Georgina Wilson and Solenn Heussaff have officially entered their "stage mom" era.
Georgina's son Alfred Thor Crichton "Alfie” Burnand and Solenn’s daughter Thylane Katana “Tili” Bolzico both take center stage in Promil's latest campaign.
But these five-year-old kids are not just playing supporting roles for their famous moms—they’re the “Gifted Kids in Action.”
One Saturday morning in March, Georgina and Solenn accompanied their children to a studio in Makati City for the shoot.
While the cameras rolled, the two moms took a few moments to chat with editors from PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), The Philippine Star, and Manila Bulletin.
Georgina, the Filipina-British mom-entrepreneur-host-model, expressed her excitement:
“I love that Tili and Alfie are shooting together. It's so special to work together on set for Promil. I've been so impressed with what they've been able to put together.
"They've made their own film. They're just so confident in front of the camera. They're so confident with their skills.”
Solenn, the Filipina-French mom-entrepreneur-actress-painter-designer-singer, added, “It's the first time actually that kids are making animated short films for kids as well.
"It's going to be amazing. You know, kids' imagination just kind of goes all over the place. They have many ideas. The sky's the limit.”
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO NURTURE GIFTED KIDS
Unlike other kids, Alfie and Tili had a better understanding of the project since their celebrity moms were able to explain it to them coming from their own experience of what goes on behind the camera.
On how she explained it to Tili, Solenn related, “I said, 'You're going to make your own film.'
"She goes, ‘What do you mean?’
"Because even when I talk to her about when I go shooting or taping, I still explain.
"I'm like, 'It's not really me on screen, but it's me just acting a part out. There's a director and there's people.'
"And she still goes, ‘Oh my goodness.’
"I said, 'When we go to the promo shoot, you're going to actually see how much work is put into a film or an animation or shooting.'
"And I think now she really grasps the situation.”
The project is dubbed the “first-ever animated short film created by young minds.”
Tili serves as the director, while Alfie is the writer.
Two more children—Javi Trajano as cinematographer and Maddie de Leon as animator—collaborated with them on the project.
Georgina underlined the significance of the opportunity: “What's so cool is they were able to work with actual directors and scriptwriters from the industry.
"And I just think the opportunity to nurture their gifts for these gifted kids is so cool.
"I can't say many have this opportunity to do that.
"And I've seen bits of the animated film. It's so cool.
"It's really, I mean, it's something that they're going to look back on and say, 'Wow, that is such an achievement.' It's such a milestone for them.”
GEORGINA AND SOLENN WATCH THEIR KIDS' SHOOT
Despite the bright lights and the massive set, both kids were naturals in front of the camera.
Social media exposure may have contributed to their ease, but even in a professional setting, they confidently embraced their roles.
Georgina beamed, “I mean, they don't even have to be nervous. They've done so well.
"And for Alfie, him taking his ideas and expressing himself through the story and having gifted kids to do it with has been so cool. It's such a great expression of his creativity.”
The set felt more like a creative playground.
Solenn observed, “I would have to say the way the four of them interact. Because with kids, you never know what to get. And they've all just been so dedicated to this project.
"And every day, it's like their imagination is blossoming more and more. More attentive to details. They're really getting it and really understanding what they're doing.”
Georgina added, “I'm just so impressed that not one of the gifted kids has shown any fear.
"Imagine being in a room with a hundred adults filming you. And your performance is necessary to succeed.
"They haven't shown any fear… And they're so comfortable [on the set].
"We're the slow ones. Kami nga yung mabagal, e. ”
bringing home lessons from the shoot
By the end of the shoot, the real challenge was getting the kids to leave.
Solenn laughed, “It's hard to get them out of the set. Yeah, for them, it's not, it's not work. But they are enjoying it.”
Georgina agreed, “But I think that's really just part of their developmental milestones that they are so confident and they're so able to express themselves.
"They're so, they're like, they know they can do it.”
Tili, for her part, is used to role-playing at home.
Solenn explained, “Because when we're at home, we're always role-playing the children to enrich, you know, the way they think, to enrich all their movements.
"But now that it's actually happening on set, I feel like she might be more particular when we get home. That's the wrong angle.”
Georgina noted the valuable lessons the kids learned from the experience:
“Even just in the last few days of shooting this, them creating their animations, you see so much growth already. And how they're able to focus and how they're able to communicate.
"I feel like also directing is just to communicate the way their vision has been brought to life.
"And then everyone's kind of helping out as well. It's just so nice. They're like such mini adults already.”
ON CALLING TILI AND ALFIE GIFTED KIDS
Manila Bulletin entertainment editor Bobby Requintina asked: “To clarify, we call them gifted kids?”
Solenn answered, “Every child is gifted.”
Georgina added, “And it's just really our job... it is just bringing out the best in them.”
Solenn continued, “And just not pressuring them.”
Georgina elaborated, “And giving them, I mean I would never want to force them or pressure them into doing anything.
"I would never pressure them into becoming something that I want them to be.
"Because I really believe that they're born with their own identity and their own gifts. So it's nurturing their gifts, I guess you could say.”
ON BEING “STAGE MOMS”
So, can they be called stage moms now?
Georgina quipped, “Oh no, I should be Kris Jenner. I'm Kris Jenner now,” referencing the Kardashian family’s famous “momager.”
Solenn, for her part, described their role this way, “I think we observe them. We're always on set, but we kind of just let them take the lead. We trust their own directions in what they're doing. It's just so nice to see them.”