‘DEEP BENCH’ – It’s been rightly said that the Kapamilya studio (ABS-CBN and Star Cinema) has a “deep bench,” meaning with so many principal and reserve players. Yes, akin to a basketball team.
If one actor or actress is not available for a project (movie or TV), there are many others to choose from. No one is indispensable.
Proof of its “deep bench” is when advertisers and events producers always refer to the Kapamilya catalogue whenever they are in need of talents.
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LEADING PLAYERS – Top of the line, in a manner of speaking, or leading players are:
Piolo Pascual and John Lloyd Cruz lead the A-list actors, followed by Jericho Rosales, Coco Martin, Vice Ganda, and Gerald Anderson.
Must be said though, that Lloydie and Gerald are more daring in accepting roles, be they for cinema or television.
Among actresses, the A-List is composed of Bea Alonzo, Toni Gonzaga, Angelica Panganiban, Anne Curtis, and Angel Locsin. All six are fine drama stars, but Angelica and Toni also excel in comedy.
Surely, those stars made “flopsina” at times, but all players, without exception, are not exempted from box-office disasters. But they have more hits than misses.
By the way, Kris Aquino used to be on the A-List, but then she’s no longer Kapamilya. Ditto Sharon Cuneta, who’s back with ABS-CBN and Star Cinema.
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THE OTHER PLAYERS – As earlier said, Kapamilya has a “deep bench” – with the other players coming next in line.
Sam Milby, Kim Chiu, Paulo Avelino, Enchong Dee, Maja Salvador, Matteo Guidicelli, Erich Gonzales, Richard Chen, Jodi Sta. Maria, Ian Veneracion, KC Concepcion, Xian Lim, Arci Muñoz, Zanjoe Marudo, Ellen Adarna, Joseph Marco, Jake Cuenca, Vhong Navarro, EJ Falcon, Angeline Quinto, Maricar Reyes, Luis Manzano, Billy Crawford, Coleen Garcia.
Pokwang, Melai, and soon Maymay are in a special category – character actresses, primarily comediennes, doing lead parts every now and then.
Highspeed purposely did not include KathNiel, LizQuen, and JaDine on the Kapamilya A-List as one column is devoted to them. It’ll will come out tomorrow in this corner.