MANILA - Show business blood truly runs in the veins of child star CJ Novato.

When his mom, Cristine “Tintin” Baron was still very active in showbiz, she was a mainstay in German Moreno’s “That’s Entertainment.” Her stint, though, in local film and television, was snatched away, albeit by an early marriage.

She promised her dreams would never die and surely, they were lived by her kid, CJ, who was born Sept. 13, 1996.

The path to fame was the same direction the mother and the child took, but this time with a big, distinct difference.

The tyke had his way in a talent search, joined in the race through rigid auditions, performed well in reality TV and eventually passed the “Star Circle Kid Quest” with flying colors, along with other standouts Nash Aguas and Sharlene San Pedro.

There was no stopping the little Novato in his innocent conquest of popularity.

Opportunities were served on him on silver platter like a regular part in the widely received “Goin’ Bulilit.” He also had guest appearances in a number of ABS-CBN shows, namely “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” “ASAP,” “Homeboy,” “Mga Anghel na Walang Langit” and more.

He had essayed the young John Lloyd Cruz in one of TV’s longest-running soap “Maging Sino Ka Man.”

CJ, most of the time, is left alone in the care of his kin because his parents work abroad, her mom as midwife in Japan while his dad is also an overseas Filipino worker. Of course, the young boy misses his parents and can’t wait to see them again on vacation.

Meanwhile, PC games still make him company apart from his elder relatives. CJ’s favorite games until now include Fright Night, Ridge Racer, King Kong, Star Wars and X-Men Legends: Rise of the Apocalypse and other new computer shows.

John James Uy, the 2007 Bench Model Search 3rd runner up, is also celebrating his birthday today. He was born on September 13, 1981 in Manila.

Uy, of pure paternal Chinese blood and a Filipina maternal descent, has been very active in ramp modeling even before he joined the Bench contest a couple of years ago. He made a mark in professional runway after he was named 3rd runner up.

The title also paved the way for his television career such as “Love Spell: Cindy-rella” in 2007 wherein he played Prince William to the fantasy drama. Last year, he starred in “Pieta,” a masterpiece of controversial director and komiks writer Carlo J. Caparas, as Frank with Ryan Agoncillo and Cherie Gil.

This year alone, Uy has already breathed life to a number of major screen characters like Ferds in “Your Song Presents: Gaano Kita Kamahal,” Edward in the highly clamored “Tayong Dalawa” and Sam in the cutesy “The Wedding.”

He also performed in “ASAP ‘08” where he showed his modeling and other artistic talents.

Female fans, especially, swooned at him not merely because of his oozing sex appeal, but more so because of his endearing smile and sincere rapport with his ardent fans.

In the intriguing world of showbiz, Uy wasn’t spared from controversies. For one, he was romantically linked to to Ara Mina.

In the process, Uy admitted he was very friendly to Mina, but he said that was just it. Mina, offhand, was caught very surprised when the nosey movie press found out her intimacy with Uy. Like him, however, she denied that there was something between them.