Showbiz Chika

Melissa Ricks will play the title character in the upcoming mystery-teleserye Nasaan Ka Elisa? Melissa described her character as a “perfect daughter” on the outside but “scheming” on the inside. But unlike Elisa, the 21-year-old actress shared that in real life she doesn’t go to bars and drink frequently. Melissa recounted the recent incident wherein for the first time she experienced clubbing. “Naka gimik ako for the first time, ha ha ha! Pumunta ako ng Republiq. Kasama ko sina Beauty (Gonzales), Ejay (Falcon). Pero dahil sa role ko sa Elisa, I will try na lumabas more often para mas makilala ko ‘yung sarili ko. Sumayaw lang naman ako. Hindi naman ako nalasing.”

She explained that the reason she never tried going to clubs with friends was because those kinds of places scare her, and not because her parents wouldn’t allow her. “Okay naman sa parents pero ako lang ang may ayaw. Hindi ko kasi feel ‘yung mga ganung lugar. Natatakot ako sa maraming tao. I think it’s better na ngayon lang ako nag-start gumimik kasi I’m more responsible now and I think I won’t make the mistakes I would have if I was younger. Umiinom ako pero hindi to the point na nalalasing. Konting vodka. Pero kapag feel kong tama na, hindi na ako umiinom.”

Melissa added that she only goes to parties with close friends she trusts very well. She further denied accusations that it was her boyfriend Jake Cuenca who influenced her with this lifestyle. “I surround myself with the right people na magbabantay sa akin. Si Jake naman lagi niya akong binabantayan at talaga igina-guide niya ako sa tama.”

With Nasaan Ka Elisa?, Melissa finally gets the chance to top-bill a teleserye, six years after she first ventured into showbiz as a contestant in the artista search Star Circle Quest. She said that in those six years, she never felt impatient about getting a big break just like her close friends Erich Gonzales and Kim Chiu. “I never asked for lead roles. I just wanted work, I just wanted to act, to give inspiration to people. Gusto ko lang mapasaya ‘yung mga viewers kahit maliit lang ‘yung role ko. I’m just very thankful na the management entrusted me with this role kahit alam nilang medyo conservative ako. They gave me a role that will challenge me. It doesn’t matter if I waited five or six years. What’s important is I was given what I deserve.”

In Nasaan Ka Elisa?, Melissa was said to have decided to go very sexy, which she quickly clarified, “Lahat ng makakaya ko gagawin ko. Lahat hihingin sa akin, I will try to do it. Hindi ko sinasabing magbo-bold star na ako. Basta whatever the role calls for. Siguro dapat niyo na lang abangan ‘yung mga episodes. Ang masasabi ko lang is sobrang iba ito sa mga roles na nagawa ko in the past. Masasabi kong breakthrough ito for me.”

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