Nadine Samonte’s Stitch collection is all about ‘ohana’
Nadine Samonte never went through a party phase or fell into bad habits during her youth. She didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, and rarely went out at night—wholesome as can be.
Her one and only “vice,” if you could even call it that, was her love for Stitch—the kind that drove her to snag every plushie and piece of merch that she could find of the mischievous alien from the animated film “Lilo & Stitch.”
Now, she has 86 plushies, along with figurines, stationery, utensils, mugs, trinkets, and heaps of other accessories she wouldn’t even dare start counting.
“That was what I was up to when I was in my late teens, early 20s. Si Stitch lang talaga ang bisyo ko! I was so happy just staying in my room with all my toys,” the actress told Lifestyle in a recent interview.
The original movie premiered in 2002, and has since become a modern Disney classic and full-fledged franchise. It wasn’t until 2008, however, that Samonte finally saw it. She was instantly drawn to Stitch’s chaotic yet adorable nature. But what reeled her in was Stitch’s character arc—a creature designed for destruction who ultimately learns the essence of family or ‘ohana.’
“I’m a family-oriented person, so I love the concept of ‘‘ohana.’ As Lilo said, ‘‘Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind—or forgotten.’ The line stuck with me. It just sounded so light and positive. Parang nakaka-good vibes,” she said.
By the time the credits had finished rolling, Samonte found herself thinking: “What if I start collecting Stitch toys?”
Merch
Problem was, “Lilo & Stitch” merch was hard to come by in the Philippines, she soon discovered. So, every time she flew abroad—usually to Hong Kong—she made it a habit to buy as many fun stuff her extra empty suitcases could hold. And if those weren’t enough, she could always get another—like that one time she spotted a Stitch luggage at a night market.
“Wherever I went, I bought all the Stitch items I would see. Over the years, dumami na nang dumami. Nagdire-diretso na,” said the actress, who used to dedicate an entire room for her collection in her former home in Laguna.
In 2013, Samonte tied the knot with businessman Richard Chua, with whom she now has three children: Heather Sloane, 8; Augustus Titus, 6; and Harmony Saige, 3. At first, she thought that motherhood would temper her obsession with Stitch, that she would eventually outgrow it.
She didn’t. If anything, her love for the cute, furry troublemaker continued to blossom. Now that she has her own family, the spirit of ‘ohana has never resonated more deeply. “I appreciate the message of the film even more, because it’s not only for kids—adults can learn a lot from it, too,” she pointed out.
If you ever find yourself spending the night in Samonte’s home, don’t expect to sleep on the guest room bed. Her army of Stitch has taken over and marked its territory.
“We rarely have people staying in with us, so I might as well turn the guest room into a Stitch room. But if we do have guests, maglalatag na lang ako. Basta si Stitch ko andyan,” she jokingly said as she pointed at her collection, which includes items from Disneyland Paris, as well as Daiso shops and night markets around the world.
Favorite
Asked what her most cherished Stitch item was, she didn’t go for the biggest nor the most expensive of the bunch. Instead, she reached for something on the floor and produced a tiny blue toy car the size of a Matchbox.
“This is my ultimate favorite because my mom gave it to me. Whenever I look at it, I’m reminded of my life and career journey with her. It brings up fond memories of me driving and my mom sitting beside me on our way to work and taping locations,” she related. “She’s with me all the way.”
“Mawala na lahat, huwag lang ‘to,” stressed Samonte, who at the age of 15, burst onto the scene via the phenomenal first season of the reality talent search “StarStruck” back in 2003.
The 37-year-old celebrity is no longer as impulsive as she used to be. Samonte has reached a point in her hobby where she rarely stumbles upon items she doesn’t already own. “If I know I already have the same toy or something similar to it, I won’t buy it. But if I discover something new or unique, then I will,” she said.
Samonte has always been expressive about her fandom on social media. And much to her surprise, the folks over at Disney tapped her to interview the cast of the new, live-action animated remake of “Lilo & Stitch.”
“A dream come true! I will be talking to Maia (Kealoha, who plays Lilo), Sydney (Elizebeth, Nani), and Stitch (voiced by Chris Sanders) himself!” she revealed.
She had seen the movie ahead of its May 23 premiere in the Philippines, and all she could say was that she cried buckets.
“I don’t want to spoil anything but I loved the part about chasing one’s dreams. I didn’t expect there would be a remake, so I was like, ‘Wow, this is it!’” Samonte said. “It was a different experience from the first one, but it made me love Stitch even more.”
Tattoo
Now she’s thinking about a getting a tattoo of her beloved “626.”
Sure, she can always bring a small toy or two with her wherever she’s out and about. But wouldn’t it be cool to have something that’s truly part of her? “I want to have a watercolor tattoo of Stitch along with the word ‘ohana,” Samonte said.
“I asked my husband, ‘Love, is it okay with you?’ He was cool with it and very supportive as always. But I feel like, deep inside him, he’s probably getting weirded out,” she said, laughing.
Late last year, Samonte unwittingly got herself into Pop Mart toys, specifically the whimsical and wide-eyed character Molly. You could only imagine her excitement, she said, when she found out that there’s a figure of Molly dressed as Stitch under the Mega Space Molly series.
“I first chanced upon Molly at a store in a Taiwan night market. I had no idea what it was because I’m more into Disney,” she said. “My cousin said it was actually a popular character. I felt like buying one, but I didn’t realize there were so many variants. I was so happy when my husband gifted me with a Stitch Mega Space Molly!”
Samonte’s growing collection of Royal and Space Mollys are displayed around her home, doubling as charming decor in the otherwise minimalist interiors. The Stitch Molly, meanwhile, usually stands guard outside the Stitch room, welcoming the actress whenever she’s tired and feels like seeking respite in the comforting presence of her toys.
And the second she closes the door behind her, suddenly, it’s 2009 all over again.
“I feel refreshed whenever I’m in here. Iba ‘yung feeling. I feel like my mind and body get transported to 2009. It reminds me what it feels like to be a child all over again—just you and your toys, with no problems to worry about,” she said.
