PAIS TROPICAL

Nadine Lustre sizzles in the streets of Rio de Janeiro

The mid-morning sun is beginning to take its toll. As the heat rises, the crew, both locals and jet lagged-Filipinos, scurry for cover under awnings and makeshift tents. Someone calls out for a round of iced coffee, the fourth for the day. Downtown Rio is surprisingly empty. We’re told that Sunday mornings are usually bereft of the sweating, heaving bodies that usually occupy every square inch of space of the city. Now there are only pigeons, the occasional dog-walker, and Nadine Lustre, dusted in gold, hair in her signature high bun, clad in thigh-high boots, stacks of glittering Clash de Cartier and a crisp white jacket that barely skims her derriere, buttoned down to reveal an impeccably toned torso. While everyone else is sweating buckets, she appears to be one with the sun, radiating a quiet intensity. She’s perched precariously on top of several apple boxes atop a chair. Minutes ago, an old jeep rambled dangerously close to her. As several crew members lept up and charged the ongoing vehicle, our cover star, in her second Making MEGA, simply dusted off the moment. She’s in the zone and jetlag, the threat of heatstroke or a vehicular pile up are moot to her. She’s in the latter stages of a grueling cover shoot that started the day before and she’s determined to get the shot. In between takes she whips out the Vivo S1 Pro and takes endless photos, of herself, of the surroundings. She tells us later that the shoot has awakened her creative drive and she’s collecting as much content as she can. Back to the scene, Sunday service materializes in the second floor of the colonial style building across from the set, and a choir strikes song with a gentle samba beat. It’s the only time Nadine looks up and beams a soft smile. The moment passes quickly as Creative Director Suki Salvador claps his hands, gesturing everyone to take their place. A slick of crystalline Lustrous lip gloss is applied and a final fussing of her clothes is done, and snap—the birds fly, the sun bears down, and we collectively hold our breath as Nadine strikes one power pose after another. Between the heat, graffiti-ridden cobblestone streets, and the strains of heaven’s grace, Nadine Lustre finds her moment, her space, and breathes it all in.