What’s the birthday gift she got from Joshua Dionisio? “I got a pink sling bag. Heto dala ko ngayon.” And she showed it to us. Looks like Joshua has good taste.
And what’s next for their love team? “May movie raw kaming gagawin, but no details yet. But I am part of the Vic Sotto-Bong Revilla entry sa Metro Filmfest. We’ll start shooting na next Saturday but I don’t know my role yet. Last year, kasama rin ako ni Tito Vic sa ‘Darling Kong Aswang’ as his daughter.”
Will she miss Joshua while they have no TV show to tape? “Of course, mami-miss ko yung kulitan namin. Not only him but also Elmo Magalona kasi kakulitan na rin namin siya.”
Who would she like to be paired with again, Joshua or Elmo? “Siempre si Joshua kasi magaling siya umarte, masarap kasama, very professional at hindi iniintindi ang puyat sa taping.”
So what happens to her as “Pilyang Kerubin”? “Maraming mangyayari in our final week to all the characters. As for me, you’ll find out kung magiging angel na ko uli na babalik sa langit or I will be allowed to stay on earth.”
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GELLI DE BELEN and hubby Ariel Rivera are part of Boy Abunda’s Backroom stable. Ariel is now with TV5’s “Inday Wanda” while Gelli is with GMA-7’s “Jejemom”. How does she feel that former “Sis” co-host Carmina Villaroel now have her own talk show, “Love ni Mister, Love ni Misis”? “She’s a friend so masaya ko for her,” she says. “Iniintriga nga ng iba na yun daw ang pinalit sa ‘Sis’, which is not true kasi dance show ang pinalit sa ‘Sis’.”
How about her and Ariel hosting such a show? “Naisip ko rin yun. But then, Ariel is so opinionated at hindi natatakot magbigay ng opinion niya kahit makasakit siya so, on second thought, huwag na lang.”
Another Backroom talent is comedian Pooh, now regularly seen on Banana Split and Pilipinas Win and Win. He has an upcoming concert with Pokwang and Chokoleit on October 16 and a series of concerts in Europe in October with Erik Santos. K Brosas has a new show Idol, with Sarah Geronimo, a new film with Erich Gonzalez and Enchong Dee for Star Cinema and a solo concert at the Music Museum on November 12. K will have shows on August 21 (Balibago, Angeles Pampanga) and October 14 (Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental). Sexy comedian Rufa Mae Quinto is a mainstay of Bubble Gang, Showbiz Central and Kaya ng Powers. Aside from hosting corporate shows, Drew Arellano takes you to different exciting Philippine destinations in Balikbayan on QTV 11 and is seen weekdays in Unang Hirit and the trivia show AHA on GMA 7. Dawn Zulueta just finished “Sigwa” and is working on a compilation of poetry reading on DVD. Gretchen Barretto is making waves as Victoria on the top-rating teleserye Magkaribal. Amy Perez hosts TV5’s Face to Face and corporate shows. GB Sampedro directs Paparazzi, Celebrity Cook Off and Five Star Special on TV 5, and Erik Santos’ concert on September 24-25 and the Mutya ng Pilipinas Beauty Pageant. For inquiries, call Backroom at 4351108 and 4351120 or email at backroomtalents@pldtdsl.net.
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FASHION ICON Oskar Peralta gives a scene-stealing performance in “Tarima” as a 75-year old prisoner who sells cigarettes inside the jail. “I did it only for Fanny Serrano who’s a good friend,” he says. “For the first time, I appear without a wig. E, I have 1001 wigs, mas marami pa kay Pilita Corrales. The role kasi is good. Dun na ko tumanda sa jail at wala naman akong uuwian so kahit laya na ko, ayoko ng umalis dun and I witness the love story between Fanny and Rocky Salumbides. Aside from designing, I also love acting. I first appeared with Fanny in the famous ‘Sinturon’ episode he did with Gabby Concepcion in ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya’ in 1991 and in the stage play ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ with Ricky Davao.”
Born on Dec. 4, 1943, he’s the second of three kids. “Girl, gay, then boy. My mom died when I was 7 and my dad remarried. He had 7 kids with my stepmom and two of them are also gay. Five of my siblings are in Vancouver and five are here. I realized I was gay when I was 5. My dad gave a doll to my sister and I cried kasi wala akong manika. The next day, our dad also gave me one. He’s been very supportive of me kahit gay ako. Never akong pinalo. I wanted to take up fashion design but there was no such course then so I took up fine arts in UP, but I called up the famous fashion house, Slim’s, and told them if they’d offer fashion design, get me as a student. Nang magbukas nga sila, ako ang first enrolee. Later, naging apprentice ako to other designers like Ben Farrales. In 1970, I put up my own shop in Mabini, the fashion belt then, at dumami ang naging clients ko including first lady Imelda Marcos. 70s and 80s ang heydays ko. I appeared in bit roles then sa movies like ‘Lipad Darna Lipad’ in the Celia Rodriguez episode. Before, sige lang ng sige kahit sino. Now, I just choose my clients and most of them are filthy rich na third generation na ng original clients ko.”
Aside from “Tarima”, he’s now also in the soap “Magkaribal” as the best friend of Robert Arevalo who also plays a gay designer. “I’ve always been a movie fan. Favorite ko noon si Gloria Romero and I told myself balang araw, igagawa kita ng gowns. Nangyari yun. And now, magkasama kami sa ‘Tarima’. The handsomest actor naman for me was the late Mario Montenegro.”
He’s been linked to actors like Ernie Garcia, Dan Fernandez and Renzo Cruz. “Lahat ng yun, platonic lang, walang sex,” he says with a straight face.
He discovered Bea Alonzo in a beauty contest in Pasig when she was 13 but he thinks Bea has forgotten him. Who’s the prettiest and handsomest stars for him now? “Rhian Ramos sa babae and sa lalaki, JC de Vera and Aljur Abrenica.”
