It was an “A- rated” night for TV5’s grandest talent search as Artista Academy (AA) named its Best Actor and Best Actress awardees on Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, in Cubao Quezon City.

Just like the almost 12,000 aspirants who filled the same venue for the one-time auditions last June, thousands of fans came in droves to show their support for the six remaining “Honor Students” namely Chanel Morales, Shaira Mae, Mark Neumann, Akihiro Blanco, Sophie Albert and Vin Abrenica.

In the end, the initials of the show “AA” coincidentally also stood for the last names of Best Actor Vin Abrenica and Best Actress Sophie Albert who emerged as the big winners of the Kapatid network’s artista search.

Vin and Sophie each took home P10 million worth of cash and prizes, including P1 million in cash, a condominium unit at Presidio, a Toyota Innova and a guaranteed P5 million management contract from TV5. They will also appear in print and TV ads as the new endorsers of Close-up.

Vin, whose full name is Alvin Abrenica said that he took it as a sign when he first saw the AA logo, “Maybe it was destiny that I share the same initials as the show,” he said in an interview.

On the other hand Sophie Albert, whose real name is Bianca Lyttle Reyes, received the screen name after TV5 management felt the need to change it because there are already of Biancas and Reyeses in showbiz.

Albert is her maternal grandmother’s maiden name. “My mom says we are related to [singer] Joey Albert,” she explained.

“A” also stood for the “associations” of the two big winners, as they both came from showbiz families and have “affiliations” from rival networks ABS-CBN and GMA 7.

Vin is the younger brother of Kapuso hunk Aljur Abrenica, while Sophie later revealed that her paternal grandmother is the sister of late president Corazon Aquino making her the niece of President Benigno Aquino 3rd and TV host Kris Aquino.

According to reports Sophie was also a former talent of ABS-CBN as part of Star Magic batch 15, which also included Jon Avila, Martin del Rosario and Jessy Mendiola.

The two, however, refused to believe that their connections had any bearing on the results and believe it was their hard work and consistency that earned them praises from Lorna Tolentino, Gelli de Belen, Artista Academy Principal Wilma Galvante and TV5 Talent Center head Direk Mac Alejandre.

“I don’t think my name had any bearing on the results and I kept quiet about my background; it was only after I made it to the Top 6 that it was brought up,” Sophie said. Having famous relatives’ even added more pressure on her. “I have to work hard so that I can live up to the family name.”

For 21-year old Vin, a culinary arts graduate, he said he only discovered his passion for acting when he joined AA and wants to make a name for himself and not simply be known as Aljur’s Abrenica’s brother.

Still he is very thankful for his brother’s support and guidance, “Ang laking bagay po para sa akin na andiyan si Kuya… na meron siyang support. Si Kuya po yung tumulong talaga sa akin at alam ko ang dami niyang efforts.”

Whether as a love team or as individual performers, Vin and Sophie often stood head and shoulders above their classmates in the Academy. Although many agree that they were outshined by the final musical performances of Chanel and Akihiro and that Mark gave a more emotional performance in his acting piece. Many also thought Akihiro would win as he always had the loudest reactions from the audiences throughout the night.

During the awards show, TV5 revealed that all the AA finalists as well as Malak So Shdifat, Stephanie Rowe, Brent Manzano, Nicole Estrada, Jon Orlando, Marvelous Alejo and Benjo Leoncio, will be starring in their own teen series entitled Forever Barkada.

It was also announced that Artista Academy will return for a second season in the summer of 2013 as Artista Academy Tweens.

Is Vin and Sophie worth the P20 million in prizes?

The network certainly thinks so.

Here’s hoping that TV5 is able to make a bigger star out of Vin, unlike Jasmine Curtis (younger sister of Anne Curtis) and Alex Gonzaga (younger sister of Toni Gonzaga), who have been given quite a push by the network but have yet to reach the superstar status of their more famous siblings.