him sign up with TV5.

“Sa palagay ko, mas magkakaroon ako ng magandang pagkakataon (sa TV5) upang makagawa ng naiiba sa mga nagawa ko na nung huling 20 years bilang director,” he explained.

He added, “Isang pagkakataon ito upang may magawa ako hindi lang bilang director kundi sa mga iba pang aspeto ng paggawa ng show dahil, I think, sa 13 years ko sa industriya, maaaring may natutunan akong ibang bahagi na maaari kong i-share.”

The move, the veteran director said, is strictly a professional decision and added he went through the “right process” before leaving GMA 7.

“Hindi ito isang desisyong personal. Wala itong kinalaman sa pagkakaibigan. Sa perception ko, sa pananaw ko, sa paniniwala ko, sa nasa puso ko, ito ang tamang hakbang tungo sa pagbabagong gusto kong maganap sa aking professional career,” Alejandre shared.

‘Great excitement’

From directing some of GMA 7’s highest-rating and most successful shows to starting over with what he describes as a growing network, wouldn’t Alejandre feel the pressure, ratings-wise?

“Ano ang gagawin ko para makatulong (sa ratings)? I will always do my best. I will do what I’ve been doing the last 20 years and hopefully I will have enough strength to do even more,” he said.

As for his first show with TV5, Alejandre said he welcomes “Nandito Ako” with “great excitement.” Besides David, he will also work with two of TV5’s home-grown artists, Eula Caballero and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.

“It’s a very great challenge. It’s a wonderful challenge to do. It’s nice to be able to work with young stars of TV5,” Alejandre shared.

He added, “I think I have great passion for talent development.”

Besides the acting classes David did in Los Angeles, California before his arrival in the Philippines,  Alejandre said the 21-year-old “American Idol” finalist will have an acting workshop with Gina Alajar on Sunday, January 15.

From Manila Bulletin

David Archuleta is Pinoy at heart

David Archuleta accepted TV5 deal for love of Pinoy fans

MANILA, Philippines – David Archuleta accepted the TV5 series out of love for his Filipino fans, all of whom, he said, have been very supportive of him through the years.

“Even though I may not be a [professional] actor, I thought this [acting stint] would be a really great new experience to try. Especially in the Philippines because I feel very comfortable with the people and I feel the fans here are very warm,” he explained in a recent press conference.

Archuleta arrived Jan. 13 and will be staying in the country for the next three weeks. Already, he is looking forward to having fun here.

“ I always have a blast when I come [here], so [for me], it’s always fun when I come to the Philippines,” he said.

“I feel comfortable here. The people are very friendly and they’re very supportive.”

Archuleta, who has visited the country four times already, added that he looks forward to eating sisig, papaitan and tokwa’t baboy again.

Archuleta’s mini-series for TV5 dubbed “Nandito ako,” will have him share screen time with Eula Caballero and Jasmine Curtis both of whom he has already met.

“I look forward to working with them. It’s [going] to be a different experience. It will be fun working with people my age,” he said.

He does not discount the possibility of falling for either Caballero or Curtis.

“I guess you can never say whom you’ll fall in love with. I never say never,” he said.

As for the character his role on the series, Archuleta said it won’t be too much of a stretch as it is “just like him.”

He takes comfort that he is not required to learn Filipino for the series.

“Most of the script will be in English. There will be a few words in Tagalog, but it should be easy,” he said.

The 21-year old reiterated in the same press conference that his two-year mission as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will push through middle of this year.

“Coming to the Philippines… [the TV5 project] fit my schedule before my departure. I will be leaving in a couple of months, but this is something I want to do before I go,” he said.

Archuleta is not at the least worried about the period of time he will be away from the limelight.

“Two years will go really fast, man, it’s been four years since ‘American Idol.’ So, two years, it is part of my life, and it’s an important decision that I want to do in my life,” he said.

He hopes to record enough material to be able to keep releasing songs even in absentia.

“Once I get back to the States, I’m gonna spend as much time as I can to record. So even though I won’t be here, hopefully, I will still be here, you know, releasing new songs. I want to make sure I have something for my fans,” he promised.

From PEP

This is David Archuleta’s fourth visit to the country.
“I could safely say that I always have a blast when I come [here], so [for me], it’s always fun when I come to Philippines,” he said.

David Archuleta on why he’s doing a mini-series with TV5

American Idol alumnus David Archuleta looked very happy when he faced local media yesterday, January 13, at the Garden Ballroom of Shangri-La Plaza Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

David, 21, barely had any sleep since he left the United States and arrived in the Philippines early that morning, sleepy but alert. He answered questions from the press with humor and laughter. This is his fourth visit to the Philippines.

After he placed second in the seventh season of American Idol in 2007, David visited the country three times for concerts and to promote his albums.

His frequent visits has led David to believe that the country’s current slogan, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” is true.

“I could safely say that I always have a blast when I come [here], so [for me], it’s always fun when I come to the Philippines,”
he told the entertainment press including PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).

David added that he always looks forward to meeting Filipinos who are very warm.

“For me, the number one thing about any place is the people. That’s what interests me, and what I remember most anywhere I go. “Especially here, I feel comfortable here. The people are very friendly and they’re very supportive.”

TV5 MINI-SERIES. David’s primary purpose in visiting the Philippines this time around is to fulfill a new obligation with TV5.

He has signed a contract to join the cast of an upcoming mini-series.

Although he declined to say how much he was offered, he admitted that he agreed to do the project because he loves his Filipino fans.

“Even though I may not be a [professional] actor, I thought this would be a really great new experience to try.

“Especially in the Philippines because I feel very comfortable with the people and I feel the fans here are very warm,” he explained.

David’s mini-series is titled Nandito Ako. He will play an international singer born in the Philippines.

According to the plot, his character was five years old when a fire ravaged his home, separating him from his mother. He grew up in the United States. Years later, he will come back to the Philippines to look for his family, and a girl he befriended during the fire. David believes his character will not be hard to play, because it is “just like him.”

He also does not have to learn to speak Tagalog for the role.

“Most of the script will be in English. There will be a few words in Tagalog, but it should be easy,” he said.