[ARTICLE] A new look for the ‘StarStruck V’ Final 14

Last Sunday on ‘StarStruck V,’ na-uncover na ang bagong look ng Final 14 contenders. Image Mentor Abbygale Arenas-de Leon talks to iGMA.tv about the decision making behind the new looks, and the Final 14 contenders themselves give their own opinions. Text by Jason John S. Lim; with Interviews by Erick P. Mataverde. Photos courtesy of GMA Network and Mitch S. Mauricio.

Last Tuesday, Abbygale Arenas-de Leon met up with Barbi Chan, and the creative directors of Toni & Guy 6750 Makati to talk about the StarStruck V makeover. “Nagbalitaktakan kaming lahat,” Miss Abbygale shares with us. “Talagang nag-aaway-away pa kami. And finally, we made some decisions—without considering the talent’s feelings.

“Kasi, what we considered is: the look.” She explains that they didn’t want to consider feelings because it would only hinder them sa pagpili ng magandang look for the contenders. “We’ve considered the personality, the image—not necessarily the feelings. Alam na namin yun e. We know who would say no, but I just have to remind them the experts have decided.”

On the day of the makeover mismo though, last Thursday, umamin sa amin si Miss Abbygale: “Hay! Hindi ako nakatulog kagabi!”

Siyempre, “change is not easy, you know. It’s a big step.” Miss Abbygale says that the contenders are all still very young, and that they’re so comfortable in whatever image they have now. “Everybody wanted to be sweet—and we all know [na] sa pag-aartista, hindi naman puwede lahat maging sweet, ‘di ba? So we are creating images for them.”

While not actually doing any of the cutting, she tells us that her presence at the makeover is one very important thing: “I’m here to pacify them. [To tell them] na, ‘Huwag iiyak! Bawal umiyak!’” Of course Miss Abbygale is just kidding—but not completely. StarStruck V’s Image Mentor says she’s there to explain to them that what they are doing is for the betterment of their image as artistas.

The Final 14 speaks

After their makeovers, kinausap ng iGMA.tv isa-isa ang mga Final 14 contenders. And here’s what they have to say about their new looks:

Fianca Cruz: “Okay naman po. Sobrang na-excite ako, sobrang happy ako sa kinalabasan ng look ko. Kasi sobrang, sobrang nakita ‘yung pagbabago ng mukha ko e. Parang naging bata ako. So nage-enjoy ako.”

Enzo Pineda: “Feel ko, parang bago akong tao. Parang na-rejuvenate ‘yung sarili ko, dahil may bago akong look. I feel fresh. Parang ready na ako sa mga challenges ahead.”



Princess Snell: “Well, actually, sinasabihan nila ako na kamukha ko raw si Pauleen Luna. Pero okay lang naman. The hair siguro, kasi parehas kami ng hair. Pero I like everything. Kasi since dati pa, gusto ko na magkaroon ng short hair. E wala akong pinagkakatiwalaan. At the same time, nung nagkaroon nga kami ng test dito, ‘yung makeover and then gusto nilang i-[cut] ‘yung hair ko, pumayag na ako. Kasi alam ko naman na magaling talaga ‘yung Toni & Guy. So okay lang sa akin. And at some point, hindi ako malungkot na ginupitan ‘yung hair ko. Masaya talaga ako. Parang feeling ko, alam mo ‘yung sophisticated talaga? Sosyal, hindi ‘yung parang bara-bara [na] pa-cute. Iba ‘yung personality ko ngayon.”

Piero Vergara: “I like it. I look fabulous. No, I don’t know. It’s okay. I like it, it’s cool. Sir Nelson [Cruz, creative director of Toni & Guy] cut some parts for me, so it’s awesome. Really awesome. I like it right now. I think it’s good. But I have to memorize how to arrange my hair pa.”



Rox Montealegre: “Actually po, hindi ko inexpect na magiging okay po ‘yung short hair. Kasi lagi po akong takot talaga. Forever po talaga akong long hair lang. So ngayon, parang feeling ko ang gaan-gaan ng pakiramdam ko. Ganito pala pag boy ‘no? Ang sarap lang ng feeling kasi hindi mabigat. Change is good, sabi nga.”

Steven Silva: “The makeover feels good. It feels almost like I’m a different person. But it’s nice. It’s a fresh feeling. I feel a little conscious, ’cause it looks really different. It’s different from what I’m used to. But I think it looks good—they did a good job on me.”



Zeryl Lim: “It’s really—I love my new look. Honestly! This is the shortest haircut I’ve ever had, so this is something new for me. And I felt like I’ve had such an adult image for so long. I’m really happy about the new look. I asked them to make my hair shorter kasi I’m so bored with long hair. And not just long hair—I really wanted something very wild and striking about my new image.”

Sef Cadayona: “Sobrang, sobra-sobrang masaya. Kasi this is the first time I’ve gotten my hair shortened. Usually puro bangs ako, dahil tinatago ko ‘yung forehead ko and my big ears. But they managed to find a way na ang gandang tignan kahit sobrang iksi. So I’m really pleased.”



Nina Kodaka: “Akala ko gugupitan nila ako ng maiksi; kasi tinatakot po ako ng mga staff. Sabi nila, ‘magpaalam ka na sa buhok mo. Tingnan mo na ‘yung salamin, magpaalam ka na.’ Tapos, nagpaalam po talaga ako. Sabi ko, ‘Salamat sa nakasama mo ako ng mga ilang taon.’ Sabi ko, ‘mahal kita, pero kailangan ko palitan.’ Pero dulo lang po ginupit sa akin. Tapos pinaitim lang po. Tapos, akala ko, ay ‘yun lang gagawin? Pero, sabi po nila, lalo daw po ako nagmukhang Japanese. Tapos lalo daw po ako nag-matured. Kasi mukha akong sobrang bata nung dumating ako dito. Sabi nila mukha daw akong 16. Pero kung sa unang-una, pag lalaki po ang nakapanood sa akin, siguro hindi po ako mapapansin na may ginawa po sa buhok ko.”

Rye Burgos: “I feel good. I love the new look. The one that cut my hair? He’s been cutting hair for 19 years! And he studied in London! So nagustuhan ko talaga. At first, hindi ako nagpapakulay ng buhok, so this is my first time talaga na nagpakulay ako. And I love it. Gustong-gusto ko talaga. Kasi I’ve had the same hair for almost five years na. So first time na iba. And change is good. I can’t say anything else. I love it.”



Sarah Lahbati: “Well, I like it. Kasi it made me look younger. I like the bangs, and I like the hair color, kasi ‘yung bangs ginawang black, so nagmumukhang whiter ‘yung face ko. So I like the makeover. It’s simple pero maganda.”

Rocco Nacino: “Very happy. Although medyo kamukha rin nung hair ko dati, mas neat—nakakatuwa kasi neat and wild at the same time. Tapos ‘yung color niya, parang nakakaputi ba? It’s like dark brown, pero sa ilaw light brown siya. I look better now. Basta masaya ako.”



Diva Montelaba: “Siguro nakita ng mga tao na ako ‘yung grabeng transformation. Kasi, as what you’ve noticed before, hanggang baywang ‘yung buhok ko. And it’s so straight, and so black—so sinabi ng mga experts na I really need to have a new look, kasi halatang-halatang probinsyana ako sa look na ‘yun. And now, they really want to create a Diva na mas may character—mas unique, mas pinago-glow ‘yung pagkamorena ko. So they came up with a very short hair, it’s very, very short. I cried when they cut it. Sobrang haba yun nung pinutol. Pero hindi ako nalulungkot, kasi the short hair is really good. I’m satisfied. Pero kinakabahan din, kasi hindi ko alam kung paano dalhin ito. Kasi nga naninibago. Pero one thing’s for sure: matutunan ko rin dalhin ito. At saka ang saya, kasi ang ganda ng response ng mga tao. Napakasarap ng feeling.”

Ian Batherson: “It’s okay. Pero parang—my forehead got a lot bigger. It’s sobrang different. I’m not used to it. I just have to think about it. I just wish this wasn’t happening—no, I just need to get used to it. I like the color, pero I wish they kept it longer. It’s so short—I don’t like it. Kasi they’re going for a rocker look, they should leave it a little longer if it’s a rocker look, am I right? So basically, it’s like short and colored—I don’t understand. I wish my hair grew, like, really fast. But it doesn’t, so I should get used to this look. I just hope people don’t judge me from this new look. Kasi it really wasn’t my idea, but I need to respect my mentors and the staff, so I will try to like it. And it’s okay, I mean. When it grows out a little longer, maybe it won’t be so bad.”

Kayo? Ano ang masasabi niyo about their new looks? Pag-usapan ang StarStruck Vmakeovers and your favorite contenders sa pinagandang iGMA Forum! Not yet a member? Register here!

Text from iGMA.tv

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CREDITS TO: http://blogs.igma.tv/starstruck/2009/12/09/a-new-look-for-the-starstruck-v-final-14/