Showbiz Chika

Now that Melissa Ricks is starring in Kapamilya Gold’s upcoming mystery-suspense series Nasaan Ka Elisa?, a sexier and more mature image is on the horizon for Jake Cuenca’s ladylove. But the actor said he is not bothered by Mel’s official “graduation” from more wholesome roles. Jake said that it would be a double standard to not be supportive of his girlfriend since he has also done daring scenes in the past as well, more recently he did some steamy scenes with Alessandra De Rossi in Green Rose. “Si Mel, she just lets me work. She lets me do my thing. Same with her, kasi yung ginagawa niyang bago is a bit daring. It’s very different from what she’s done in the past, so ako naman, hindi ako hipokrito. So I just let her do her thing. She lets me do my thing and that’s really the reason why we get along really well. She didn’t have to convince me to let her do that kasi hindi naman ako hipokrito I’ve done a lot of roles like that na medyo daring at tulad nga nung sa Green Rose, sabihin na natin na medyo mainit yung scenes,” he said.

The 23-year-old actor said that he wants to give Mel enough freedom to make her own decisions and decide what’s the best path for her career. “She wants to be different eh. Sa akin, since she’s 21 years old, I think it’s about time that she moves and gears towards more mature roles. Andito lang naman ako para sumoporta sa kanya,” he said.

Jake said that Mel also gives him the right amount of space and isn’t a jealous girlfriend, even after seeing the intimate scenes he did with the sultry Alessandra, who was also one of the first people he met in showbiz. “Kasi kami ni Alex, we’ve been friends for almost ten years so more or less we know each other by heart. So pagdating sa mga eksena, nakapa na namin ang isa’t isa. Malaki pagtitiwala namin sa isa’t isa. Alam naman natin na si Alessandra, hindi kumportable gumawa ng eksenang ganun kaya ako nagpapasalamat ako kay Alex na pinayagan niya ako, siyempre madaming mga daya-daya. We had to work with what we had so yun. At least maganda yung feedback na mainit naman yung eksena so I just have to thank Alex na she just went with the flow. Hinayaan niya ako na gawaan ng paraan yung mga eksena namin. Talaga namang hindi ako gagawa ng bagay na ma-o-offend ang kaibigan ko kaya alam na alam ko yung linya eh, yung linya na hindi dapat i-cross sa eksena na ganun. We just had to work with what we had and it worked out,” he shared.

With all the action-packed scenes and fast-paced storyline, it looks like the following for the local adaptation of the popular Korean series has grown even stronger as the weeks go by. Jake admitted that he and the cast of Green Rose have high hopes for the show since they worked extra hard to make it a success. “Masayang-masaya kami kasi matagal na namin pinaghahandaan ang Green Rose. Matagal naming hinintay yung airing niya kasi hinintay pa namin yung snow sa Korea. Masaya ako. Sobrang tagumpay namin lahat yan sa show. Maraming marami pa kaming exciting na ipapakita. Makikita niyo na talaga yung drama at yung bigat ng storya. I accepted this role for maturity because I know I’ll be working with Jericho (Rosales), who’s a phenomenal actor and Anne who’s a great actress. So for me, when they presented this role to me, I felt like I needed to do this for my maturity, para ma-enhance ko ang aking craft. At the end of this project I can say that I’m more mature. I’ve learned so much from this project and I’m proud of it. For me, this is a great experience,” he said.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

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.”

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Melissa Ricks unleashes her wild side to play the daughter with a questionable reputation in the upcoming mystery-suspense teleserye Nasaan Ka Elisa? The show is an adaptation of a Chilean telenovela that had also been a hit in several countries including Venezuela, Georgia, Spain, Croatia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru, Mexico, Lithuania, Poland, Iran, and Romania. During the press conference of Nasaan Ka Elisa?, Melissa was asked if she is like her character, the missing Elisa, who acts as the perfect daughter but also keeps a wild side. “I’m far from perfect but I try to be a good daughter to my parents. I would say I’m a better daughter now, but siguro parents”

The 21-year-old actress was at first hesitant to admit that she also had a rebellious past. “Slightly lang naman, ha ha ha! Tapos na ‘yun,” she answered. Was love the reason behind that rebellious stage in her life? “Maraming dahilan. Siyempre kapag teenager ka marami kang pinagdadaanan. Hindi lang puro love life. Meron din sa family, friendships.”

Rumor has it that Melissa began having issues with her parents when she got into a relationship with hunky actor Jake Cuenca. Two years ago, she was reported to have stormed out of the house after having a heated argument with her mother about Jake. But Melissa clarified, “Hindi layas ‘yun. Sleepover lang naman, ha ha ha! Hoy! Hindi naman kina Jake! Kina Kitkat ako nakitulog. One night lang naman. Umuwi na ako kinabukasan. Nagpasundo ako sa kotse ko. Daddy ko ang naghatid sa akin dun.”

She didn’t deny though that her mother at first didn’t approve of Jake courting her. But Melissa was touched with how the actor persevered in winning the trust of her parents. “Well, she’s just being a mother. Siyempre natatakot lang siya kung ano ang mangyayari sa akin. Ako ang bunso and I’m a girl. Pero noon pa ‘yun. Napakita naman ni Jake na malinis ang intensyon niya. Okay na sila ng mommy ko. My mom is in the US right now kaya hindi sila masyadong nagkikita. Pero dati nagtetext sila. Kinausap ni Jake ang mom ko several times before.”

Melissa went on to confess that even she herself had doubts about Jake’s intentions, but her worries were later proven wrong. “Ayoko talaga sa kanya nung una kasi ang tingin ko sa kanya mayabang, presko. Pero he proved me wrong when I gave him the chance. Ipinakita niyang mabuti siyang tao. He tried the hardest. Mabait talaga siyang tao. Mahirap i-explain pero isa siya sa pinakatotoong tao na nakilala ko. Gusto ko siyang makasama. Marami na siyang naturong magagandang bagay sa akin.”

Now together for almost two years, Melissa and Jake still insist in their interviews that they are still in the dating stage. Not contented with ambiguous answers, reporters asked Melissa to define clearly what kind of relationship she and Jake have at the moment. “Ayaw naming lagyan ng label. Ang hirap kasi sa showbiz maraming nakikialam, naninira. I would say exclusive na kami sa isa’t isa. Wala nang iba. Nagpapaalamanan na kami sa isa’t isa. ‘Yun na ‘yun, ha ha ha!”

Still the actress begged that the media respect her and Jake’s decision not to talk too much about their relationship. The only thing she assured the public is that so far she is happy with the man whom she described as her guide to the right path. “Masayang masaya ako na alam kong may taong nagke-care sa akin, inaalagaan ako at mahal ako. Siya ang first love ko. I’m thankful that he came at the right time. Hindi nung magkasama kami sa Penduko kasi we were both young then. We make the right decisions and we support each other. Binabantayan niya ako at talaga igina-guide niya ako to the right path.”

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

It’s been two years since they first started dating and now that they admitted to their relationship, Melissa Ricks says it really was a big help that she and Green Rose star Jake Cuenca decided to be mum about it at the start. “Masaya ako na everything’s okay between me and Jake and masaya ako na ang tagal na namin na steady lang. Ang tagal namin na masaya and I think it was a good idea to keep it to ourselves for a while kasi nakatulong din yun na tumagal kami ng ganong katagal,” she shares during Empress’s debut last February 20 at The Grand Terrace in Quezon City.

The 21-year-old says that it’s not true that her parents were against her dating Jake. “My mom was never against it. My mom was just being a mom. Concerned sa akin. Siyempre they don’t want their little girl na magka-boyfriend. Pero she never disliked Jake or anything like that, walang ganun. Talagang ganun lang sila talaga. Any family na may bunsong anak na babae, siguro ganun talaga,” she explains.

Mel also admits that she feels flattered that Jake has been very vocal to the press about his feelings for her. “He’s very, very nice. I know sometimes it’s cliché to say na mabait ang isang tao pero ito talaga from the start mabuti na siyang tao hindi lang sa akin pero pati sa family niya, sa mga kapatid niya. He’s very down-to-earth and alam ko na mahal niya ako,” she adds.

Mel says that Jake is also a very open-minded boyfriend. They have both decided to keep their professional decisions separate from their personal lives. “He leaves my decisions up to me. Yung career path ko and career path niya, sine-separate namin yung career namin sa personal life. So I think that’s why na nagkakasundo din kami kasi we have our own thing eh. But we support each other in everything that we do,” she reveals.

But even if they are now open towards talking about their relationship, it doesn’t mean that they will divulge everything about it. “Oo masaya ako na alam na ng tao yung sa amin pero hindi ko naman ibibigay lahat sa mga tao. Sana they leave some for us pa rin, for ourselves na private naman. Ibigay rin naman nila sa amin yung konting privacy,” she says.

• 
• 
• 
• 
•