After staying largely out of the spotlight for more than a year, David Chua has once again caught the attention of showbiz followers after sharing a cryptic birthday message for a mystery woman on Instagram.
The chinito actor, director, and Philippine Air Force reservist has maintained a relatively low profile during his hiatus. Still, he has remained on the radar of keen showbiz watchers, particularly his showbiz media friends who occasionally get a glimpse of his intermittent social media posts.
Recently, David stirred curiosity among his followers with a short birthday greeting addressed to someone he referred to as ‘Moretti.’ His Instagram caption read, “Some views are better shared. Happiest birthday, Moretti!”
The identity of the woman remains unclear, prompting speculation among those who follow the actor’s personal life.
David has been known throughout his showbiz career for his reputation as a ladies’ man, having been linked in the past to several actresses and beauty queens. Among those associated with him are Devon Seron, Cristine Reyes, Shaina Magdayao, Jackie Gonzaga, and Kelley Day.
Despite receiving questions about the mysterious post, the former ‘Good Will’ lead star continues to be discreet and has yet to reveal more details about the woman behind the intriguing birthday greeting.
“Her name is Sofia Moretti,” he reveals. “She’s a New York-based interior designer.”
“We met through a mutual friend at the SOHO International Film Festival in New York in 2022. It wasn’t romantic at the beginning. Over the years, the friendship survived different countries, different circumstances, and long periods apart. We share a love for art, design and travel, so there had always been a natural connection.”
But he clarifies, “As for what we are now, I’d describe it as two people reconnecting and seeing where this connection takes us this time around.”
Could this be the start of another long-distance relationship?
Choosing to keep mum on the issue, David would rather talk about the reason behind his showbiz hiatus, his plans to pursue his film studies abroad, and his fascination with AI (artificial intelligence).
He confesses, “I must admit that losing my Manila councilor bid during last year’s midterm elections had a lot to do with it. After that, I decided that it would do me better to just lie low, even in my showbiz career. It was coincidental that our TV comedy, Good Will, was ending its fifth season last year as well.”
Despite the setbacks, David kept up his directorial chores for Rated Korina, and remained at the helm of his Dark Carnival production house.
It’s his constant immersion in TV/film production where he was confronted with one of the most imminent threats to the industry: artificial intelligence (AI).
David shares, “I must confess that lately, I’ve been hooked on an AI film, The Great and Powerful Genie, and it caught my attention because it showed me how quickly the language of AI filmmaking is evolving.
“But I’m more fascinated seeing established filmmakers, someone like Martin Scorsese, engage with or explore these emerging technologies.”
It’s this mounting fascination with AI that’s making his want to pursue further studies in film production in the States.
“And that’s part of why studying film in New York interests me, maybe going to NYU Tisch (School of the Arts). Not just to learn traditional filmmaking, but to understand what happens when traditional media language meets these new tools,” he adds.
Despite the optimistic outlook for AI, David remains mindful and grounded about its potential dangers.
He muses, “Every major tech shift creates opportunities, but can also displace people. I don’t think the question should be ‘How many people can AI replace?’ but ‘How can AI allow these people to do more?’”
“I don’t think traditional filmmaking will disappear. Photography didn’t kill painting, television didn’t kill cinemas, and digital cameras didn’t eliminate film. AI will probably just create another lane.”
What would make him want to go back to showbiz?
David ponders, “Acting is, and will always be my first love. No matter how far I move from it, there’s something about creating something and putting a piece of yourself into it that fulfills a part of me that nothing else does.”
“For me, this platform is a perfect form of expression. Sometimes joy, sometimes frustration, and sometimes it’s anger. Especially now with what’s happening in our country, and I’d rather turn that anger into something creative and meaningful.”
Losing in Manila’s public service race hasn’t doused David’s charitable spirit in any way.
The longtime Tondo resident has become a familiar figure with his community outreach program, which he plans to continue even as a private citizen.
CinemaBravo 
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