FREEHAND by Mario E. Bautista
DID LOVI POE have an inkling she’d win the Cinemalaya best actress award when she was shooting “Mayohan” in Infanta, Quezon? “None at all,” she says at her pictorial with Rocco Nacino for their episode in “Love Bug” that replaces “Exchange of Hearts” that’s now rating well. “The film is very light and I’ve been used to heavy dramas like ‘Sagrada Familia’ and ‘Sigwa,’ so I wasn’t expecting at all to win. Also, we stayed on location in Infanta for one week at na-homesick ako, gusto ko na umuwi. After the shoot, I felt na disappointed sila sa’kin and I failed to deliver the role. Binago kasi pati accent ko roon. So when my name was called as the winner, I couldn’t believe it. Parang surreal ang nangyayari. I was asking myself if I really won. I didn’t even prepare a speech. Kung anu-anong sinabi ko when I received the award. But it really made me happy. I’m now more inspired to work. May pinupuntahan naman pala ang career ko.”
In “Love Bug”, she plays Ada, a neophyte journalist assigned by her editor to Palawan and is pressured to come up with an interesting feature story about the tribes there. She meets a handsome native, Rocco, who she thinks is the king of a tribe. At first, they get on each other’s nerves, but Rocco follows her to Manila and they fall in love. Program manager Hazel Abonita says Lovi and Rocco have great chemistry on screen. “Bagay sila. We’re taping on location in Coron, Busuanga and Calauit Island with its exotic animals as part of our aim to promote domestic tourism. Sexy ito kasi Rocco is shirtless most of the time. We have diving scenes with Lovi in a bikini. After this, we’re introducing Kylie Padilla pero hinahanapan pa namin ng partner na babagay sa kanya.”
We suggested Ian Batherson or Piero Vergara of Starstruck V. Going back to Lovi, how does she feel about the negative comments about her saying she’s a fair weather friend who won’t even visit her ex, Cong. Ronald Singson, now that he’s in prison? “To those who say that, all I can say is they don’t know me. They haven’t seen how I show my love to a friend or someone. I was really surprised sa dami ng nanghuhusga sa’kin like they know everything.”
So is she really the reason why Ronald went to Hongkong after they broke up? “I don’t want to talk about that. All I can say is that things happen for a reason. As of now, hindi ko pa alam kung ano yun but I trust the Lord. He alone knows the truth and so let’s just wait for the truth to come out. Ako naman, I don’t feel I have to defend myself to anyone, as long as those who matter to me, like my family, know who I really am.”
**********
TWO STARS who ran in the last election, one won and one didn’t, are now in the cast of GMA-7’s new telefantasya, “ILumina”: Christopher de Leon and Ara Mina. Boyet is now a provincial board member of Batangas in which his perennial ka-love team Vilma Santos is the governor who he says is doing an excellent job at the capitol. “I help out in the cultural, environmental protection and tourism affairs of Batangas,” he says. “I attend the regular sessions, the People’s Day and the committee hearings pag may problems like coal and oil spills line in Calatagan. We do legislative work so marami talaga akong natututuhan. I tape for ‘ILumina’ once a week lang naman. I like my role. First time ko gumanap as a black sorcerer with special powers. Magkalaban kami rito ni Cesar Montano and I’m excited to work with him and GMA-7’s young stars na ngayon ko pa lang nakatrabaho like Aljur, Rhian and Jackie.”
Ara lost in her bid to be a QC councilor and she’s glad to work again before the cameras in “ILumina” that’s aired after “Pilyang Kerubin”. “Acting naman talaga ang first love ko and I welcome the chance to work with Cesar Montano as his wife in ‘ILumina’,” she says. “But I’m not closing my doors on politics. Di naman porke natalo ko once, end of the world na for me. Life goes on. Puede kong tumakbo uli. Malayo pa naman ang next election at marami pang puedeng mangyari, so we’ll see.”
How’s her non-showbiz BF? “Okay pa rin kami at wala naman siyang objection na ituloy ko uli ang pag-aartista ko.”
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EUGENE DOMINGO says she’s 40 but she actually turned 39 only on her birthday last July 23. She was given special birthday celebrations in her two GMA-7 shows, “Comedy Bar” and “Wachmakulit”, but the best treat she got was when Eric Quizon brought her to Hongkong last weekend. “Para yun sa isang project namin,” she says. “Nagkataon nandun din ang father niya, si Dolphy with Zsa Zsa Padilla and their daughter Zia. Birthday rin ni Mang Dolphy on July 25 and when Eric asked me if I want to join them, yes agad ako at talagang nagging napakasaya n gaming birthday lunch. Napakasarap kakuwentuhan ng Comedy King and I learned so much from him. He’s really a gentleman at sa kabila ng status niya, very down to earth pa rin. I’m so happy as I didn’t expect na makakasama ko ang Comedy King sa birthday ko at birthday niya. It’s unforgettable.”
What can she say about some folks saying her “Mamarazzi” is like Ai Ai de las Alas’ “Tanging Ina”? “Dahil siguro boths films, tungkol sa isang ina. Pero sabi ko nga, wag na kaming pagtapatin ni Ai Ai. She is the Comedy Queen. She’ll always be ahead of me. Kaya sa brainstorming namin for ‘Mamarazzi’, I told Roselle Monteverde na ilayo ang story sa ‘Tanging Ina’. So malayo na po itong ‘Mamarazzi’ doon. Dito, may trabaho akong makeup artist ng mga patay at triplets ang anak ko. Ibang-iba rin ang pagkaluka-luka ng character ko rito. At saka hindi naman ito contest between Ai Ai and me. Excited pa rin nga akong makasama siya sa next filmfest entry ng Star Cinema, ‘Tanging Ina Mo Rin’ kasi kasama ako doon sa una, e. So hindi kami naglalaban kundi nagtutulungan.”
**********
RUFFA GUTIERREZ laughs off that she’s now in Venezuela with Smartmatic boss Cesar Flores so she can meet his family there. During a call in “Paparazzi”, she says she’s now in Europe with Dr. Vicki Belo and daughgter Crystalle Henares. DJ Mo admitted he’s the one who spread the rumor after he read a text message of Cesar on Ruffa’s cellphone telling her he wants to introduce him to his parents. Ruffa tells him she’ll never let him to hold her phone again but admits Cesar did ask her to be introduced to his folks and even sent her a photo of them. Ruffa will be coming home with the Belos this week and she’ll get ready hosting TV5’s search for new stars, “Star Factor”. This weekend, they will be in Cebu to audition applicants with her mom Annabelle Rama.
DID LOVI POE have an inkling she’d win the Cinemalaya best actress award when she was shooting “Mayohan” in Infanta, Quezon? “None at all,” she says at her pictorial with Rocco Nacino for their episode in “Love Bug” that replaces “Exchange of Hearts” that’s now rating well. “The film is very light and I’ve been used to heavy dramas like ‘Sagrada Familia’ and ‘Sigwa,’ so I wasn’t expecting at all to win. Also, we stayed on location in Infanta for one week at na-homesick ako, gusto ko na umuwi. After the shoot, I felt na disappointed sila sa’kin and I failed to deliver the role. Binago kasi pati accent ko roon. So when my name was called as the winner, I couldn’t believe it. Parang surreal ang nangyayari. I was asking myself if I really won. I didn’t even prepare a speech. Kung anu-anong sinabi ko when I received the award. But it really made me happy. I’m now more inspired to work. May pinupuntahan naman pala ang career ko.”
In “Love Bug”, she plays Ada, a neophyte journalist assigned by her editor to Palawan and is pressured to come up with an interesting feature story about the tribes there. She meets a handsome native, Rocco, who she thinks is the king of a tribe. At first, they get on each other’s nerves, but Rocco follows her to Manila and they fall in love. Program manager Hazel Abonita says Lovi and Rocco have great chemistry on screen. “Bagay sila. We’re taping on location in Coron, Busuanga and Calauit Island with its exotic animals as part of our aim to promote domestic tourism. Sexy ito kasi Rocco is shirtless most of the time. We have diving scenes with Lovi in a bikini. After this, we’re introducing Kylie Padilla pero hinahanapan pa namin ng partner na babagay sa kanya.”
We suggested Ian Batherson or Piero Vergara of Starstruck V. Going back to Lovi, how does she feel about the negative comments about her saying she’s a fair weather friend who won’t even visit her ex, Cong. Ronald Singson, now that he’s in prison? “To those who say that, all I can say is they don’t know me. They haven’t seen how I show my love to a friend or someone. I was really surprised sa dami ng nanghuhusga sa’kin like they know everything.”
So is she really the reason why Ronald went to Hongkong after they broke up? “I don’t want to talk about that. All I can say is that things happen for a reason. As of now, hindi ko pa alam kung ano yun but I trust the Lord. He alone knows the truth and so let’s just wait for the truth to come out. Ako naman, I don’t feel I have to defend myself to anyone, as long as those who matter to me, like my family, know who I really am.”
**********
TWO STARS who ran in the last election, one won and one didn’t, are now in the cast of GMA-7’s new telefantasya, “ILumina”: Christopher de Leon and Ara Mina. Boyet is now a provincial board member of Batangas in which his perennial ka-love team Vilma Santos is the governor who he says is doing an excellent job at the capitol. “I help out in the cultural, environmental protection and tourism affairs of Batangas,” he says. “I attend the regular sessions, the People’s Day and the committee hearings pag may problems like coal and oil spills line in Calatagan. We do legislative work so marami talaga akong natututuhan. I tape for ‘ILumina’ once a week lang naman. I like my role. First time ko gumanap as a black sorcerer with special powers. Magkalaban kami rito ni Cesar Montano and I’m excited to work with him and GMA-7’s young stars na ngayon ko pa lang nakatrabaho like Aljur, Rhian and Jackie.”
Ara lost in her bid to be a QC councilor and she’s glad to work again before the cameras in “ILumina” that’s aired after “Pilyang Kerubin”. “Acting naman talaga ang first love ko and I welcome the chance to work with Cesar Montano as his wife in ‘ILumina’,” she says. “But I’m not closing my doors on politics. Di naman porke natalo ko once, end of the world na for me. Life goes on. Puede kong tumakbo uli. Malayo pa naman ang next election at marami pang puedeng mangyari, so we’ll see.”
How’s her non-showbiz BF? “Okay pa rin kami at wala naman siyang objection na ituloy ko uli ang pag-aartista ko.”
**********
EUGENE DOMINGO says she’s 40 but she actually turned 39 only on her birthday last July 23. She was given special birthday celebrations in her two GMA-7 shows, “Comedy Bar” and “Wachmakulit”, but the best treat she got was when Eric Quizon brought her to Hongkong last weekend. “Para yun sa isang project namin,” she says. “Nagkataon nandun din ang father niya, si Dolphy with Zsa Zsa Padilla and their daughter Zia. Birthday rin ni Mang Dolphy on July 25 and when Eric asked me if I want to join them, yes agad ako at talagang nagging napakasaya n gaming birthday lunch. Napakasarap kakuwentuhan ng Comedy King and I learned so much from him. He’s really a gentleman at sa kabila ng status niya, very down to earth pa rin. I’m so happy as I didn’t expect na makakasama ko ang Comedy King sa birthday ko at birthday niya. It’s unforgettable.”
What can she say about some folks saying her “Mamarazzi” is like Ai Ai de las Alas’ “Tanging Ina”? “Dahil siguro boths films, tungkol sa isang ina. Pero sabi ko nga, wag na kaming pagtapatin ni Ai Ai. She is the Comedy Queen. She’ll always be ahead of me. Kaya sa brainstorming namin for ‘Mamarazzi’, I told Roselle Monteverde na ilayo ang story sa ‘Tanging Ina’. So malayo na po itong ‘Mamarazzi’ doon. Dito, may trabaho akong makeup artist ng mga patay at triplets ang anak ko. Ibang-iba rin ang pagkaluka-luka ng character ko rito. At saka hindi naman ito contest between Ai Ai and me. Excited pa rin nga akong makasama siya sa next filmfest entry ng Star Cinema, ‘Tanging Ina Mo Rin’ kasi kasama ako doon sa una, e. So hindi kami naglalaban kundi nagtutulungan.”
**********
RUFFA GUTIERREZ laughs off that she’s now in Venezuela with Smartmatic boss Cesar Flores so she can meet his family there. During a call in “Paparazzi”, she says she’s now in Europe with Dr. Vicki Belo and daughgter Crystalle Henares. DJ Mo admitted he’s the one who spread the rumor after he read a text message of Cesar on Ruffa’s cellphone telling her he wants to introduce him to his parents. Ruffa tells him she’ll never let him to hold her phone again but admits Cesar did ask her to be introduced to his folks and even sent her a photo of them. Ruffa will be coming home with the Belos this week and she’ll get ready hosting TV5’s search for new stars, “Star Factor”. This weekend, they will be in Cebu to audition applicants with her mom Annabelle Rama.
