Ni-launch last year via Sparkle Teens sina James Graham at Charlie Fleming.
Dream pa lang nila noon na makasama sa isang malaking teleserye at natupad iyon dahil kasama sila sa powerhouse cast ng Widows’ War.
Sa panayam ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) kina James at Charlie sa grand mediacon ng Widows' War last June 21 sa Matrix Creation Events in Quezon City, inamin nilang hindi na nila kailangan pang mag-audition para sa teleserye dahil nakasama sila noon sa cast ng Royal Blood at nag-crossover ang characters nila sa Widows’ War kunsaan may connection ang characters nila na sina Louie at Sofia.
Si James, na gumanap na anak nila Rhian Ramos at Dion Ignacio sa Royal Blood, ang nag-pull ng plug sa life support machine ni Megan Young sa finale episode. Tahimik ang teen actor sa kanyang involvement sa bagong murder-mystery series ng GMA.
Maingat niyang pahayag, “Wala akong puwedeng sabihin kung bakit ako nandoon sa pamilya na iyon. Wala akong puwedeng ipaalam sa mga tao. Pero, let's just say na may hinahanap po si Louie.”
JAMES WANTS TO BE A DOCTOR SOMEDAY
At 17 ay 6 footer na si James na ang hilig na sports ay swimming at ice skating. Ayon pa sa Irish-Scottish-American teen, gusto niyang pasukin ang medical field pagdating niya ng kolehiyo. Kasalukuyang nasa Grade 10 si James sa Frames of Mind School in Rizal.
"Yung iba po kasi sinasabi nila, pag may pangarap ka noong bata ka, hindi matutupad iyon kapag matanda ka na. Simula bata po, talagang gusto ko na mag-doktor.
“And hanggang ngayon, di pa rin po talaga nawala sa feeling ko na ito yung gusto ko, ito yung gusto ko matutunan.
"Lagi po akong nanonood ng mga shows about sa mga medical stuff. Lagi akong nai-intrigue sa ganoon. I watch The Good Doctor and New Amsterdam. I want to be a neurological surgeon po," lahad niya.
Gusto lang daw ni James na maging ready siya pagpasok niya ng kolehiyo. Gusto niyang makaipon para siya na rin daw ang magbayad para sa tuition fees niya.
Saad niya, "Gusto ko lang po din i-ready yung sarili ko para sa future. Kaya po nag-study ako. Kasi alam naman po natin lahat na hindi naman po permanent yung showbiz.
“Pero malaking tulong po yung pag-aartista sa akin kasi nalaman ko po yung mga priorities ko and nakakaipon po ako."
Kaya naman hindi rin priority ni James ang magkaroon ng girlfriend.
Pag-amin niya, "Wala rin po akong crush. Siguro focus muna ako sa trabaho ko at sa pag-aaral."
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CHARLIE’S NAME HAS AN INTERESTING STORY
At tulad ni James, tahimik din si Charlie sa connection ng character niyang si Sofia sa Widows’ War.
"They took my character and James' character from Royal Blood and they wanted to continue the story po, here on Widows' War. Secret pa po yung connection namin," pahayag ni Charlie na nakasama na sa eksena sina Tonton Gutierrez, Jackie Lou Blanco at Carla Abellana.
Pinanganak si Charlie sa Saudi Arabia to a Filipino mother and Scottish father. May kuwento nga raw sa likod ng kanyang pangalan.
Lahad niya, "My real name is Charlie Anne Fleming.
“I was named Charlie because in Saudi Arabia po dati, girls weren't really allowed to work during the time when I was born. And the head of the bank po, the big boss there, was named Charlie. And it turned out she was a girl.
“So every time people asked, 'Hey, can I see Charlie? Can I see Charlie?' They were always expecting po na lalaki. Lalaki yung makaharap nila. Pero hindi po, babae po siya. Ayun, my parents gave me a boy's name."
CHARLIE RECOUNTS EARLY SHOWBIZ AUDITION
From Saudi Arabia, dinala si Charlie ng kanyang parents sa Cagayan de Oro City in 2013. During the pandemic in 2022, nag-audition via Zoom si Charlie for Sparkle Teens.
Pagpapatuloy ni Charlie, "I auditioned po back in Cagayan de Oro. During those times po, it was online. And na-scout po ako sa TikTok by my manager.
“That was around January or February 2022. And when he posted me on his page, Miss Abby Niesta, who is also working with Mr. M [Johnny Manahan], saw me and they asked me to audition for GMA. Thank you God, nakapasa naman po ako. And that's when I moved to Manila in August."
DOES CHARLIE HAVE PLANS OF JOINING PAGEANTS?
Bukod sa pag-aartista, balak din ng 15-year old Fil-Scottish teen na sumali sa isang national beauty pageant. Pero matagal pa raw iyon mangyayari.
Pagbabalik-tanaw niya, "Back in Cagayan de Oro, I joined two pageants. Little Miss Cagayan 2014 and I was third runner-up. The second one was Little Miss Camella and I was first runner-up.
"Hindi naman po ako kontesera. There weren't that many beauty contest po for our age noong time na yun e.
"I'm considering po joining beauty pageants. Parang it's in my cards po. But I'm just turning 16 and I want to focus muna sa pagiging artista before I try to get into pageantry. But I think this is a great opportunity naman po to build up my career and to build myself up. So that in the future, when I'm 20 or 21, prepared na po ako, physically and mentally. Ngayon po, showbiz and school ang priority natin.”
Incoming Grade 10 student si Charlie pero pinili raw niya muna ang maging homeschooled.
Aniya, "I'm staying homeschooled. But hopefully in the coming years I can get to explore different schools also. I want din kung paano may interaction parang may experience din ako with different students din."
CHARLIE STILL TRYING TO FIND HER CAREER CALLING
Gusto rin ni Charlie na siya na ang magbayad ng tuition fees niya kaya dasal niyang mabigyan siya ng maraming trabaho bukod sa Widows' War. Pinag-iisipan din niyang mag-take up ng Engineering course sa college, pero puwede raw maiba pa yun.
"My dad's an engineer. He's working in an oil company. I wanted to follow his footsteps when I was younger. But seeing myself now when I'm in this type of industry, I think I'm moving towards more arts and designs. Kasi I really have an interest po for fashion or maybe in photography. Marami pong choices," pagdetalye niya.
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