Ai-Ai de las Alas is the official Cute Na Ina of summer 2007

Author: Isah V. Red
Column: Life & Entertainment

“That movie will definitely be a riot.”

This is what excited fans and industry insiders are saying now that the much-awaited opening date of Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo is drawing near. Countless supporters of Comedy Queen Ai-Ai de las Alas are on frenzied mode in anticipation of her comeback to Star Cinema.

“We know that it’s the right combination—Wenn Deramas and Ai-Ai de las Alas. Who can forget Ang Tanging Ina? We believe that this movie has the same amount of laughs, the same family values, but the humor is upped on more exciting levels, the production values are more grand. We expect nothing less!” according to one fan.

This movie will definitely not disappoint. From locations to costumes, and more importantly, the gags, the story, Star Cinema and Viva Films will not disappoint. Ai-Ai is superbly supported by Luis Manzano and Anne Curtis, Eugene Domingo, John Lapus, DJ Durano, Vince Saldana and Nikki Bacolod!

“With Direk Wenn, I can let go of myself; there’s no inhibitions at all,” added Ai-Ai. “We can discuss things openly, you know, how some scenes have to shot and how I should deliver my lines para lalong may impact. Direk Wenn is not just a co-worker, he’s a good friend. He’s concerned not just with making a movie but seeing to it that the movie comes out good.”

Ai-Ai and Direk Wenn first worked together in Tanging Ina, one of Star Cinema’s biggest blockbusters. It hailed Ai-Ai as a box-office queen in her own right. In that movie, a spoof of the Star Cinema drama blockbuster Tanging Yaman, directed by Laurice Guillen with Gloria Romero as lead actress, Ai-Ai played a mother of many children by different men, successfully raising them as a single parent taking odd jobs to make ends meet without losing her sense of humor.

They worked for the second time in Imus Productions’ Kapag Tumibok ang Puso, Not Once But Twice, another blockbuster, where Ai-Ai played Bong Revilla’s dead wife whose spirit possessed Bong’s new love, played by Precious Lara Quigaman.

In Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo, written by Mel del Rosario (who also wrote the script with Arlene Tamayo), Ai-Ai co-stars with Anne Curtis, Luis Manzano, Eugene Domingo, and John Lapus. As Ai-Ai’s estranged daughter, Anne would turn heaven and earth to stop her father from marrying Ai-Ai who disappeared from Anne’s life when Anne was small. But then, Ai-Ai has a way of winning not only the affection of Anne but also that of the people around them, including Eugene as Anne’s nanny who falls in love with John, never mind if she knows that he is gay, and Luis, Ai-Ai’s anak-anakan, who is infatuated with Anne.

No to political endorsements

ABS-CBN Star Magic artists are not encouraged by its management to endorse any candidate in the coming elections.

That was the clarification issued recently by Star Magic management, headed by TV director Johnny Manahan.

If any Star Magic artist would like to endorse a particular candidate, he should seek the approval of the management as it goes against management policy. The network management will make the finality on the case, whether to approve or disapprove.

The announcement came after ABS-CBN Star Magic learned that a politician distributed copies of a 2007 calendar with the photo of the politician with his wife and ABS-CBN Star Magic artists Claudine Barretto and Piolo Pascual.

The two artists acknowledge the fact that they have met the said politician as they taped some scenes for their upcoming soap opera Walang Kapalit in their home. They had their picture taken with them but they were not aware that the politician would use it for his campaign.

While it’s true that some people representing the politician requested Star Magic’s permission to use the photo, the request, however, was not granted due to existing management policy.

ABS-CBN Star Magic is warning all political candidates who might be thinking of using any of its talents not to pursue their plans without permission because it could end up in a legal action.

Claudine’s new world

She’s been famous since puberty, and in the decade-and-a-half since we first became acquainted with her in Ang TV. And the thing is that although many people expected her to be famous, she still managed to find a way to exceed even those high expectations.

Claudine Margaret Castelo Barretto has been in the public eye for more than half her life, and she’s made the most of it, becoming a certified box-office star, an award-winning actress, an in-demand celebrity endorser, and one of the most iconic faces of her generation.

Despite beginning her career in such light fare as Ang TV and Home Along Da Riles, Claudine is known as the Teleserye Queen for a very good reason—the megahit Mula Sa Puso marked the first time Filipino soaps went head-to-head in terms of quality and pacing with Mexican telenovelas, and her remarkable acting in her role as the central character Olivia was one of the key ingredients in making Mula Sa Puso, and its subsequent movie version, such a memorable hit. From there on in, hit after hit followed for Claudine: her role as triplets in Saan Ka Man Naroroon; another dual role as a woman from the 1800s who dies tragically, and her modern-day incarnation in Saan Ka Man Naroroon; a modern girl searching for love in the weekly series Buttercup; a mermaid who longs to be a human in the groundbreaking fantaserye Marina; and a strong-willed woman searching for justice and her lost sister in Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin.

Even her movie hits are remarkable. From essaying supporting roles opposite such megastars such as Sharon Cuneta and Maricel Soriano in Madrasta and Soltera, Claudine quickly graduated to become a star on her own in such movies as Dahil Mahal Na Mahal Kita, Got 2 Believe, Kailangan Kita, Milan, Nasaan Ka Man, Dubai, and 2006’s biggest hit, Sukob.

All in all, her movie roles have netted her many nominations in awards derbies, with three Best Actress awards going to her from the Star Awards (Nasaan Ka Man), the Famas Awards (Milan) and the Luna Awards (Milan). She was also named Box Office Queen in 2003. Claudine has always been blessed on TV, as well; in 1999, Claudine appeared on the short list for Best Television Actress in the Asian TV Awards, the Star Awards hailed her as the Best New TV Personality, while Parangal ng Bayan graced her with the Best Young Actress award. In 2003, the Star Awards gave her another honor by naming her its Best Female Variety Show Host.

Off the big screen, its seems Claudine’s leading a charmed life, as well. Married since March, 2006 to fellow actor Raymart Santiago, and already a mother to adopted daughter Sabina, Claudine is expecting her firstborn very soon.

With Walang Kapalit, ABS-CBN’s newest drama, the Teleserye Queen is again aiming higher as she takes an even more adult role as Melanie, a woman whose life becomes complicated by her love for her stepbrother Noel (Piolo Pascual). Walang Kapalit marks a welcome reunion for Claudine and Piolo, whose chemistry and acting skills were first road-tested in the acclaimed box-office hit Milan. How has their chemistry changed since then? What new things are they raring to show us in this long-awaited project?

Wenn Deramas directs and Amy Austria, Dina Bonnevie, Edu Manzano, Lloyd Samartino, TJ Trinidad, Candy Pangilinan, Bobby Andrews, Jodi Santamaria Lacson, Nikki Valdez, DJ Durano, Victor Basa, Edda Nolan, Joem Bascon, Sam Concepcion and Julia Barretto play important roles in Walang Kapalit, starting this April only on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida.

Mother Lily bats for Tito Sotto

Regal Entertainment matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde is throwing her full support behind Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, who is seeking a third term as a senator of the Republic of the Philippines under the Team Unity banner. “Tito ko rin siya,” declares Mother Lily proudly, “and I am behind him one thousand percent.”

Mother Lily says Tito’s leadership skills have always been apparent. “Back when Regal Films started making movies with Tito, Vic, and Joey in the ’80s, Tito was the leader and manager of the comedy trio,” she recalls. “I wasn’t surprised when he became a very effective and beloved vice mayor of Quezon City because he always had a desire to help the masses. He started out making millions laugh through his comedy antics on TV and in the movies. When he saw that he could better the lives of Filipinos even more concretely by becoming a public servant, he committed himself totally to his new role. So of course, I will do what I can to help him get re-elected. We Filipinos have everything to gain by having a man like Tito Sotto in the Senate.”

Tito served two terms as a senator, from 1992-1998 and 1998-2004. Public service runs in his blood as he is the grandson and grandnephew of former Senators Vicente Yap Sotto and Filemon Sotto, respectively.

Before he was a senator, Tito was vice mayor of Quezon City.

Source: Manila Standard Today

Copyright © 2005 - 2009. Telebisyon.net. This article is a copyright property of Manila Standard Today. This page serves as an archived copy of the article written by Isah V. Red. All rights reserved. No part of this website shall be copied or reproduced in any means possible without explicit permission from the owners.