After winning the title First Prince in the 2007 StarStruck: The Next Level competition of GMA Network, Prince Stefan appeared in several Kapuso shows, like Mga Mata ni Anghelita, Magdusa Ka, Luna Mystika and Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang.
Three years have passed and the 21-year-old Fil-Arab feels it's time for him to try a new career path, veering away from his boy-next-door image, get buffed and go for a more mature look.
POSTER BOY. Enter X-Ray Junior, a 7.5 x 9.75-inch poster-magazine that unfolds to reveal more photos and a 30 x 40-inch giant poster that shows Prince's sexy new image.
Prince admits he had second thoughts when X-Ray offered him to do a sexy photo shoot.
"Nung una, natatakot talaga 'ko. Parang iniisip ko kasi, 'Hanggang ganito na lang ba ang kaya kong gawin? Sa pagpapa-sexy na lang ba?' Ang gusto ko kasi talaga, yung maging [mahusay na] aktor ako. Pero, naisip ko, para ma-repackage ko ang sarili ko, kailangan ko na rin sigurong, from matinee idol, kailangang pagandahin ko na ang katawan ko.
"Nung tinanong sa akin ng handler ko kung gagawin ko ba [sexy pictorial], tinanggap ko na rin. Naisip ko, ito na siguro ang pinaka-next move sa akin para maipakita sa mga tao na ibang Prince Stefan ang makikita nila for 2010," Stefan told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in a phone interview last Friday, August 21.
Prince relates that during the shoot, he was nervous but at the same time was having a blast displaying his new chiseled body for the camera. "Pinaghandaan ko kasi talaga. Nag-diet ako for like three months na sinabayan ko ng workout.
"Gusto ko kasi na kung ano yung makita sa akin sa pictures, gano'n din ang makita sa akin sa personal o sa TV. Ayokong isipin nung makakakita ng photos na fake lang [ang magandang pangangatawan]. Na na-Photoshop lang," Stefan says proudly.
And he was more than satisfied with the pictures.
"In-e-mail nila sa amin ng handler ko yung mga kuha. Hindi naman pala siya gano'n kalaswa. Maganda naman pala siya," he says.
COSMO HUNK.After the poster-magazine comes out in select stores on September 15, Stefan says to watch out for his next display of sexiness.
"Tuluy-tuloy na ang pagpapa-sexy ko. Kasi sa September din yung Cosmo ko," says Stefan. The young actor will be one of the hunks who will excite audiences that appreciate sexy men in Cosmopolitan Philippines' annual Bachelors' Bash next month.
Stefan is now busy honing his acting skills by starring in theater productions. "Bida ako sa play na Noli Me Tangere for 2010. Sa August 28 na ang start, sa SM malls. May mga poster na siya, sa SM malls, then sa mga theaters, sa CCP, sa Aliw Theater. Kasama ko si Rich Asuncion."
Stefan also informs us that GMA is cooking up a project for him. "It's a soap. Hindi pa puwedeng sabihin ang title. Mag-i-story conference pa kami.
"So yun na muna ang what's keeping me busy, theater, play rehearsals, workout, X-Ray, then Cosmo," ends Stefan.