Former Pinoy Big Brother Season 3 housemate and winner, Melissa “Melai” Cantiveros proves that a pretty face and a voluptuous body is not all it takes to win the hearts of the masses.
After being hailed as the Big Winner, Melai instantly ricocheted to fame doing endorsements and TV stints one after the other. She recently graced the cover of MEGA magazine, one of the country’s premiere fashion magazines, in the January 2011 issue. She has also been featured in the posh Cosmopolitan magazine as a Fun Fearless Female, and has walked the runway for Bench underwear and denim fashion show. Ultimately emerging from an average college student Mindanao to an “It girl” with a bankable sense of humor as well.
Introduced in the third season of PBB as “Inday Kenkay ng Gen San,” Melai’s nondescript physical attributes, fast-paced talking , and funny antics not only made 19 weeks spent inside a confined house tolerable for her housemates, she also got Pinoys glued to their television every night because of her spontaneity and natural knack for humor; not to mention her engaging love story with then co-housemate and now-lover, Jason Francisco. These made Melai one of the most sought-after housemates and made her the grand winner of the longest running reality show in Pinoy television.
Now that she is a certified celebrity, Melai’s fashion style took a 360-degree turn. An admitted tomboy during her younger days, 22-year-old Melai shared during an interview with the that she was a fan of baggy and plain clothes before she was a star.
“Back then I used to wear loose [clothes], now I like wearing clothes that fits [me perfectly].” Melai also said that aside from her friends and handlers, her boyfriend Jason also suggests clothes that she should wear.
Despite her carefree and playful ways, Melai’s disparaging self-assessment of her looks gave her doubts about herself while inside the PBB house. Several occasions inside the house, however, called for a Melai-makeover. Her transformed elegant look during her date with actor Jericho Rosales inside Big Brother’s house was considered as one of her most glowing moments on TV.
“Before I felt awkward [with the change in my fashion style], but I’m comfortable with it now,” Melai said in tagalog.
Melai also admitted how she could not afford to buy the clothes she wanted back then because she does not have enough money—but is now happy happy to say that she can now dress up to her heart’s desire and buy whatever she wants as a gift to herself. The young comedienne, however, stressed that she does not spend much on clothes and does not pay much attention to clothing brands.
Aside from doing endorsements, Melai fulfills her long time dream to be an actor having done numerous acting projects in television like the fantaserye Kokey at Ako; recently being a part of the gag show, Banana Split; and playing the main role as a maid in Maalaala Mo Kaya: Toy Car.
Like any Kapamilya, long time Maalala Mo Kaya host and ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio even offered words of advice to the young actress who is known for her fast-paced talking.
“Many have been advising me to practice speaking slowly so that people would understand me better.” Melai said. “Ma’am Charo said I should slow down when talking because it’s like I’m about to go to Malabon while you’re still in Quezon City,” she joked. “That is why I will slow down when speaking.”
Melai continues to put a smile on the faces of the audience by doing her first major hosting stint via the noon time show, Happy Yipee Yehey! ABS-CBN’s newest noon-time variety show; as well as starring in a mini-telenovela Mana Po, side by side with on and off screen partner, Jason Francisco. She is also set to host another reality show called I Dare You: The Kapamilya Challenge which is expected to air soon.
Melai and Jason are now set to do a comedy film entitled “Pureza,” which will be directed by Soxie Topacio. Director Topacio commended Melai and Jason during the interview for always being polite and well-grounded considering their growing number of fans.
“They know how to respect. They know how to say ‘po’ and ‘opo’. They do not brag at all,” the director mused in tagalog.
For all the success she has achieved, Melai gave credit to PBB and Director Laurenti Dyogi (PBB’s Business Unit Head) during an interview. “If not for them, the world would not know me,” she said.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(OCIE Mar 4-10, 2011 RedCarpet pg.2)
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