While most of us may have first come to know Nadine Lustre through her breakout role in Diary ng Panget in 2014, the talented star had already been in the industry for a few years. She appeared in her fair share of commercials, was part of the girl group Pop Girls, and even tried auditioning for PBB once. But as Nadine worked her way up the ladder and built an ever-expansive resume that has seen her do acting, music, and business, did you know that in that list, it also includes Disney Channel host? Yes, you read that right. Throwback to 2005 and if you turned on the Disney Channel, you might have just seen Nadine already.

NADINE GOES TO DISNEYLAND

Nadine Lustre’s Disney days go back more than a decade ago, 17 years ago to exact. In 2005, Disney was set to open Disneyland Hong Kong that September. As a way to promote their new park, they held auditions all over Asia in August 2005 to find five kids to serve as their Disney Channel on Assignment correspondents to cover the opening of the new park. Among the hundreds across Asia who auditioned, Nadine Lustre was one of the lucky five picked, and she was the only one from the Philippines in the lineup.

Disney then filmed their five correspondents as they prepared for their trip, as well as the adventures they had in the park. A then 10-year-old Nadine, who introduced herself as Nadine Alexis P. Lustre, was shown in her home and school as her family, classmates, and teachers shared how she was excited to see Mickey Mouse and the gang in Hong Kong. To be able to go to Disneyland is a dream come true for most kids, andkids at heart, of course. But Nadine and her fellow correspondents truly had the sana all moment with their gig. Not only were they flown on an all expenses paid trip to Hong Kong, but they also stayed in the Hollywood Hotel.

REPORTING LIVE ON THE SCENE

While they were in Disneyland, the group was given the enviable assignment of having as much fun at the park as they covered its opening. Among the many things Nadine did at the park include searching a maze with fellow correspondent Bryan to find the map to Disneyland Hong Kong, hop on the park’s many rides, and attend the opening party at the Hollywood Hotel that featured some of Asia’s brightest stars, like Lea Salonga. Where can we get a job like that?

While Nadine’s reporter era was short-lived and she has yet to make another appearance on Disney, the confidence and energy she showed as a correspondent was a prelude to the star that she would eventually become nearly a decade later. Plus, it’s such an A-level flex for you to say that you were one of the lucky five kids to be able to cover Disneyland Hong Kong’s opening and be featured on the Disney Channel. And that was Nadine Lustre for the Disney Channel, signing off.