Chuck D. Smith's Son of a Dead '80s Bold Star Is Now a Book of Essays

"Here’s a confession: I am the son of a dead ’80s bold star. Until, one day, I was not. But, by then, it was too late to take it back," wrote award-winning essayist Chuck D. Smith in a creative nonfiction piece initially titled "Origin Story." It was first published in the June 2017 issue of Esquire Philippines, which was still in print; and then online a month later with the title "I am the son of a dead '80s bold star," when it immediately went viral and gathered thousands of views. "Origin Story" later won third prize in the English Essay category of the 2018 Palanca Awards.

ALSO READ:

"I am the son of a dead '80s bold star."

This 1982 Interview Gives Tito Sotto & Joey de Leon's Account of the Pepsi Paloma Rape Case

The musings come from Smith's memory as a child, when he was led to believe that his biological mother was Pepsi Paloma, one of the Philippines’ most controversial and tragic pop culture figures. She was an actress who showbiz described as a "bold star"—a female protagonist in low-budget, occasionally experimental and sexually explicit films that dominated Philippine cinemas during the 1980s. Paloma died when Smith was just three months old.

Now, Son of a Dead 80s Bold Star is a full-fledged collection of essays chronicling Smith's journey, including Pepsi's lore as a defining part of the writer's life and sense of self. Another piece, "Blood Calls to Blood" (1st place, English Essay, Philippine Normal University's Normal Awards for Gender-Inclusive Literature), expands his origin story into questions about queer identity. The collection also includes entertainment reportage by the literary writer-slash-lifestyle journalist.

Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, director of the UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies, described Smith as a "skilled, sophisticated writer." She adds: "He tackles his complex, difficult subject with courage and an admirable restraint, never indulging in sentimentality or self-pity, thus heightening the tension and emotional power of his narrative."

Likewise, film and entertainment journalist Don Jaucian lauded the collection: "Son of a Dead ‘80s Bold Star is essential, entertaining, and enjoyable — a much-needed new voice in Filipino literature."

Son of a Dead '80s Bold Star (UST Publishing House, 2025) by Chuck D. Smith is available for P420 at the UST Publishing House at the University of Santo Tomas and online stores. It debuted at the Manila International Book Fair at the SMX Convention Center on September 13, 2025, with a sold-out book signing.