Nova Villa welcomes challenges

If you were born in the 90s you’ve probably known her as the annoying yet lovable Azon from the hit sitcom “Home Along Da Riles” alongside famous comedians Babalu and Dolphy. For decades, Novelita Villanueva or simply Nova has been part of our households and made us laugh out loud with her funny antics and witty delivery of punch lines. She may be considered an institution in the Philippine entertainment scene but she believes that there are still horizons yet to be explored.


On dramatic roles

Nova can say that she spent 90 percent of her 50 long years in showbiz in the world of comedy. “That's inborn. If you’re a comedian, kailangan talagang comedian. May mga timing lahat ‘yan. ‘Yung bitaw, kung alam kong corny, hindi ko bibitawan. At saka may ethics din. Hindi ka basta bitaw ng bitaw,” Nova said.


Her move to join GMA 7 was one of the biggest milestones of her career. It’s because it was only when she became a Kapuso did she portray serious and dramatic roles. For one, she played the role of Barbie Forteza’s foster mother in the soap “Nita Negrita.” “Nanginig ako, sabi ko ano kaya ito? Nung una okay pa, light light pa... Bandang huli tumitindi na. May sumbatan na, may naiiyak na sa galit, ‘yung mga ganun,” Nova said.

Asked for her secret in shedding tears on cue, Nova answered, “Ang totoo niyan hindi ko alam… Pero nagdasal ako ng matindi. Totoo ‘yun. I prayed. Tinawag ko na ang Holy Spirit, tulungan Niyo po ako Lord. ‘Yung ganun… Hanggang natapos ko ‘yung drama kong ‘yun. Alam mo, lahat pati crew nagpalakpakan.”

Indie newbie

Senior love—this is the central concept behind the movie “1st Ko Si 3rd,” one of the independent movies featured in this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival. It recounts the story of an aging woman who’s still adjusting to retirement and soon meets the first love of her life. As Vian Serranilla, one of the producers of the movie, put it, “Akala niya tahimik na ‘yung buhay niya and then she's adjusting pa to a newly retired life. And then biglang masha-shatter ‘yung world niya kasi ‘yung first love niya nagbabalik.”

Upon reading the storyline, one would assume that this would be “no sweat” for an actress of Nova’s caliber. But it was interesting to know that she found the project very challenging. In an interview with “Tunay na Buhay” host Rhea Santos, Nova admitted that, “Nanibago talaga ako. Sabi ko ganun pala ‘yun dito… Malaki ang difference sa regular pelikula. Na-challenge na naman [ako].”

Besides the fact that this is her indie film debut, “1st Ko Si 3rd” is also Nova’s reunion project with former love team Freddie Webb, whom she had worked with in 1979 in the sitcom “Chicks to Chicks.” Many years have passed but their onscreen chemistry still makes moviegoers “kilig.” As Real Florido, director of the movie, said, “Maganda ‘yung chemistry nila Tita Nova and Tito Freddie dahil masyado silang komportable sa isa't isa… Kahit hindi sila nag-uusap, alam na nila kung paano nila gagawin, parang ready-made na siya.”

Which leaves us with an intriguing question: did Nova and Freddie had a relationship back then?

“It’s strictly [a] professional relationship between us, but when the camera is rolling, this relationship changes into a circumstance that is kung ano ‘yung dapat namin ipakita, ilabas. ‘Yun ‘yung nagagawa namin sapagkat we work as a team,” Freddie explained.

Nova Villa has already made her own mark in the Philippine showbiz industry but she never grew tired of her craft. Instead, she welcomes challenges so that she’ll be a better actress tomorrow than she was yesterday. --Gerald Vista / KG, GMA News