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Nova Villa’s adorable off-cam moments in “Can’t Buy Me Love”

Article (news)

Mary Ann Bardinas

<p>Those who were already watching ABS-CBN programs in the late ‘90s to early 2000s can surely remember Nova Villa as Azon Madamba, the fervent admirer of the King of Comedy Dolphy’s iconic character Kevin Cosme in the long-running classic sitcom <em>Home Along Da Riles </em>who never failed to make us laugh with her funny antics and utterances. And two decades later, she continues to do so as she takes on the role of Lola Nene, the doting adoptive grandma of Donny Pangilinan’s character, Bingo, in the ongoing primetime series <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/cantbuymelove" target="_blank"><u><strong>Can’t Buy Me Love</strong></u></a>.</p><div style="text-align:center"><img alt="BTS Nova Villa Can’t Buy Me Love set" src="https://asset-ent.abs-cbn.com/updates/cantbuymelove/2024/03/24/Ms-Nova-Villa-1.jpg"/></div><p>As much as she is well-loved by a lot of viewers, the same goes off-cam as the veteran actress-comedienne has been receiving tons of affection from the cast and crew of the teleserye. She may already be a septuagenarian, but she’s able to prove to everyone that age is definitely just a number and that she can still keep up with the vigor and kakulitan of her younger colleagues, particularly the Team Binondo.</p><div style="text-align:center"><img alt="BTS Nova Villa Can’t Buy Me Love set" src="https://asset-ent.abs-cbn.com/updates/cantbuymelove/2024/03/24/Ms-Nova-Villa-2.jpg"/></div><p>This unit, as we all know, is comprised of Ketchup Eusebio as her son Monching, Katya Santos and Hyubs Azarcon as their neighbors Edna and Kap Tin, and Vivoree Esclito (as Dara), Karina Bautista (as Bougie), Alora Sasam (as Bierna), Gello Marquez (as Koriks), and Anthony Jennings (as Snoop) as Bingo’s dependable barkada and online business partners.  </p><div style="text-align:center"><img alt="BTS Nova Villa Can’t Buy Me Love set" src="https://asset-ent.abs-cbn.com/updates/cantbuymelove/2024/03/24/Ms-Nova-Villa-3.jpg"/></div><p>And she’s not only a grandma to Bingo, but also to his friends. Who would forget that time when Bougie got brokenhearted because of her beloved apo and Lola Nene consoled her?</p><div style="text-align:center"><img alt="BTS Nova Villa Can’t Buy Me Love set" src="https://asset-ent.abs-cbn.com/updates/cantbuymelove/2024/03/24/Ms-Nova-Villa-4.jpg"/></div><p>Seeing the photos and clips captured off-cam that are shared by some of the <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/cantbuymelove" target="_blank"><u><strong>Can’t Buy Me Love</strong></u></a> stars on Instagram, we can see how tightly-bonded she is with them. She gamely joins them in their selfies and groufies, and she was even caught by Director Mae Cruz-Alviar having a little ballroom dance with Belle Mariano, whom she fondly calls “LingLing” on-cam.</p><div style="text-align:center"><img alt="BTS Nova Villa Can’t Buy Me Love set" src="https://asset-ent.abs-cbn.com/updates/cantbuymelove/2024/03/24/Ms-Nova-Villa-5.jpg"/></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4K4DgDPRC_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div 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</div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4K4DgDPRC_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Mae Cruz Alviar (@maecruzalviar)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>In her Magandang Buhay interview aired last January, the “Goddess of Comedy” revealed that Donny’s maternal grandmother, former actress Imelda Ilanan, is actually her best friend as they started their showbiz careers at the same time. Since Donny, who she described as “napakabait na bata” is close with his grandmas in real life, he’s also able to form the same bond with her. </p><p>She is also pleased with Belle’s kindness, so she showers her with twice the love that she gives her character Caroline. And that extends to other members of the ensemble cast because she wants all of them to have rapport as their filming continues. Apart from being affectionate to them, she also shares with them her biscuit, candy, and chocolate stash to keep them alert and energetic at work.  </p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SmnjfeeJmxk?si=5tlUN3M3FK9NSOZx" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerPolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Show your love and support to Nova by not missing an episode of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/cantbuymelove" target="_blank"><u><strong>Can’t Buy Me Love</strong></u></a>, weeknights on <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-kapamilya-channel-12340" target="_blank"><u><strong>Kapamilya Channel</strong></u></a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/abscbnentertainment" target="_blank"><u><strong>Kapamilya Online Live</strong></u></a>, TV5 and A2Z. </p><div><small><em>*Photos credit to Alora Sasam, Karina Bautista, Mae Cruz Alviar</em></small><br/> </div>

Check out the adorable off-cam moments of veteran actress Nova Villa with her gregarious younger castmates in “Can’t Buy Me Love.” 