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THE
launch of GMA’s newest prime-time offering, Mars
Ravelo’s Dyesebel, on Monday at the poolside area
of Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza brought many press
people to the table where once controversial actor Hero
Angeles was seated. He politely told them it’s like his
second life—or, to be precise, like a new beginning,
having been given again the chance to act on TV and,
hopefully, reclaim a portion of his former glory. He
will play a minor villain role in the said telefantasya.
We won’t divulge what he said about his former “family,”
lest he become famous again for simply being infamous.
It can
be recalled that Angeles lost his “heartthrob” status
when he publicly challenged a seemingly powerful media
personality in the Kapamilya Network, where he
catapulted to fame via a talent-search contest. His
career went down the drain because of that word war.
 But
the real news is the return of the onscreen romance
between Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, whom millions
of Filipinos know as Sergio and Marimar. They were
deluged with questions on how they’re going to erase
those labels, now that they’re Fredo the fisherman and
Dyesebel the mermaid.
We
admire the self-control that Dantes has. He revealed
that when they were shooting on an island in Coron,
Palawan, there were lots of instances underwater when Rivera’s ample frontage
was accidentally “uncovered.” They were supposed to be
consistently hidden by her long hair.
Dantes
reiterated that he was always the first one to cover his
famous costar’s supposedly hidden treasures.
He told
the usual suspects that he remains loyal to his real
loves: acting and we-know-who. So is he a real hero?
Anyhow, the return of Dantes and Rivera’s love team is
touted as the thing to beat on prime-time television.
Dyesebel’s director Joyce Bernal, while drinking her
favorite beer (in can), was all praise regarding her two
lead actors. She revealed to several media people that
at the end of the day, she is just another fan.
One
scribe asked further, “Like how you were to Piolo
Pascual and Judy Ann Santos?”
The
acclaimed director, who once had a string of movie
projects for Star Cinema, readily answered, “Please
don’t compare. I still remain a fan of Piolo and Juday.
Especially Juday. Hands down, Judy Ann is a natural
actress. She gives everything she has whether the
project is well thought-out or very commercial and
shallow. She’s been in the business that long. But I
know and I hope Marian will catch up, in terms of depth
in acting.”
Which
brings us to….
Judy Ann Santos soon a Kapuso?
NOW that
she publicly praises GMA Network for all the help she’s
getting in promoting her semiproduced, first independent
film Ploning, many readily conclude that she’ll
soon make the big jump.
Then
again, she admitted that she still has a one-year
contract to fulfill with ABS-CBN.
 Apparently,
she had some tampo toward her long-time home,
which is promoting the Aga Muhlach-Anne Curtis movie
under its sister company, Star Cinema, to be shown on
the same date as Ploning.
The
usual kibitzers also easily concluded that Judy Ann has
been considering the big leap since Angel Locsin
transferred to ABS-CBN, which once considered Judy Ann
as its queen. She was given almost always the best
projects and no matter how weight-challenged she was,
she was the leading lady whom many male actors aspired
to be paired with.
But,
alas, Judy Ann’s luster apparently lost some of its
sheen when she publicly hooked up with her current
boyfriend, Ryan Agoncillo. The ever-hungry public
reportedly can’t shake off the idea that Piolo and Judy
Ann will end up together.
The
entry of KC Concepcion in the Kapamilya Network also
added to questions regarding Judy Ann’s luster. Or did
it really lose any of its sheen?
Meanwhile, whatever happens to her first “indie” would
no doubt be used as a yardstick as it goes head-to-head
with a very commercial kilig love story from Star
Cinema.
Amid all
this, in our Gucci Gang-soaked world, we’re glad to hear
that Filipino films, both indie and mainstream, are
being shown together alongside the usual Hollywood
flicks.
Coming out and settling down again
WE’LL
take a break from the Australian Brian Gorrell’s quest
to recover his life-savings. The “villain” in his
ongoing real-life telenovela has come out already. His
major ally in the person of real socialite Kitty Go has
even consistently shared her views on that similarly
controversial FM radio show every Wednesday morning.
We would
like to share a couple of running “jokes” among showbiz
scribes, first on how one young actor mangled the
English language at a press conference not so long ago.
With a microphone in hand, this good-looking half-breed
(his father is American pa naman) heartthrob
allegedly thanked the local showbiz reporters-columnists
and editors for “coming out” in the said gathering.
Suddenly, there was a sudden silence in the hall,
immediately followed by suppressed giggling. One of the
more vocal gay scribes couldn’t help but answer: “Coming
out? We did already, hijo, out of our father’s closet a
long time ago....”
In
another press event, before the actual program began,
the host asked the reporters roaming in the hall to “go
back to their original seats and please settle down.” He
announced it twice, prompting the usually gay and happy
members of the crowd to exclaim, “We’re not even married
yet, why is he asking us to settle down again?
Kalokah ha?” |
