Gil Cuerva

Up until he bagged the male lead role in the GMA-7 romantic comedy series My Love from the Star, Gil Cuerva had been enjoying a rather low-key life.

- Gabby Reyes Libarios

But when he became Matteo Domingo, the extraterrestial character in that Pinoy version of the Koreanovela of the same title, the 21-year-old Spanish-Filipino model was quickly thrust into the limelight. Now, fans follow him around; netizens, both haters and admirers, stalk him online; and the media can’t quite get enough of him.

So why is he suddenly GMA’s hottest property? Who is Gil Cuerva?

Born Guillermo Ernesto Cuerva on August 21, 1995, Gil (that’s pronounced with a hard G, as in golf, go, gap, and Guillermo) was born to and raised by a Spanish businessman named Javier and a Filipino housewife named Tina. His family followed a typical patriarchal setup: the father worked to build the family business and put food on the table, while the mother stayed at home and took care of the kids.

“My dad speaks Spanish, pero he also speaks Filipino, kasi nga dito na siya lumaki,” Gil explains. “But he is full Spanish. Both of my [paternal] grandparents are Spanish.”

The second in a brood of three, Gil was admittedly a mischievous child. “Definitely makulit ako, very pasaway,” he recalls with a chuckle. “Just like how most kids are at that age, pasaway, makulit. Admittedly, I was that. Lahat naman tayo, I guess at some point, naging pasaway at makulit sa magulang.”

Even in school, he was not exactly the kind to toe the line. Always, he was more interested in activities outside the four corners of the classroom. Little wonder, Gil achieved less-than-stellar grades. But he takes pride in saying that he was a good listener in class.