Nova Villa On How Her Faith Made Her Wishes Come True
People

Nova Villa and the Prayers That Brought Her to the Silver Screen

“[Being an actor] is a blessing because ‘yung talent mo, it’s a gift.” Nova Villa wears TIFFANY & CO earrings, MARTIN BAUTISTA top. Photographed by Neal Oshima for the August 2024 Issue of Vogue Philippines

As Nova Villa continues to make others smile, she holds on to the same guiding light that brought her to the screen.

Nova Villa made three wishes when she was a kid. The first was to learn how to read and write, the second was a private, personal wish. The third was to become an actress. “Every day, those were my wishes,” she shares, speaking in Filipino. “They all came true.”

These were not mere wishes; they were her prayers, too. She believes that everything that we are meant to be is predestined. “It’s already set what your future is. Even who you are now and who you’ll become,” she says in Filipino. “There are those who start as early as five years old, and they’re great at acting, even without being taught. That means it’s destiny. That’s their talent.”

Nova herself was discovered at 17 years old by no less than action star, producer, and director Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ). After her debut as a leading lady in Daniel Barrion (1964), she signed a contract with FPJ and kept signing one after the other. Now, there are almost 200 acting credits to her name, from the Filipino fantasy film Dyesebel to the heartwarming Miss Granny. “I always have a show; I never run out of offers. I really believe in blessings,” she says.

From action films to sitcoms, Nova has done a wide range of genres throughout her lengthy career. She advises actors to do the same to find their forte: “Action, comedy, drama, because you won’t just do drama. Until one day, you’ll find out what works for you,” she says. She recalls her first time on a film set. “Most actors go through a screen test, but I didn’t. We went straight to shooting,” she says. “I surprised even myself, I kept doing only one take [for each scene]!”

The same can be said for film directors. Because each one has their own forte, Nova can’t choose a favorite. “They’re all great, but there are those moments when the actor and the director’s mind become one,” she says. Of the current Filipino directors, she expresses her admiration for Coco Martin, who made his way from being an indie actor to an action series director and producer. “He’s not only an artist, he’s a director now!” she says. “That means he has heart, brains, and passion.”

Having explored a range of genres as an actress, Nova now takes up any role that comes her way. “I’m not too picky anymore. I’m okay with wherever they put me,” she says. As she navigates this period of her career, she still keeps the same list of qualities she wishes to maintain: serving God, being kind, being loving, and helping others “always with a beautiful smile.”

More From Vogue

Share now on:
FacebookXEmailCopy Link