A brilliant season for Andrea

A brilliant season for Andrea | Daily Tribune

Suddenly, it’s an Andrea Brillantes season in Pinoy showbiz. She’s practically everywhere — or scheduled to be. Among her upcoming roles, she’s set to be the flagship actress for 2026 films under MediaQuest Ventures (MQuest) and TV5 shows.

As reported yesterday in the DAILY TRIBUNE by Deni Bernardo, Brillantes has been unveiled as the first Filipino ambassador of Guess, the international clothing giant. She previewed her ambassadorship last November — a pleasantly surprising announcement, given that earlier in the same month she was launched as the 2026 Tanduay Calendar Girl.

Her calendar shoot features daring minimal attire, including one photo that gives the illusion of nudity, with only strategically placed red rose petals covering her. The Guess ambassadorship, however, helps neutralize any controversial impressions from her calendar images.

The bigger question now is how Brillantes will shape the brand image of TV5 and MediaQuest Ventures, aiming to become entertainment powerhouses like ABS-CBN and GMA Network.

After 15 years as an exclusive ABS-CBN talent, Brillantes has moved to TV5 under the independent management of Shirley Kuan, who signed her to MQuest Ventures. Both TV5 and MQuest Ventures are under the umbrella of tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan’s MediaQuest Holdings. MQuest also manages Cignal TV and has begun producing films, including the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Manila’s Finest, starring Piolo Pascual and Enrique Gil.

Brillantes joins Pascual, Derek Ramsay, and Gil as star flagbearers for MediaQuest and TV5, complementing the expertise of legendary starmaker Johnny Manahan, recently signed to the network. The network is positioning itself to produce high-quality films and shows akin to ABS-CBN and GMA, a strategy that may explain why TV5 is ending ABS-CBN’s airtime rental this December.

Brillantes’ upcoming projects are already raising eyebrows. She is slated to star in a film alongside the notably conservative Gil. How daring is Brillantes? Beyond her risqué Tanduay Calendar photos, she had a highly publicized relationship with basketball star Ricci Rivero from 2022 to 2023, including sleepovers and a willingness to cohabit, as Rivero revealed on social media. Brillantes even contributed to furnishing his condo. Their breakup reportedly stemmed from her discovering Rivero with another woman.

By contrast, Gil maintains a more conservative public image, sharing almost no revealing photos online. Even his minor flirtation with boldness came in the comedy I Am Not Big Bird, where he avoided nudity and romantic leads. Will acting alongside Brillantes challenge him to embrace a more mature or daring role? Details about their joint film are still under wraps, though there’s buzz about a TV5 series, A Secret in Prague, likely an adult drama in the vein of primetime ABS-CBN offerings.

Meanwhile, Pascual and Ramsay are set to headline The Kingdom (The Series) for TV5. Pascual, recently promoting what may be his final film with his former network, is clearly moving full force into the MediaQuest fold. TV5 is also reviving its reality talent search show Artista Academy, with auditions underway under the guidance of starmaker Johnny Manahan.

It’s a thrilling moment for TV5 and MQuest, with Brillantes’ boldness adding piquancy to the network’s image. With a mix of talent — including Brillantes, Pascual, Gil and Ramsay—the network is poised to deliver shows and films that could redefine its entertainment offerings.