These stars proved that they are talented both in front and behind the camera thanks to the fact that they’ve led and directed their own projects.
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Usually, the line between a director and an actor or musician is a clear-cut one. If you act or sing, you stay in that lane. The same goes if you choose to stand behind the camera. In a more progressive and contemporary time, those lines can get blurred as stars and celebrities decide to take a shot at directing movies, music videos, and other projects. And sometimes, the end results can be quite magical, as these following stars have proven.
Over the years, quite a few local celebrities have taken the leap at having a greater creative say, control, and input in projects. They demonstrated their talents aren’t just limited to what we see on screen. Directing projects is not an easy feat, which is why it’s even more impressive these personalities have done so. Here are some stars who have proven that they have a knack for behind-the-scenes work as well.
JUSTIN DE DIOS
To the casual listener, SB19’s Justin might just be seen as a singer and dancer. But getting to know him more reveals that the youngest member of SB19 has an influential hand in many of the group’s projects. The naturally creative star is the band’s creative director and has served in that capacity in many of SB19’s projects like their concerts, music videos, merch, and much more. Any content you see from SB19, you can bet Justin’s creative direction had a hand in making it. And given how well much of SB19’s content is, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Justin is a bit of a P-pop visionary in the making.
ICE SEGUERRA
While many may know Ice Seguerra as an actor and musician, did you know that he also has dabbled in producing and directing? Over the years, Ice has helped make TV shows, films, concerts, and more, with one of his most notable works being co-director of Drag Race Philippines. Specifically, directing the Untucked segment. Given how Untucked has given us our fair share of drama and feels, there will be a lot more lights, camera, action in Ice’s future.
KRISTEL FULGAR
Kristel Fulgar’s career is proof that manifestation works. The actress has made it known in the past that one of her dreams was to direct her very own K-drama. And since she brought it out into the world, the universe rewarded her by making that a reality. In 2021, Kristel directed her very own show called Love From Home, a Filipino-Korean web series. It follows a Tagalog tutor who begins to have feelings for her Korean student. While the noted K-drama fan doesn’t appear in the series, it’s still a major flex that she helped build her baby from the ground up. Who else can brag that they made their own K-drama, right?
BELA PADILLA
Fun fact: did you know that Bela Padilla is credited with helping write the script of quite a few movies? In her filmography, she has writing credits for films like Camp Sawi, Luck at First Sight, and Joyce Bernal’s Last Night. The actress enjoys having creative input in her projects. And this 2022 saw Bela finally head for the director’s chair as she wrote, directed, and starred in the movie 366. It’s not easy to do all that for a movie, but Bela can more than handle the pressure.
JAYDA
Over the year, Jayda has climbed the ranks to be one of OPM’s new-gen stars. And proving that she is a true multi-hyphenate artist, Jayda doesn’t only sing, dance, act, and make music, she has also had a hand in directing her own music videos. Watch a Jayda music video and there’s a good chance she helped direct it, such as M.U. and Paano Kung Naging Tayo?. The latter even won best music video at the International Film Festival Manhattan 2021.
CASSY LEGASPI
Aside from being one of Gen Z’s next leading ladies, Cassy Legaspi also has an eye for art and fashion. You can see her flex those skills in a couple of photoshoots in which she served as the art director. The most recent photoshoot she directed saw the young star serve stunning yet diverse set of looks, from a classy suit to a form-fitting green number. Cassy definitely needs to direct more photoshoots in the future.
JOHN PRATS
While John Prats may be known for his acting, it seems as if the director’s chair has been calling his name as of late. These past few years have seen the actor transitions into a director roles and helping lead a variety of projects. As proof of his directing talents, John actually served as the concert director for Jessi’s solo concert in Manila. John Prats directing a K-pop concert, now that’s something you don’t see everyday.
XIAN LIM
When going through Xian Lim’s extensive filmography, it may surprise you to learn that the actor actually has a couple of directing credits to his name. Xian made his directorial debut with 2019’s Tabon, which he also co-wrote the script for. He has also worked on TV such as when he wrote and directed the WeTV mini-series Pasabuy in 2021 and an episode of Wish Ko Lang this year.
ALESSANDRA DE ROSSI
When it comes to Alessandra de Rossi’s career, iconic is a great way to describe it with roles such as Valentina in Darna, Andora in Encantadia, and Lea in Kita Kita. But after decades as an actress in the industry, the past few years saw Alessandra transition to behind-the-scenes work. She served as an executive producer on 2018’s Through Night and Day where she also has story credits. 2021, meanwhile, saw her helm her very own movie as the lead actress, writer, and director of the Netflix original My Amanda.
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