From internet sensation to primetime actor—Christopher Diwata, the man behind the viral ‘What hafen Vella?’ meme, is now officially part of GMA Network’s action-drama series ‘Mga Batang Riles.’
Diwata, who first gained attention for impersonating ‘Twilight’s’ Jacob Black in a 2013 ‘It’s Showtime’ ‘Kalokalike’ segment, reemerged as a social media phenomenon after a clip of his performance resurfaced. His exaggerated delivery of Taylor Lautner’s famous lines—“Wha haffen vella? Why you crying agen? I know, vamfire rigt? Vamfire will feyt to me”—sparked laughter and affectionate memes across TikTok and Facebook.
Now, he’s making his acting debut as part of ‘Mga Batang Riles’, appearing alongside Miguel Tanfelix, Kokoy de Santos, and Raheel Bhyria.
In a teaser, he even delivers a new meme-worthy line: “Why are you fighting me, guys?”—leaving viewers curious whether he’ll ally with the Batang Riles crew or the notorious Victor gang in Sitio Liwanag.
His popularity has led to a string of brand endorsements, ultimately helping Diwata fulfill one of his personal dreams. According to his wife Ronalyn, the viral fame allowed them to purchase a second-hand car.
“Thank you sa mga sumuporta sa asawa ko. Dahil sa inyo, natupad niya unti-unti ang pangarap niya. Hindi na siya ma-stress sa biyahe papunta ng mga event niya,” Ronalyn shared on TikTok, alongside family photos with the newly acquired vehicle.
Supporters were quick to cheer for Diwata online, joking that he had gone from “What hafen Vella” to “mani-vela” (a pun on the Filipino word for “steering wheel”), while others dubbed him ‘SharkDad’ in reference to Taylor Lautner’s Sharkboy character.
Even Taylor Lautner has taken notice. In a recent clip, the Hollywood actor acknowledged the trend, laughing at the impersonation and joking, “This one’s on me for not seeing this sooner.”
While ‘Mga Batang Riles’ marks Diwata’s official acting debut, he also expressed hopes of someday landing a guest role in ABS-CBN’s ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’.
Catch Christopher Diwata in ‘Mga Batang Riles’, airing Monday to Friday at 8:50 PM on GMA Prime and Kapuso Stream.
