Star Magic's 30th Anniversary Celebration Culminates With This Metro Cover Feature
We end the year with a bang with a cover that gathers some of Star Magic's next gen artists, who will contribute further in ushering a new exciting chapter for the country's premier talent management
ABS-CBN's talent management arm, Star Magic, celebrates 30 magical years in the entertainment industry this 2022. Throughout the year, its artists and the people behind the premier talent agency have been unstoppable at marking new milestones and creating new memories.
It's been an eventful year for Star Magic since kicking off their 30th anniversary celebration in February. “We dream to grow bigger and go global. To see our artists perform alongside the best artists in the world is what we will strive to achieve,” said Star Magic and ABS-CBN entertainment production head Direk Lauren Dyogi during their Star Magic Black Pen Day event back in June 2021, adding that their content creation goals are aimed at entertaining, informing, and educating their audience locally and globally.
And just as Direk Lauren manifested, Star Magic delivered on its promises and then some. They launched digital video magazines Slay and Flex. This year also saw the comeback of the All-Star Games. They organized their first-ever "Beyond the Stars" Star Magic Trade Event, bringing their artists closer to advertisers and clients. The agency also partnered with Enderun Colleges on the school's newest Bachelor of Multimedia Arts program offered to their artists.
As soon as pandemic travel restrictions eased up, Star Magic held international shows with the "Beyond the Stars" US tour in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco; this tour abroad also served as an immersion trip as the artists met known choreographers and music producers there. Many of their artists won local and international awards, starred in series and movies, and continue to be among the most sought-after brand ambassadors this 2022一proof of Star Magic's top-notch standard in developing and training talents.
Recently, Star Magic also held the Star Magical Christmas thanksgiving event that gathered the agency's artists and recognized its loyal talents who have been under their wing for more than two decades. At the said event, Direk Lauren delivered a speech: "Dahil malakas ang loob natin, dahil sama-sama tayo, dahil masipag tayo, kakayanin natin kung anumang hamon mayroon ang bukas, korek? Korek! 'Yun ang una nating pasasalamatan. Ang pangalawa, kahit na mahirap ang buhay, ang dami nating nagawa this year… nakapag-sports fest tayo, nakapag-pictorial si Alora [Sasam] na naka-two-piece sa Baler. Nakapag-US tour tayo… At patuloy ang mga endorsements ng ating mga artista, mga projects sa ibang channels, mga teleserye successful, mga pelikulang hindi pa pinapalabas pero nagawa here and abroad, mga reality shows na ginagawa at maraming parangal na natanggap ng ating mga artista. Congratulations sa inyong lahat!"
As 2022 comes to a close, marking a new chapter at Star Magic, more surprises are in store for their artists and the fans of their stars. There will be more partnerships coming up, a new batch of talents will soon be introduced, and the well-loved Star Magic Catalogue is set to be unveiled.
In the gallery below, these artists talk about what they love most about being part of the Star Magic family:
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Ronnie Alonte
"Malayo kami sa totoong family namin kaya naging family talaga namin 'yung Star Magic. Sila 'yung pinupuntahan namin kapag may problema... 'Tsaka pagka 'yung mga kulitan din eh, lalo like 'yung mga Balls... iba. Para talaga namin silang mga nanay, tatay, lalo na si LMD [Lauren Dyogi]."
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Loisa Andalio
"[What I love most about Star Magic is] 'yung mga tao, 'yung mga handlers, RMs, lahat! Sila LMD [Direk Lauren Dyogi] as in lahat ng part, 'yung mga ka-trabaho namin, mga kapatid namin sa Star Magic na s'yempre iba-iba kami ng work, so hindi kami laging nagkakasama, pero 'yun, na-e-enjoy ko 'yung mga ganu'ng moments [Balls]." | On Loisa: Ensemble by LSW
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Edward Barber
"The best part about anything in a family is the dynamic you have with them, I think. So, there's a lot of times where someone like AC [Bonifacio] bounces off the wall with energy. Someone like Darren [Espanto] gets annoyed at the energy. Someone like Kyle [Echarri] doing something weird in the background. Someone like Direk Lauren [Dyogi], rolling his eyes at us and you know it's like if you were to capture like a picture—you know those things that you kind of see in magazines sometimes, where it's like a beach trip or something like that and then there's a still frame—it's like a picture, but everyone's doing something weird, like a different activity. That's kind of like if you go with Star Magic, it's just the dynamic of everyone is so different. Everyone's kind of unique and it takes everyone else's uniqueness to remind you that you have your own star magic."
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
AC Bonifacio
"What I love most about Star Magic is the fact na we are a family. It's not a talent agency, honestly, I can't call it an agency 'cause it sounds so professional, although we are professional but we are such a big family. Direk Lauren is our father, he's our dad. But all our handlers, all our RMs, they're like our ates and our kuyas and all the artists in general, we've become such a big family. We just support each other through everything. I keep saying this, but it's not just in our showbiz life, not just in our work life, but even with things that we go through in our regular lives. We have family problems, any problems nandu'n po sila for us so we’re a big family."
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Andrea Brillantes
"What I love most about Star Magic is they’re not just a management. They are very good at that, at managing celebrities. Sobrang galing nila mag-alaga, pero what I love the most about them is they treat you as a family, as in they really care for you, your well-being. Para silang mom, best friend, malalapitan mo, at gusto rin nila actually na lapitan mo sila kapag may problema ka kasi they really care for you. That's what I love most about them." | On Andrea: Dress by Steph Tan
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Jane de Leon
"For me, grateful ako na naging part ako ng Star Magic because maraming mga veterans and mga artists ngayon na malalaki na nagsimula dito and legacy na rin ito eh kaya I’m so blessed... Of course para silang real family na. Hindi because of business side but nand'yan sila through ups and downs and 'yun 'yung pinaka-importante sa akin, 'yung family and love." | On Jane: Dress by LSW
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Francine Diaz
"Siguro, sa mundong ito, sa showbiz industry, kailangan mo talaga ng pamilya na tatanggapin ka. And for me, 'yung Star Magic, 'yung pamilya na kinakapitan ko sa mundo na 'to... [With them] I can be myself na hindi naja-judge." | On Francine: Dress by Francis Libiran
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
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Kyle Echarri
"[What I love most about working with Star Magic is] 'yong pagka-hands-on po talaga. Lahat ng mga problema na hinarap ko, hindi ko hinarap mag-isa. Lagi silang nandoon, and it’s very important for me to have that kind of connection with my management. It’s nice that they keep it like that for the past eight years."
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Maymay Entrata
"Family. Sinasabi ko sa inyo, iba. Parang hindi ko ma-explain pero talagang tutulungan ka nila na abutin iyong minimithhi mong bituin kahit ano'ng mangyari. Kahit dito man sa industriya or outside man sa industriya natin dito. 'Tsaka pinaka-love ko sa kanila iyong pagiging maalalahanin nila hindi lang sa career namin kundi 'yung sa mga life decisions din namin po." | On Maymay: Ensemble by LSW
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
KD Estrada
"What I love love the most about Star Magic is how much they take care of their artists. They really put us through workshops. They really put us through immersive stuff, so we could really hone our skills and we could hone our talents."
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Seth Fedelin
"Sobrang laki ng pasensya at haba ng pasensya ng Star Magic, sa lahat ng artista. Hindi lang sa'kin, sa lahat. 'Yung mga tao, mga RMs... Sobrang laki ng pasensya ang meron sila. So 'yun 'yung pinaka-love ko kasi naiintindihan ka nila... Family ang meron ang bahay ni Star Magic. Family. At sa family nagtutulungan, 'pag may problema ang isa, nagdadamayan, at nand'yan sila palagi... Sasabihin nila sa'yo 'yung mga nakabubuti sa'yo at mga nakasasama sa'yo. So 'yun 'yung pinaka-thankful ako at pinaka-love ko sa Star Magic, na meron akong mga tao naka-surround sa'kin habang tinutupad ko ang mga pangarap ko. Mga totoong tao, 'yun!"
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Alexa Ilacad
"It's like one whole, giant, giant family. With all our handlers, our road managers, direk Lauren [Dyogi], our bosses. They treat us like their own kids. And it's just really so nice. It's so genuine. And masarap din sa pakiramdam, especially when you're at work all day, you still get that sense of family around you." | On Alexa: Dress by LSW
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Belle Mariano
"That we always strive for excellence. I think that’s one thing that I’m really going to carry on not just this year but throughout the years I’m with Star Magic. Other than the fact that, you know, they’re really taking care of me, it’s the bond we’ve created. I’m really close with my managers, with my fellow artists in Star Magic. It’s like my second home na rin." | On Belle: Ensemble by AJ Javier
Photo Credit: Dookie Ducay
Donny Pangilinan
"What I love most about being part of the Star Magic family is that since nasa industriya kami, 'yung mga friends ko dito, 'yung mga nasa Star Magic, alam namin 'yung pinagdadaanan ng isa't-isa. We can relate with each other, when we share to each other what we're going through - our problems, our successes. Nakaka-relate kami sa isa't-isa. 'Yung mga Star Magic events, naalala ko 'yung mga Halloween parties dati, 'yung Star Magic Ball, those are moments where we can see our brothers and sisters in the industry. And, you know, when you find that right group, you really feel na mas nakaka-inspire mag-trabaho, mas namo-motivate ka." | On Donny: Clothes by Rajo Laurel
Photo Credit: Jharwin Castañeda
Metro has been a part of this journey, as the two brands have a long history of partnerships and collaborations. That continues this 2022, with the year-long #MetroXStarMagic30 campaign that trained the spotlight on the Star Magic artists through exclusive digital cover executions and special features.
Among Metro and Metro.Syle's cover stars this year are the following Star Magic talents: Bola Bola star Francine Diaz, The Broken Marriage Vow's Zanjoe Marudo and Sue Ramirez (alongside award-winning actress Jodi Sta. Maria), He's Into Her's Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano, fashion muse and Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10 housemate Alexa Ilacad, A Family Affair's Ivana Alawi, P-pop groups BGYO and BINI, Darna's Jane de Leon and Janella Salvador, and 2 Good 2 Be True's Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla (alongside veteran actor Ronaldo Valdez).
This cover series collaboration culminates with this grand gathering of Star Magic's next gen artists who all had remarkable milestones this year and are bound to achieve greater things for years to come.
Featured on our latest cover are perennial buzzmakers AC Bonifacio, Kyle Echarri, Edward Barber, Maymay Entrata, Andrea Brillantes, Loisa Andalio, Ronnie Alonte, Jane de Leon, Donny Pangilinan, Belle Mariano, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, KD Estrada, and Alexa Ilacad.
Photography by Dookie Ducay and Jharwin Castañeda
Creative direction by Eldzs Mejia
Art direction by Raff Colmenar
Sittings editor: Grace Libero-Cruz
Makeup by Owen Sarmiento (Maymay), Carell Garcia (AC), RB Chanco (Loisa, Ronnie, Jane, Francine), Jake Galvez (Alexa and Belle), and Marben Talanay (Andrea)
Hair by Ernesto Jamelarin (Maymay, Loisa, Ronnie, Jane), Jun Parcero (Edward, KD, Kyle, Seth, Darren), RJ dela Cruz (Andrea and Belle), and Tin Pangoronan (AC)
Grooming by Aimee Grey (Edward, Kyle, KD, Seth, Darren) and Jam Pareño (Donny)
Styling by Myrrh Lao To assisted by Mack Bersalona, Josh Galang and Mai Chua (Maymay, Jane, Loisa, Alexa, AC), Eldzs Mejia (Andrea), Adrianne Concepcion assisted by Vince Abarra (Belle), David Milan (Kyle, Edward, Ronnie, Seth, KD), and John Lozano assisted by Marlon Morelos (Donny)
Interviewer: Grace Diez
Shoot coordination: Red Dimaandal and Kate Paras-Santiago
