What began as his “last shot” at stardom has become Brent Manalo’s breakthrough moment in entertainment.
Once on the brink of leaving showbiz behind, the 27-year-old actor and content creator now emerges as one-half of the coveted Big Winner duo in Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition.
On July 5, the reality show wrapped up at the New Frontier Theater with Brent and partner Mika Salamanca declared the season’s winners. For the Tarlac native, it was more than just a victory, it was a career lifeline.
“When I joined PBB, this was my last straw for showbiz. If PBB still didn’t work out for me, I might have quit already since I’ve gone through so many rejections. There was even a time I believed it wasn’t possible for me to really make it big in showbiz,” said Brent.
Born Lesyel Brent Romero Manalo, Brent, a cum laude graduate of De La Salle University, first drew attention in 2018 through modeling campaigns and social media content creation before transitioning to acting. He appeared in Ampalaya Chronicles, The Broken Marriage Vow, and Beach Bros, steadily building his résumé despite industry hurdles.
Brent also shared that since his PBB win, his confidence has grown.
“Maybe things really have changed now. Of course, I’m more recognized by the media, so it also boosts my confidence when I’m called on the red carpet or blue carpet at the GMA Gala. And PBB added to that confidence,” he said.
That newfound confidence is proving useful as he prepares for The Big Collove Concert tonight, Aug. 10.
“We really prepared for this. Even if many of us have no time for rehearsals, we make it a point to fit them in so we can give a good show to everyone watching,” he explained.
“We already had a Carnival concert inside Kuya’s house, but this time around, it’s really different. We have a song and dance performance,” continued Brent, saying that performing for live audiences no longer feels as intimidating.
“We had performances inside the house that really helped get rid of our shyness. Now that we’re in the outside world, I just think of our audience as Kuya. That way, the shyness goes away,” he added.
Speaking to Manila Standard Entertainment, Brent said he keeps his feet on the ground on handling sudden fame.
“It’s overwhelming. I’m just so full of gratitude. I also don’t want it to go to my head. As much as possible, I stay grounded and really grateful to everyone supporting me,” he said.
His partnership with Mika has also been a highlight of his PBB journey. While some fans speculate about new discoveries between them after leaving the house, Brent shared that their bond remains as close as ever.
He added that their shared experiences during the show deepened their friendship.
“We were already so close inside the house, so I really know her well. We became even closer. I even met her pets that we only used to talk about inside the house,” Brent said.
That closeness, paired with their onstage chemistry, is something audiences can expect to see during the upcoming concert.
“All I can say is, we have a song and dance performance. You’ll just have to watch out for it,” he stated.
