Inside Showbiz 2017

SPECIAL ISSUE

EXCLUSIVE

TELL-ALL INTERVIEW!

“Ang sarap sa feeling na balang araw, pagpunta ko ng book store, ako ‘yung makikita ko sa magazine sa cover”

HER

MEGA DREAM

Elisse Joson talks about her Making MEGA in Turkey experience with many revelations, disclosing that her MEGA covers mean much to her #InsideShowbizLovesElisseJoson

RAIN P. DAGALA

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

JENICA MAGQUILAT EDITOR

ANGELU ZAFE

WEB CONTENT WRITER

ANNE BERNISCA

DIGITAL MEDIA HEAD ART

MACKY ARQUILLA

JUNIOR ART DIRECTOR

NICOLE VILLARUEL

JUNIOR MULTIMEDIA ARTIST

MARK XAVIER P. VILLANUEVA FINAL ARTIST

SPECIAL PROJECTS

MARGA TUPAZ HEAD

RED DE LEON

ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

STEPHANIE PUYOD COPYCHIEF

FRANCESCA PANGILINAN, GABE FERNANDO, CHARLENE TY COPYWRITERS

MIA CATEDRILLA, EJ KAMPITAN, DEN FAJARDO, ALEXA MANLANGIT GRAPHIC ARTISTS

BETTINA DE LOS REYES, JOSHUA ARGOSINO MULTIMEDIA ARTISTS CONTRIBUTOR

ROSY MINA WRITER

ERICA LUNA

EDITORIAL ADMIN ASSOCIATE

SUKI SALVADOR

VICE-PRESIDENT — MAGAZINE & PRINT BUSINESS

ARCHIE CARRASCO

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER

FOUNDER & CEO SARI YAP CHAIRMAN J. TIU FOUNDING CREATIVE DIRECTOR LORRAINE BELMONTE

HER TIME

TO SHINE Elisse Joson has finally come out of her shell, making sure that she shines with no pretensions, just her own brand of confidence

INSIDE SHOWBIZ WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 2017

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Just a couple of years ago, Elisse Joson would go to book stores unnoticed. Upon entering a book store, she would proceed directly to the magazines section to check the latest issues. This was part of her routine as a fashion design and merchandising student. She would marvel at the covers and read through the pages, taking to heart every single detail on the latest trends and admiring the beauty shots. She would purchase a one or two magazines as part of her school requirements. It’s a completely different situation this time. Elisse is already a familiar face after appearing in various television programs, notably Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Lucky Season 7 and FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano. And as she enters a book store today, it is her face that is splashed all over the magazine stands. Her solo cover for MEGA magazine’s September stands out as her eyes pierce through and she gleams in a striking red dress. She also has a McLisse MEGA cover out this month with love team partner, McCoy de Leon. Both covers are for the annual big fashion issue of MEGA.

INSIDE SHOWBIZ WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 2017

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“Being on the cover of a fashion magazine is one of my dreams ever since. Since growing up, interested na ako sa fashion. I was telling myself noong bata pa ako ‘Siguro ang sarap sa feeling na one day, pagpunta ko ng book store, ako ‘yung makikita ko sa magazine cover,’” Elisse shares with Inside Showbiz Weekly. “Now, it feels very surreal na makita na talaga ‘yung sarili ko sa isang magazine cover. The September issue is way different sa iba kasi ako lang talaga ang andun mag-isa, it was a solo cover.” Her solo cover is already her second MEGA cover. Her first was released just last month but it was an ensemble cover featuring various Women to Watch in showbiz. This time, the former fashion student, who had to put her studies at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde on hold in favor of a showbiz career, still can’t believe her good fortune. The fact that she has appeared in back-to-back covers of MEGA still has not sunken in. What makes it even more mind-blowing is the fact that she and McCoy got to go to Turkey to shoot for the Making MEGA series with renowned photographer, Mark Nicdao.

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CONFIDENTLY REAL The 21-year-old beauty, who first made waves in a fast food commercial, believes that MEGA chooses its cover girls for something beyond the looks. “A MEGA woman kasi is that individual who can express who she really is without trying to be somebody else,” she says. However, Elisse is brave enough to say that she has not always been confident even if she carries herself well, lets out positivity, and seems to be so sure of herself. “I’ve learned how to be confident in my own skin, my own body. Kasi in showbiz it’s hard to actually be confident because you see a lot of other people like you. It’s inevitable to compare yourself with them.”

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She even says that her self-confidence has only improved recently despite receiving tons of compliments, having a supportive fanbase, and bagging endorsement deals and projects. “Recently ko lang talaga na-realize na I can be confident in my own skin without comparing myself to other celebrities in the industry. Just recently lang talaga. After going out of PBB, meron pa din. And then after nun, unti-unti, doon ko na-te-take in lahat ng kung anong mayroon sa sarili ko. That’s the time I learned how to be confident with my real self.” Her newfound self-confidence radiates as she muses, “Maybe the MEGA team saw that I’m someone who can stand on my own. They saw the confidence in a way that I’m not really pretending, I’m not really trying to please anyone.” The actress, who is part of the primetime series The Good Soon and upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival entry Ang Panday, promises that she will remain true to herself as she continues on with her career.

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BEHIND THE GLAM Her background as an incoming fashion studies senior has made Elisse aware about the intricacies of making a simple outfit. But she got to experience firsthand the nitty-gritty of a grand out of the county fashion shoot with indoor and outdoor locations. “I enjoyed everything, most especially ‘yung behind the scenes of the actual shoot because if you see the cover, you would think na ‘Wow! Ang ganda!’ but behind that actual cover, ang dami pang nangyayari that they don’t see.” She continues, “To get to where we shot the cover, ang hirap. It was challenging kasi it was high. We had to look for places. We had to climb. Mainit. ‘Yung pagpapalit din ng outfits was also a challenge. But it was fun at the same time kaya nakaka-excite na gawin.” Elisse did not let such minor discomforts get in the way of her Making MEGA experience. “During the shoot, we can’t squint sa mga photos, we had to look like as if we weren’t blinded by the sun. Medyo struggle, pero masaya.”

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Aside from the challenges on the set, Elisse admits that she felt a whole lot of pressure for her solo and McLisse covers. But she chose not to let the overwhelming pressure get the best of her. “Sabi ko nalang sa sarili ko na I’ll enjoy it kasi this is one of my dreams. So why should I feel the pressure? Baka pa mas hindi ako maka-function. I just literally enjoyed the whole thing and nag-isip lang ako ng positive thoughts para ‘yun din ‘yung maging outcome.”

MORE THAN JUST A COVER And the end result was on the bright side. The Making MEGA with McLisse in Turkey issue has received numerous pre-orders, something that the tandem is very thankful for. “Malaking bagay ito for us, and we’re here because of the fans as well. Maraming salamat kasi parte din kayo kung bakit natutupad mga pangarap ko at mga pangarap namin ni McCoy. Thankful ako to have the fans that are there from the beginning hanggang ngayon who keep on supporting us sa ganitong bagay.”

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Elisse can go on and on about how much she enjoyed doing Making MEGA with McCoy. She also mentioned how glad she was that her mom Christine accompanied her to Turkey. “What I really cherish about the whole Making MEGA experience would be the relationship and the bond that we made with the whole team who put in so much effort, so much hard work for the magazine.” And while Making MEGA in Turkey fashion film director Petersen Vargas describes Elisse as the bubbly one in the McLisse tandem, Elisse counters, “Actually, ‘yung MEGA team ‘yung nagpasaya ng shoot, sila ‘yung nagpagaan, sila ‘yung andiyan to help us para hindi kami mahirapan. ‘Yung nabuo ding memories with them, iyun ‘yung pinaka hindi ko makakalimutan.”

INSIDE SHOWBIZ WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 2017

Elisse concludes, “Bukod sa thankful ako sa MEGA team dahil ginawa nila akong cover girl, I’m happy that I’ve met people like them who are very genuine, very professional, and at the same time, very fun. Parang you’re always welcome when you’re with them. Super thankful ako that my dreams came true because of them and hoping to make more memories with them outside work.”

INSIDE SHOWBIZ WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 2017

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Text by Rosy Mina Photography Archie Carrasco Special Thanks to MEGA Magazine MEGAMan Magazine Star Magic