By NEIL RAMOS
She appeared right in front of us wearing a pink number that allowed more than a peek of her long, alabaster legs.
That it showed a bit of her back and sides as well proved what we knew all along: Angeli Khang is a goddess.
We are not alone. Viva believes so too.
They made this obvious incessantly pushing the 20-year-old Filipina-Korean to the masses through several films now: “Taya,” “Mahjong Nights,” “Eva.”
Their effort paid huge in the fourth try with “Silip Sa Apoy” now the most viewed film on streaming platform Vivamax.
They’re not stopping there, of course.
Viva is keeping Angeli busy.
She is now to star in the upcoming “Pusoy.”
“Super happy ako siyempre sa tiwala na binibigay sa akin ng Viva,” she told us. “Kaya nga, every job that I get, I do my best. Matagal ko na gustong mag-artista at ang sarap lang na matupad ang pangarap mo.”
Happy as she is with her success, Angeli still hasn’t fully escaped the nightmare of her past.
She told us how she still feels “anxious, depressed” at times, fearing the idea of her coming up short.
Asked why, Angeli explained, “Kasi I think dala pa rin ito ng pinagdaanan ko with my dad.”
Apparently, Angeli was physically abused as a child.
She was made to feel unwanted, unloved.
“Ang dad ko kasi napaka-strikto. Siguro dahil military man siya. Ang bilis niyang magalit at nanakit. Like, kahit tubig yan, kapag sinabi niyang apoy, dapat umo-o ka, ganun siya,” she went on.
His father has since left the country.
According to Angeli, “Hindi siya puwedeng bumalik dito dahil sinampahan na siya ng kaso ng mom ko, makukulong siya.”
Angeli first gained notice as model/cosplayer.
“Hobby ko lang ‘yun. Before I bcame an actress I was studying. Huminto muna ako to focus on this. I think it’s a huge opportunity for me at ayokong sayangin,” she related.
Disrobing didn’t come easy.
Angeli told us, “Actually, nung una, nagulat talaga ako na all-out kaagad na roles ang binigay sa akin. Kasi as a model siyempre pa-cute ka lang, pa –sexy pero never naman ako naghubad talaga.”
“Hindi pa rin ako sanay hanggang ngayon. May kaba pa rin every time I’m asked to do this or that. Pero iniisip ko na lang talaga it’s good training naman for me especially that working with some of the best directors, writers, actors in the country.”
She is thankful that her mother is supportive of her decision.
“Actually pastor ang mom ko. Very conservative. Kaya talagang very thankful ako na supportive pa rin siya sa akin. Pero wala pa siyang napapanood na kahit isang movie ko (laughs). Ayoko pa. Sabi ko sa kanya next time kapag puwede na niyang i-share sa mga kaibigan niya sa church saka ko siya i-invite manood.”
Asked if she believes she has taken over AJ Raval as this generation’s “Pantasya Ng Bayan,” Angeli demurred.
She said, “Ayokong isipin na ganun. AJ is a really good friend of mine. She’s very supportive of me especially nung nagsisimula kami. Tsaka, AJ is AJ. Idol ko yan. Nauna naman siya sa akin. Although I’m grateful kung iniisip nilang pantasya ako, I’m only doing the job assigned to me.”
“Pusoy” streams on Vivamax May 27.
