Megan Young takes on a more mature role

Playing the role of Marcella, Armando’s scheming fiancée in I Love Betty La Fea, is definitely a 180-degree turnaround for Megan Young. The young actress is mostly known for her kikay roles in the now-defunct youth-oriented program Star Magic Presents Astigs and for her stint as a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition Season 2.

“Hindi lang medyo mature, very mature ang role ko dito kasi Marcella is about 25 or 26-years old so that's eight years beyond my real age. So it’s really a big transformation for me,” says the 18-year-old actress. She reveals that she even had to watch “tasteful adult films” to help her understand the ways of a woman of the world like Marcella. “I admit it’s really hard especially from all my [previous] parts na pa-tweetums kasi dun na ako nasanay. Pero siyempre I have to move forward,” Megan admits.

This huge leap in her showbiz career is quite unexpected because she never thought she would get such a challenging role in the first place. “Actually nagulat nga ako kasi nung audition, naisip ko na, ‘Naku, nagkamali ata ako ng gawa. Baka hindi na ako makuha.’ After some time, tinawagan nila ako for the look test. Then naging sure lang talaga ako kung ano’ng gagawin ko nung nag-start na akong mag-workshop,” she excitedly gushes.

Describing Marcella to ABS-CBN.com, Megan says, “She is a really snotty person, rebellious, sobrang masungit, and in love na in love siya kay Armando.” Considering her previous teenybopper roles, fans can expect to see a very different Megan Young as Marcella when I Love Betty La Fea premieres soon.

"StarStruck" and "Star Circle Quest" graduates shift network allegiance

The stars who came from GMA-7's StarStruck and ABS-CBN's Star Circle Quest (SCQ) are switching networks.

Masasabing ang mga artistang nagawa sa dalawang reality shows ng magkalabang TV stations ang pinaka-homegrown talents na nagawa ng respective stations. Sa mga reality shows sila nagsimula, so they owe their allegiance to the network that created them.

Years later, situations are changing as StarStruck talents are now Star Magic exclusive and SCQ questors can now be seen on GMA-7, and one is even a GMA Artist Center (GMAAC) exclusive.

Sa GMA-7 na mapapanood ang tatlo sa original SCQ questors—ang grand winner na si Hero Angeles and two of his runners-up na sina Michelle Madrigal and Joseph Bitangcol—at ang kambal naman noon sa SCQ II na sina Bebs and KC Hollmann.

Hero is now being co-managed by GMAAC and German Moreno. He was included in the GMAAC plug na kinunan noong Sabado, March 29, sa Bulacan airport. Kasama niya pa sa segment ang original Final Four ng StarStruck na sina Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras, Yasmien Kurdi, and Rainier Castillo.

Hero's first regular show for GMA-7 will be Marian Rivera's Dyesebel, kung saan magkakasama silang muli ni Michelle who will play a mermaid.

Michelle is now under contract with Annabelle Rama kung kaya't freelancer na siya. But since mostly Kapuso stars ang mga artista ng ina nina Richard, Raymond, and Ruffa Gutierrez, it is understandable that Michelle gets her next job sa Kapuso network.

Huling nagkasama sina Hero and Michelle sa SCQ Reload ng ABS-CBN.

Another freelancer now is Joseph Bitangcol, who is being managed solely by Manny Valera. Joseph's first primetime appearance sa GMA-7 was on Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita where he played the young Paolo Contis in the pilot week.

The Hollmann twins, meanwhile, are set to compete with another reality show over at QTV-11, sister station of GMA-7, ang piloting The Debutante hosted by Marc Nelson. The Debutante will start airing on April 14. KC and Bebs are now under Artist Center also.

Over at ABS-CBN, dalawang StarStruck 2 Avengers at isang StarStruck Kid ang regular nang napapanood sa Kapamilya station.

The first to transfer was Megan Young, now a Star Magic talent. Nakakatandang kapatid ni Lauren Young who really started with ABS-CBN, Megan's first two regular shows for ABS-CBN were Star Magic Presents: Abt Ur Luv and Kokey. She also became one of the housemates in Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition Season 2. Megan is now a regular of the new youth-oriented show of ABS-CBN na Astigs.

During her StarStruck days, Megan Young and Kirby de Jesus were the last cut before the Final Four na sina Mike Tan, Ryza Cenon, LJ Reyes, and CJ Muere. Now, Kirby joins his original partner sa ABS-CBN as he is now managed by Becky Aguila—whose stars are now mostly Kapamilya headed by Angel Locsin and Valerie Concepcion.

Isang StarStruck Kid naman ang Kapamilya na rin, si Paul Salas who is now part of Kung Fu Kids. His last regular show for GMA-7 was Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang.

Meanwhile, isang StarStruck 1 Avenger ang in limbo pa rin dahil sa contract dispute, si Cristine Reyes na kapatid ng kalilipat lang din sa ABS-CBN na si Ara Mina.

Reportedly now being considered to play the lead role of an upcoming afternoon soap ng ABS-CBN na Eva Fonda, 16, pinag-uusapan pa rin ng mga lawyers ni Cristine at lawyers ng GMA-7 ang kontrata niya sa GMA-7. Ito ang dahilan kung kaya't hanggang guest appearances pa lang ang kayang gawin ni Cristine sa ABS-CBN na sinusuklian naman ng memo ng GMA Artist Center kada appearance.

Megan Young is ready for grown-up roles

Megan Young is through with teenybopper roles. But while she’s open to kissing scenes, Megan insists she’s not ready for steamy love scenes. This much she can say now that she turned 18 — sans the usual fanfare expected of celebrities like her.

“I never wanted a big debut,” Megan relates. Even if her family can afford it (her American dad works in Virginia), the 5’8”-tall Megan prefers a quiet dinner with family and close friends way back in high school over a lavish coming-out party.

A big party calls for a lot of preparation, and she’d rather focus on something else, like her career. Even in her choice of clothes, Megan would rather dress down than dress up. She’s happiest in her favorite jeans and T-shirt.

If Megan speaks her mind more these days, it’s because at 18, she has become her own woman.

“I’ve grown more mature, more independent, more self-assured,” the Star Magic talent smiles.

This means that while she can appear sweet and innocent on Abt ur Luv, Megan is open to heavier roles like the one she auditioned for on Palos (it went to Bangs Garcia).

“If the role is not for me, so be it,” she muses. “I’m happy for Bangs.”

ABS-CBN, after all, is giving her everything she needs to become a future lead star. She’s taking up singing and dancing workshops. The Star network chose her to be Piolo Pascual’s leading lady in his MTV.

“I felt nervous, especially in the scene where we were waltzing because Piolo is my crush,” Megan blushes.

She felt more at ease when the network paired her off with Enchong Dee on Astigs.

“That’s why I have no reason to regret my decision to move from GMA 7 to ABS,” relates Megan. Back then, her contract with GMA has expired, and she didn’t have shows. So Megan decided to hop over the other side of the fence.

And while she leaves it up to ABS to pick shows for her, it won’t hurt for Megan should the network cast her in roles that made the likes of Natalie Portman famous in Closer.

“That’s my favorite movie,” she explains.

Does that mean Megan is willing to shed her goody-goody image to play a stripper and have love scenes the way Natalie did in the movie?

“Not until I reach my 20s,” the Fil-Am teenager replies.

Meantime, she’d rather wait quietly in the wings for that one big role that will be the turning point of her career.

Patience, after all, is a virtue.

Megan Young admits being net addict

Young actress and former Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition 2 housemate Megan Young admitted to abs-cbnNEWS.com that she's an internet "addict".

“Ever since I was a kid super internet addict ako, as in bata pa ako internet talaga ang hilig ko,” Young told abs-cbnNews.com before her television guesting at ABS-CBN.

The teen star made the confession after reports began circulating that many TV and film stars are getting hooked at internet surfing--one of them, in fact, besides herself, is her friend and fellow ex-PBB housemate actor Victor Basa.

“Actually I blog, I do blog but it depends on the mood because I don’t want to blog on something uninterested naman. But yeah I also go to forums like, you know, ang hilig ko magbasa ng creative writing like iyon mga fan fiction,” Young explained.
Young affirmed that her blog is exclusively for her online friends but  she’s open to entertaining guests who luckily chance upon her blog.

“Usually it’s for my online friends but if ever somebody finds it I'm open to it, but it’s not like I advertise it or anything," she said.
Young who is the youngest of all PBB Celebrity Edition 2 housemates is now busy taping for ABS-CBN’s weekly show “ASTIG.”

She is also attending workshops, including acting and voice lessons.

Megan Young was the first-ever Starstruck Avenger of GMA-7 and moved to ABS-CBN after her contract with the former expired. She was relaunched on ABS-CBN as member of Star Magic Batch 15.

Megan Young well-adjusted at ABS-CBN

Very vibrant talaga ang personality ng young actress na si Megan Young at marami ang nagsasabing hiyang siya sa ABS-CBN. Hindi katulad ng iba na parang nade-depress at nine-nega pa kapag lumilipat ng istasyon, si Megan ay lumitaw talaga ang positive points ng kanyang personality.

Medyo nagkalaman pa si Megan na bumagay sa role niya bilang go-getter na trying to please others, pero lumilitaw pa ring palpak sa maraming bagay, sa youth-oriented series ng ABS-CBN na Abt Ur Luv. Kaya nga naitanong ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) kung mayroon pa ba siyang nami-miss sa GMA-7.

Ayon kay Megan, "Marami rin akong nami-miss doon [GMA-7] dahil marami akong naging kaibigan sa kanila. Naiisip ko rin sila paminsan-minsan, pero I easily gained friends sa ABS.

"Sa Abt Ur Luv na nga lang, I have become so close with Carla Humphries. I always look forward each taping day na magkakasama kami. And then, kung madaling natatapos ang taping, gumigimik pa kaming magkakabarkada," kuwento pa ng dating StarStruck Avenger.

Over din nga yata sa closeness sina Megan at Carla samantalang ang roles nila sa series na pinagsasamahan nila ay magkaagaw sa isang lalaki na ginagampanan ni Victor Basa. Swear-to-death si Megan na sa tunay na buhay, hindi sila puwedeng maapektuhan ng ganoong conflict ni Carla.

"Walang inggitan sa amin ni Carla," sabi ni Megan. "Feeling ko talaga, sumaya siya nang husto when I joined the cast. Because before, siya lang ang parang ate ng mga kasama namin dito. We're almost of the same age ni Carla. We also share the same interests."

Welcome daw agad si Megan sa Dos na para bang hindi na siya halos nag-adjust.

Marami rin ang nagsasabi na sa ganda ni Megan, talagang nababagay siya sa ABS-CBN dahil karamihan ng contract stars sa Star Magic ay may halong foreign blood at parang sumusunod talaga sa standard of looks and beauty na nai-set ng nabanggit na management arm. Marami rin sa boys ng Star Magic ang may crush kay Megan, na half-American at half-Pinoy.

Samantala, nagkita na raw sina Megan at Angel Locsin, na gaya niya ay nagmula rin sa GMA-7. Wala siyang hangad para kay Angel kundi gaya niya ay maging masaya rin ito talaga sa ABS-CBN. Wish ni Megan na magkasama rin sila ni Angel sa isang proyekto. Huli silang nagkasama sa Asian Treasures, na huli ring nilabasang teleserye ni Angel sa GMA-7 bago siya lumipat sa Dos.

Bukod sa Abt Ur Luv ay napapanood din regularly si Megan sa fantaserye na Kokey.

Megan Young evicted from "Pinoy Big Brother" Celebrity Edition 2

Megan Young was evicted last night, November 17, from Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition 2. The Star Magic talent had been nominated three times already but her luck ran out this time when she only got 21.52 percent of the votes cast by viewers of the reality show.

Megan was on the chopping block against Ethel Booba and Ruben Gonzaga. The Ultimate Pasaway garnered 23.72 percent of the votes while the comedian from Davao got a majority vote of 54.76 percent.

When Megan was nominated last weekend, she calmly accepted the black medallion, signifying that she is one the nominees for eviction. But when she talked to Big Brother regarding her third nomination, Megan confided, "Every time na nominated ako, ina-absorb ko ang lahat dito kasi may possibility na ako ang mawala. Baka hindi na ako makapasok uli sa bahay ninyo."

For her part, Ethel coped with the threat of eviction by cracking jokes to lighten up the situation. "Dinidistansiya ko na ang sarili ko sa kanila. Sabi ko sa kanila, 'Wala nang drama-drama kung sakaling aalis.'"

Ruben has been very vocal about missing his family back in Davao. "Minsan nalulungkot po ako. Naisip ko sana makapag-stay pa ako sa bahay ninyo pero hindi ko po hawak yun. Pag lumabas ako, makikita ko na uli ang pamilya ko."

When asked to give her last message to the public, Megan pleaded, "Gusto ko po talagang i-complete ang journey ko dito. Marami pa po akong mako-contribute as a person."

Unfortunately, because she got the lowest number of votes during the third eviciton night, Megan was asked to leave the PBB house immediately. She then placed her footprints as part of the Celebrity Walk of Fame.

It's the end of the line for Megan

It's been a punishment week for the housemates for all of them committed a violation one way or the other. Kuya showered them with personal tasks left and right. And aside from the hardships they also lost their weekly task this afternoon. Will the housemates' luck pick-up in the coming weeks?

The moment Ethel, Ruben and Megan dread arrives with Toni asking each of the nominees why they should remain and extend their stay. Ethel gave a loud laugh for she is actually longing to see the outside world. "Parang baliktad ata!" she exclaimed and just thanked her supporters. Megan goes next and she shares that being a housemate is one big journey for her and she feels she has still a lot to accomplish inside. Ruben on the other hand tells everyone that everyone will miss the Probinsyanong Promdi if ever he gets the boot.

Toni then lets Ruben of the hook and frees him of his black medallion. Relief flooded the comedian's face while the two ladies remain in the hot seat. Ethel's looks of anticipation to see her 'baby' was erased when Toni announced Megan as this season's third evictee. Megan tearfully hugged everyone good-bye and made her way to the eviction hall to meet Toni. After getting a warm welcome hug from her mom, Megan proceeded to leave her footprints in the Celebrity Walk of Fame.

Ruben accumulated a total of 54.76% of tonights votes while Ethel received 23.72%. Megan was actually hot on her heels with 21.52% of the votes.