FREEHAND by Mario E. Bautista
IS Maja Salavador a t-bird? What can she say about the rumor linking her to Direk Malu Sevilla who was also linked to a top actress before? “Ano ba yun? Tinatawanan na lang yun at wala namang katotohanan.” After appearing in horror flicks like “Sukob” and “Villa Estrella”, she’s now in the “Mata” episode with Rayver Cruz of “Cinco” that premiers tonight at SM Megamall and opens nationwide tomorrow. Because of this, she’s now called the Horror Princess. How does she feel about it?
“Binigay nila sa’kin yung title, I didn’t ask for it, so tatanggihan ko pa ba? Pero si Ate Kris Aquino ang Horror Queen, princess lang ako,” she laughs.
She and Rayver used to be members of a dance quartet. She’s paired with John Prats and Rayver with Shaina Magdayao, but it’s John and Shaina who became on. Did she ever have any feelings for Rayver? “As friends, yes. Among my male friends, I feel most comfortable with him. Ganun kami ka-close. But we ourselves, we ask, bakit kaya hindi kami magka-developan. E, ganun siguro talaga. Hindi mo madidiktahan ang puso mo. But who knows? We’re not closing our doors. Malay natin, may madevelop pa rin, lalo ngayon, ang ganda ng katawan ni Rayver at not sobrang payat like before. May height pa, so wala ka ng hahanapin pa.”
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JAY ALTAREJOS is best known for pink films like “Lalaki sa Parola” and “Lihim ni Antonio.” We’re surprised that his Cinemalaya entry is not at all about gays when it’s titled “Pink Halo-Halo”. It turns out to be Jay’s autobiographical account of his childhood in the island of Ticao, in between Sorsogon and Masbate. The story is about a boy, Natoy, whose dad died in the war in Mindanao. This happened to Jay himself when his own dad, an army man, died fighting in Mindanao when Jay was 12.
The film was shot on location in Ticao itself, using the native dialect, Tigaonon. The boy who’s Jay’s alterego, Paolo Constantino, was recruited from auditions held in there. He turned 10 last April, the second of four kids. His mom is a teacher while his dad, a security guard. We got to interview him and it’s his first time to set foot at the CCP, along with many kababayans who accompanied him on his trip to Manila. Very goodlooking, he really wants to be an “artista”. How far is Ticao from Manila? “It’s one hour by boat from our island to Sorsogon, then 3 hours by bus from Sorsogon to Legaspi, Albay where we took the plane to Manila,” he says. “I’m so excited as it’s also my first time to ride in an airplane.” Paolo gets great support from Dexter Doria as his doting grandma, Allen Dizon as his ill fated dad, Angeli Bayani as his mom, and new Dumaguete actor Mark Fabillar as his uncle who’s a theatre actor. Catch “Pink Halo-Halo” at the CCP this noon at 12:45 , on Friday at 9 PM and Saturday at 6:15 PM.
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REGINE VELASQUEZ is wondering why her gift, a black BMW Series 7 worth P3 m, to inamorato Ogie Alcasid seems to be such a big thing. “Pag mahal mo ang isang tao, siempre you’d give something na magugustuhan niya,” she says. “Masarap magbigay ng gift kahit walang okasyon. Isa pa, I admit na feeling guilty ako kasi wala akong time for him since I’m so busy now taping for ‘Diva’.”
Ogie earlier gave her an expensive Hermes bag and treated her for a vacation in pricey tourist spots. “She’s worth it all,” he says.
Meantime, fans of “Diva” are wondering why Regine is now paired with TJ Trinidad and no longer with Mark Anthony Fernandez? Is this twist in the story just temporary or is it for good? Mark’s fans wish Regine would still go back into the arms of Mark when the series ends.
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LJ REYES is due to deliver her and Paolo Avelino’s love child at the end of this month in the U.S., a boy to be named Ethan Akio. But before she got preggy, she finished a movie for Cinemalaya entitled “The Leaving”, a horror thriller that’s the directorial debut of Ian Lorenos. She co-stars with another LJ, LJ Moreno, while her leading man is also surnamed Reyes, Arnold Reyes, who won the Cinemalaya best supporting actor award last year for “Astig”. In the story, Arnold is a Tsinoy businessman who’s not happy with his marriage to LJ Reyes so he cheats her and has an affair with LJ Moreno. The role of being the sole lead actor is a challenging one for Arnold. “The husband I portray is a control freak and he gets annoyed when things won’t go his way,” he says. “Because of his impulsiveness, he’ll make a vital decision from which there’ll be no turning back.”
“The Leaving” will have its gala screening at the CCP on Tuesday at 6PM.
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LANCE RAYMUNDO got good feedback for his portrayal of an OFW raped by his Arab boss in “Fidel”. He now plays another demanding role as Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in “Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio”, an entry in the ongoing Cinemalaya. “I can’t believe it when Direk Mario O’Hara told me akong napili niya to play such a plum role,” he says. “I know very little about Aguinaldo so I researched on him to prepare for the role and later developed an admiration for him. I think he’s very much misunderstood. Treason ang crime that his council gave to Bonifacio in their revolutionary government and he was just following his council. Labag sa loob niya to execute Bonifacio and he’s suggesting he just be sent into exile. I also watched old films done by Direk Mario to see kung anong style niya as a filmmaker. Buti na lang nagkasundo kami in my interpretation of Aguinaldo.”
Lance is now managed by Ricky Gallardo. He has done indie films before like “Ang Nerseri”, “Forgotten War”, “Journey Home”, and “Fling”, but he believes “Paglilitis” is his most meaningful film so far.
IS Maja Salavador a t-bird? What can she say about the rumor linking her to Direk Malu Sevilla who was also linked to a top actress before? “Ano ba yun? Tinatawanan na lang yun at wala namang katotohanan.” After appearing in horror flicks like “Sukob” and “Villa Estrella”, she’s now in the “Mata” episode with Rayver Cruz of “Cinco” that premiers tonight at SM Megamall and opens nationwide tomorrow. Because of this, she’s now called the Horror Princess. How does she feel about it?
“Binigay nila sa’kin yung title, I didn’t ask for it, so tatanggihan ko pa ba? Pero si Ate Kris Aquino ang Horror Queen, princess lang ako,” she laughs.
She and Rayver used to be members of a dance quartet. She’s paired with John Prats and Rayver with Shaina Magdayao, but it’s John and Shaina who became on. Did she ever have any feelings for Rayver? “As friends, yes. Among my male friends, I feel most comfortable with him. Ganun kami ka-close. But we ourselves, we ask, bakit kaya hindi kami magka-developan. E, ganun siguro talaga. Hindi mo madidiktahan ang puso mo. But who knows? We’re not closing our doors. Malay natin, may madevelop pa rin, lalo ngayon, ang ganda ng katawan ni Rayver at not sobrang payat like before. May height pa, so wala ka ng hahanapin pa.”
**********
JAY ALTAREJOS is best known for pink films like “Lalaki sa Parola” and “Lihim ni Antonio.” We’re surprised that his Cinemalaya entry is not at all about gays when it’s titled “Pink Halo-Halo”. It turns out to be Jay’s autobiographical account of his childhood in the island of Ticao, in between Sorsogon and Masbate. The story is about a boy, Natoy, whose dad died in the war in Mindanao. This happened to Jay himself when his own dad, an army man, died fighting in Mindanao when Jay was 12.
The film was shot on location in Ticao itself, using the native dialect, Tigaonon. The boy who’s Jay’s alterego, Paolo Constantino, was recruited from auditions held in there. He turned 10 last April, the second of four kids. His mom is a teacher while his dad, a security guard. We got to interview him and it’s his first time to set foot at the CCP, along with many kababayans who accompanied him on his trip to Manila. Very goodlooking, he really wants to be an “artista”. How far is Ticao from Manila? “It’s one hour by boat from our island to Sorsogon, then 3 hours by bus from Sorsogon to Legaspi, Albay where we took the plane to Manila,” he says. “I’m so excited as it’s also my first time to ride in an airplane.” Paolo gets great support from Dexter Doria as his doting grandma, Allen Dizon as his ill fated dad, Angeli Bayani as his mom, and new Dumaguete actor Mark Fabillar as his uncle who’s a theatre actor. Catch “Pink Halo-Halo” at the CCP this noon at 12:45 , on Friday at 9 PM and Saturday at 6:15 PM.
**********
REGINE VELASQUEZ is wondering why her gift, a black BMW Series 7 worth P3 m, to inamorato Ogie Alcasid seems to be such a big thing. “Pag mahal mo ang isang tao, siempre you’d give something na magugustuhan niya,” she says. “Masarap magbigay ng gift kahit walang okasyon. Isa pa, I admit na feeling guilty ako kasi wala akong time for him since I’m so busy now taping for ‘Diva’.”
Ogie earlier gave her an expensive Hermes bag and treated her for a vacation in pricey tourist spots. “She’s worth it all,” he says.
Meantime, fans of “Diva” are wondering why Regine is now paired with TJ Trinidad and no longer with Mark Anthony Fernandez? Is this twist in the story just temporary or is it for good? Mark’s fans wish Regine would still go back into the arms of Mark when the series ends.
**********
LJ REYES is due to deliver her and Paolo Avelino’s love child at the end of this month in the U.S., a boy to be named Ethan Akio. But before she got preggy, she finished a movie for Cinemalaya entitled “The Leaving”, a horror thriller that’s the directorial debut of Ian Lorenos. She co-stars with another LJ, LJ Moreno, while her leading man is also surnamed Reyes, Arnold Reyes, who won the Cinemalaya best supporting actor award last year for “Astig”. In the story, Arnold is a Tsinoy businessman who’s not happy with his marriage to LJ Reyes so he cheats her and has an affair with LJ Moreno. The role of being the sole lead actor is a challenging one for Arnold. “The husband I portray is a control freak and he gets annoyed when things won’t go his way,” he says. “Because of his impulsiveness, he’ll make a vital decision from which there’ll be no turning back.”
“The Leaving” will have its gala screening at the CCP on Tuesday at 6PM.
**********
LANCE RAYMUNDO got good feedback for his portrayal of an OFW raped by his Arab boss in “Fidel”. He now plays another demanding role as Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in “Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio”, an entry in the ongoing Cinemalaya. “I can’t believe it when Direk Mario O’Hara told me akong napili niya to play such a plum role,” he says. “I know very little about Aguinaldo so I researched on him to prepare for the role and later developed an admiration for him. I think he’s very much misunderstood. Treason ang crime that his council gave to Bonifacio in their revolutionary government and he was just following his council. Labag sa loob niya to execute Bonifacio and he’s suggesting he just be sent into exile. I also watched old films done by Direk Mario to see kung anong style niya as a filmmaker. Buti na lang nagkasundo kami in my interpretation of Aguinaldo.”
Lance is now managed by Ricky Gallardo. He has done indie films before like “Ang Nerseri”, “Forgotten War”, “Journey Home”, and “Fling”, but he believes “Paglilitis” is his most meaningful film so far.
