TV5 officially signaled its aggressive push into the entertainment landscape on May 5 with the launch of Star Worx, its newly rebranded talent management division.
Leading the charge is industry titan Johnny “Mr. M” Manahan, who was tapped to mentor and build the network’s next generation of homegrown stars.
Formerly known as the MediaQuest Artists Agency (MQAA), the agency was reinvigorated to support the “basic needs and plans” of the network, according to Star Worx head Jeff Remigio.
“Today, I’m very happy to say that we have signed more than 50 artists from MQAA. We’re very proud of our artists today. Slowly but surely, they’re making a mark in some of the shows that we have.”
The highlight of the launch at the TV5 Media Center was the unveiling of the “Star Worx,” a diverse “Block 1” roster of fresh faces who have undergone intensive training in acting, singing, dancing, and language since January. The pioneer batch consists of:
- Male Talents: Adam Buck, Amo Wilding, Chan Martin, Nico Matugas, Patrick Ballesteros, Spencer Capistrano, and Wayne Leonard.
- Female Talents: Carmela Lorzano, Celyn David, Kaitlyn King, Keisha Serna, Marthena Jickain, Nathalie Apollo, Rahil Gatali, Selina Griffin, and Steph Razon.
Reflecting on his role as a consultant and “star maker,” Manahan emphasized the collaborative effort required to turn a newcomer into a household name.
“It takes a lot of people actually to create artists, to make stars. There are a lot of people working behind the scenes… with a little bit of luck and help from these people, they can become stars.”
With this move, TV5 aims to define its own space in the local media industry, transitioning from a primarily news and sports-heavy lineup to a robust entertainment ecosystem.