Shaina Magdayao talked about Ely Buendia’s surprise casting as Emman
Actress Shaina Magdayao is particularly thrilled about TV5’s upcoming primetime series, “My Bespren Emman,” due to the unexpected casting of OPM legend Ely Buendia in the lead role.
Ely rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the 90s iconic rock band Eraserheads. Their songs resonated with many people during that era, and even the younger generation is enjoying what they had released years ago.
After his years in the music scene, Ely made a surprising crossover to acting, as he was recently introduced as the lead star in the Kapatid series, My Bespren Emman.
Based on the article in the Philippine Star, Shaina Magdayao shared her thoughts on why Ely Buendia is the perfect choice for the role.
The rock icon plays Emman (short for Emmanuel), a central figure in this faith-based drama where every character bears a Biblical name.
It was a deliberate choice of the production to hide Ely’s involvement until a recent Monday night reveal, and his specific impact on the lives of characters played by Shaina, JM de Guzman, Sid Lucero, and Ai-Ai delas Alas remains under wraps.
Shaina highlighted the difficult search for the perfect actor for the role and shared insights into the show’s secretive production.
“Nahihirapan talaga kami, to be very honest. Nahirapan kami humanap ng kung sino yung Emman. Andami-daming pangalan na nabanggit. Andami na rin nilang sinubukan na kausapin,” the actress shared.
However, when Ely’s name came up, it immediately made sense to her. “Kasi rock star talaga si Papa Jesus, and si Sir Ely parang for us, wow, he’s a rockstar. Parang oo nga no, I mean, he also has that impact on so many Filipinos, and so we are very grateful kasi itong impact niya, gagamitin naman niya for this kind of material,” Shaina said.
The actress also believes that Ely’s performance brings a grounded quality to Emman, transforming the character into someone relatable rather than a remote or flawless figure.
After much anticipation, Ely Buendia’s decision to join the project came as a huge win for the production team.