FREEHAND by Mario E. Bautista
ANDI EIGENMANN plays twins in her launching soap, “Agua Bendita”. Now, in her first film, “Mamarazzi”, she plays twins again. “For my next project, I hope I won’t play twins ulit,” she says. “It’s not easy. Baka mamaya, maging bipolar na raw ako as I always play opposite personalities. In ‘Mamarazzi’, triplets kaming anak ni Eugene Domingo. It’s good the other one is a boy, AJ Perez. Kung ginawang triplet ang roles ko, mas mahirap. As it is, I play Strawberry and Peachy. Magkaiba sila. Strawberry is shy, reserved, loves their mom more pero laging pumapalpak. Peachy is more intelligent, loud, wild, may boyfriend, si Carl Guevarra.”
How is it working with Eugene? “Tita Uge is the best. I’ve known her since I was a child as she’s a good friend of my mom (Jaclyn Jose), so I’m really excited to work with her. She’s super duper funny on and off cam. I’m a skater in ‘Mamarazzi’ and there’s a scene na we skate and she kept falling down so laugh kami ng laugh.”
She’s being introduced in “Mamarazzi” along with Kapuso star Carla Abellana. “We’re friends na even before this kasi Kuya Geoff (Eigenmann) always brings her sa family affairs. Everyone in the family likes her. I’m so glad siya and Tita Uge ang kasama ko in my first film, with Direk Joel Lamangan as my first film director also. My mom won awards for his ‘Flor Contemplacion Story’ and she said magaling talaga, but I was so nervous. After a few days, nawala rin as I learned so much from him lalo na about doing comedy.”
So Carla and Geoff are really on? “Ay, sila ang makakasagot niyan. But if ever they are, no one will object sa family namin kasi mabait talaga si Carla.”
**********
EDU MANZANO wants to clarify that he didn’t say he doesn’t want to return to showbiz anymore after the election. “What I said is that I don’t want to return to ‘Game KNB’, kasi I’m turning 55 on September 12 and I don’t see myself at that age still dancing the Papaya,” he says. “When I went to the basketball game of my son Enzo, who’s 15 and stands 6’1”, during half time, biglang pinatugtog ang Papaya when they saw I was there. Napailing na lang ako. So in my new show sa GMA-7, ‘Asar Talo Pero Laging Panalo’, sinabi ko na, I won’t dance anymore.”
Edu went to the U.S. in June to deliver talks for future investors in San Jose, Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Chicago. “Because of my stint with the Optical Media Board, I was offered by the Asean International Property Alliance to be their manager for the Philippines. Tayo kasi ang benchmark nila in the fight against piracy. Thailand is number 1 now in piracy, Russia is second. They want to follow our legislations here. I already met with them at mga 80% nang I’d accept their offer. While I was in the U.S., I got an offer from GMA-7. May offers din ang ABS and TV 5 but GMA got me a very good and generous contract that I can’t refuse. This is like coming home to them kasi late 80s, I hosted ‘Not so Late Night Show’ for them, then ‘Emergency’ in 1995 and last was ‘Unang Hirit’. When I came home, I was included in the brainstorming for ‘Asar Talo’ and I think we have a very good show, masaya and very entertaining with very big prizes.”
Will he also do teleseryes for GMA-7? “In my three year contract with them, walang ganun. Hindi ko gusto yung magdamagang puyatan. What I want is to host a public affairs talk show, given the chance.”
Has he really patched things up with Sen. Ramon Revilla? “We’re okay. Nag-usap na kami noong December but we didn’t get the chance to campaign together kasi kanya-kanyang team ang nangangampanya. At this point, we should all just unite for our country to move on.”
**********
MARIAN RIVERA celebrated her birthday last Thursday and the cast and staff of “Endless Love” treated her to an asalto on the set while they’re taping. “We really have a reason to celebrate kasi nga laging mataas ang rating ng show,” she says.
Did Dingdong Dantes really give her an engagement ring as birthday gift? “Ay, hindi. Even his plan to treat me sa Disneyland, di natuloy kasi nga sobrang busy kami sa taping. What is taped today, kung minsan, pinalalabas the same night or a night later. For a break, may taping ako ng ‘Show Me Da Manny’ sa Singapore on August 21 and 22 and I requested na siya ang maging special guest namin so we can be together sa Singapore.”
Is it true she’s jealous of newcomer Bella Padilla who plays Yumi, Dingdong’s fiancée in “Endless Love”? “Naku, para yung tsismis na nagseselos daw si Dong sa kilig moments naming ni Dennis Trillo in the show. We just laugh off such rumors kasi di naman totoo. Basta abangan nyo na lang ang next episodes ng ‘Endless Love’. Sa show, totoong nagseselos ako as Jenny kay Yumi dahil they’re already preparing for their wedding. Galit nag alit naman si Naine Samonte as Shirley ng makita ako sa bahay nila at si Dennis naman will introduce me to his mom, Kuh Ledesma, na iinsultuhin ako.”
**********
WE WERE at the last night of the wake of Ricky Davao’s dad, the late Charlie Davao, at Heritage Park and we learned from some of their relatives that it was Ricky who shouldered all the expenses. Ricky’s stepmom, Grace, the second wife of Charlie who’s the mom of Maimai and Charlon Davao, is in the States and wasn’t able to come home because of her work there. Ricky’s own mom died when he was only 9 years old. Ricky said he doesn’t want cremation so he was laid to rest at Heritage last Friday morning. Right after the funeral, Ricky reported to the taping of his new show on GMA-7, “Jejemom”, where he plays a villainous congressman who’s also a syndicate boss named Lady Gangsta. “They said it’s okay if I couldn’t make it, they’ll just rewrite the script, but I think it’s better to go back to work right away to take my mind off my grief,” says Ricky. “Also, sayang din naman ang kikitain ko.”
**********
IZA CALZADO’S guest stint in “Pilyang Kerubin” with TJ Trinidad ends this week and, after that, Direk Maryo de los Reyes says the remaining days of the show will focus on the main characters until the series ends next week. Iza is happy she was able to guest in the show during her birthday week. She’s one of the three stars born on August 12, the other two being Marian Rivera and Aga Muhlach. “No big celebration, just dinner with my family and Atticus (King, her BF),” she says.
Is her dad Lito Calzado really dying of cancer? “No, masyado lang pinalala sa mga balita. He’s undergoing treatment and he has stopped smoking, so I’m happy about that.”
It’s probably because of this that she’s selling the house she bought from Rufa Mae Quinto near Eastwood. “I invested kasi all my money in it and I want to be more liquid now. It’s nice to have a house but kung matatali lahat ng pera mo roon, it’s better that you have more money in the bank than in just one asset.”
Iza shot her last taping day for “Pilyang Kerubin” at Guadalupe Church in Makati. It was also there that Direk Maryo shot the finale scene of the show involving the wedding of two major characters? Who will it be Joshua Dionisio and Barbie Forteza? Raymart Santiago and Angelika de la Cruz? You got to watch the show to find out.
ANDI EIGENMANN plays twins in her launching soap, “Agua Bendita”. Now, in her first film, “Mamarazzi”, she plays twins again. “For my next project, I hope I won’t play twins ulit,” she says. “It’s not easy. Baka mamaya, maging bipolar na raw ako as I always play opposite personalities. In ‘Mamarazzi’, triplets kaming anak ni Eugene Domingo. It’s good the other one is a boy, AJ Perez. Kung ginawang triplet ang roles ko, mas mahirap. As it is, I play Strawberry and Peachy. Magkaiba sila. Strawberry is shy, reserved, loves their mom more pero laging pumapalpak. Peachy is more intelligent, loud, wild, may boyfriend, si Carl Guevarra.”
How is it working with Eugene? “Tita Uge is the best. I’ve known her since I was a child as she’s a good friend of my mom (Jaclyn Jose), so I’m really excited to work with her. She’s super duper funny on and off cam. I’m a skater in ‘Mamarazzi’ and there’s a scene na we skate and she kept falling down so laugh kami ng laugh.”
She’s being introduced in “Mamarazzi” along with Kapuso star Carla Abellana. “We’re friends na even before this kasi Kuya Geoff (Eigenmann) always brings her sa family affairs. Everyone in the family likes her. I’m so glad siya and Tita Uge ang kasama ko in my first film, with Direk Joel Lamangan as my first film director also. My mom won awards for his ‘Flor Contemplacion Story’ and she said magaling talaga, but I was so nervous. After a few days, nawala rin as I learned so much from him lalo na about doing comedy.”
So Carla and Geoff are really on? “Ay, sila ang makakasagot niyan. But if ever they are, no one will object sa family namin kasi mabait talaga si Carla.”
**********
EDU MANZANO wants to clarify that he didn’t say he doesn’t want to return to showbiz anymore after the election. “What I said is that I don’t want to return to ‘Game KNB’, kasi I’m turning 55 on September 12 and I don’t see myself at that age still dancing the Papaya,” he says. “When I went to the basketball game of my son Enzo, who’s 15 and stands 6’1”, during half time, biglang pinatugtog ang Papaya when they saw I was there. Napailing na lang ako. So in my new show sa GMA-7, ‘Asar Talo Pero Laging Panalo’, sinabi ko na, I won’t dance anymore.”
Edu went to the U.S. in June to deliver talks for future investors in San Jose, Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Chicago. “Because of my stint with the Optical Media Board, I was offered by the Asean International Property Alliance to be their manager for the Philippines. Tayo kasi ang benchmark nila in the fight against piracy. Thailand is number 1 now in piracy, Russia is second. They want to follow our legislations here. I already met with them at mga 80% nang I’d accept their offer. While I was in the U.S., I got an offer from GMA-7. May offers din ang ABS and TV 5 but GMA got me a very good and generous contract that I can’t refuse. This is like coming home to them kasi late 80s, I hosted ‘Not so Late Night Show’ for them, then ‘Emergency’ in 1995 and last was ‘Unang Hirit’. When I came home, I was included in the brainstorming for ‘Asar Talo’ and I think we have a very good show, masaya and very entertaining with very big prizes.”
Will he also do teleseryes for GMA-7? “In my three year contract with them, walang ganun. Hindi ko gusto yung magdamagang puyatan. What I want is to host a public affairs talk show, given the chance.”
Has he really patched things up with Sen. Ramon Revilla? “We’re okay. Nag-usap na kami noong December but we didn’t get the chance to campaign together kasi kanya-kanyang team ang nangangampanya. At this point, we should all just unite for our country to move on.”
**********
MARIAN RIVERA celebrated her birthday last Thursday and the cast and staff of “Endless Love” treated her to an asalto on the set while they’re taping. “We really have a reason to celebrate kasi nga laging mataas ang rating ng show,” she says.
Did Dingdong Dantes really give her an engagement ring as birthday gift? “Ay, hindi. Even his plan to treat me sa Disneyland, di natuloy kasi nga sobrang busy kami sa taping. What is taped today, kung minsan, pinalalabas the same night or a night later. For a break, may taping ako ng ‘Show Me Da Manny’ sa Singapore on August 21 and 22 and I requested na siya ang maging special guest namin so we can be together sa Singapore.”
Is it true she’s jealous of newcomer Bella Padilla who plays Yumi, Dingdong’s fiancée in “Endless Love”? “Naku, para yung tsismis na nagseselos daw si Dong sa kilig moments naming ni Dennis Trillo in the show. We just laugh off such rumors kasi di naman totoo. Basta abangan nyo na lang ang next episodes ng ‘Endless Love’. Sa show, totoong nagseselos ako as Jenny kay Yumi dahil they’re already preparing for their wedding. Galit nag alit naman si Naine Samonte as Shirley ng makita ako sa bahay nila at si Dennis naman will introduce me to his mom, Kuh Ledesma, na iinsultuhin ako.”
**********
WE WERE at the last night of the wake of Ricky Davao’s dad, the late Charlie Davao, at Heritage Park and we learned from some of their relatives that it was Ricky who shouldered all the expenses. Ricky’s stepmom, Grace, the second wife of Charlie who’s the mom of Maimai and Charlon Davao, is in the States and wasn’t able to come home because of her work there. Ricky’s own mom died when he was only 9 years old. Ricky said he doesn’t want cremation so he was laid to rest at Heritage last Friday morning. Right after the funeral, Ricky reported to the taping of his new show on GMA-7, “Jejemom”, where he plays a villainous congressman who’s also a syndicate boss named Lady Gangsta. “They said it’s okay if I couldn’t make it, they’ll just rewrite the script, but I think it’s better to go back to work right away to take my mind off my grief,” says Ricky. “Also, sayang din naman ang kikitain ko.”
**********
IZA CALZADO’S guest stint in “Pilyang Kerubin” with TJ Trinidad ends this week and, after that, Direk Maryo de los Reyes says the remaining days of the show will focus on the main characters until the series ends next week. Iza is happy she was able to guest in the show during her birthday week. She’s one of the three stars born on August 12, the other two being Marian Rivera and Aga Muhlach. “No big celebration, just dinner with my family and Atticus (King, her BF),” she says.
Is her dad Lito Calzado really dying of cancer? “No, masyado lang pinalala sa mga balita. He’s undergoing treatment and he has stopped smoking, so I’m happy about that.”
It’s probably because of this that she’s selling the house she bought from Rufa Mae Quinto near Eastwood. “I invested kasi all my money in it and I want to be more liquid now. It’s nice to have a house but kung matatali lahat ng pera mo roon, it’s better that you have more money in the bank than in just one asset.”
Iza shot her last taping day for “Pilyang Kerubin” at Guadalupe Church in Makati. It was also there that Direk Maryo shot the finale scene of the show involving the wedding of two major characters? Who will it be Joshua Dionisio and Barbie Forteza? Raymart Santiago and Angelika de la Cruz? You got to watch the show to find out.
