FPJ'S ONLY CONTRACT STAR

Did you know:
In 1964, Nova Villa, then a 17-year-old teen, accompanied comedienne Chichay, her neighbor in Sampaloc, to Premiere Productions. While Chichay was transacting business in the office, Nova was left by herself in the canteen. It was then that an elegant white Cadillac entered the gates of Premiere.

Nova recalls excitedly, “Siyempre para kang fan n’on. Patingin-tingin. Artista siguro ‘yung nakasakay kasi hindi naman ma-artista ang Premiere. Unlike Sampaguita Pictures and LVN na nagkalat ang mga artista. Sumilip ako. Yung nasa Cadillac sumilip din!”

She goes on, her eyes lighting up: “Nagkatinginan kami. Inay! Si Fernando Poe, Jr.! Of all people! Hindi ako kumibo. Eh, nakatingin sa akin. Napahiya pa yata ako.”

Minutes later, FPJ’s manager, Bong Esteva, approached her in the canteen and asked if she wanted to be an artista. Without hesitation, Nova answered “Yes!” The very following day, she was filming her first movie with FPJ.

“Daniel Barrion,” Nova volunteers. “Si Ronnie Poe ang aking leading man. After that movie nag-sign ako ng contract. I was 17 years old. I feel very lucky dahil up to now, wala naman kinontrak si Ronnie kundi ako lang.

Excerpt from Nova Villa’s Article /
“The Happy Homebody”
by Gay Ace Domingo /
Yes! Magazine /
April 2002 Issue