First gen member of The New Minstrels makes waves in Australia TV and broadcast ads

Since singing with the group The Minstrels (later renamed The New Minstrels) in the 1970s with first gen members Louie Reyes, Cesar de la Fuente, Eugene Villaluz, Annette Belen, Meiling Gozun Fuentes (who replaced Aida Balmaceda Surla who got married), Eileen Novak (nee Dolina) has been  wearing other hats like acting and product endorsing.

Aside from role playing in Australia’s SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) television shows like “The Unusual Suspects,” Eileen has just clinched a lead role in the Aussie’s McDonald’s Mc Delivery campaign as a bingo player who confidently plays and wins the game—and orders her favorite McDo breakfast.

According to Eileen, it was a challenging role which came her way. There were creative processes, she said, that went with the job like a series of talks with the production team, virtually and in-person.

Not only did the casting director talk to her but a battery of creative persons sat down with her before the cameras rolled in for the commercial.

“Well, the director also talked to me to explain what would transpire in the shoots,” Dolina Novak said.

Like in any other ad making stints, the script was sent to Eileen days before the actual shoot.

In Sydney where Dolina Novak stays, she has an agent who looks and books for her screen assignments.

The McDonald’s ad is currently running in various TV shows in Australia and in social multimedia platforms.

Despite her acting jobs—she’s also in a cameo role in the latest “Thor” franchise, “Love and Thunder” as one of the members of Thor’s council with other Asian actors.

Meanwhile, Eileen is also in a comeback trail of singing with multigenerational members of The New Minstrels in their virtual concert titled “Remix” in September.