Anne ready for Richard again after 'The Wedding'

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Freehand

Anne Curtis is leaving for a three-week vacation in Italy and Spain on May 5. By that time, she hopes she has finished taping more advanced episodes for her new soap, "The Wedding", that starts airing on primetime on May 11. "I'll be traveling with some non-showbiz friends, bale 5 girls kami and 2 boys, but one of them is Raymond Gutierrez," she says.

How is she after her breakup with Sam Milby? "I'm okay na. It's been seven months and I've fully recovered. " So is she dating anyone? "No. Siempre, nakaka-miss din yung may ka-text ka ng good night, good morning, but I'm busy with work so okay lang. Dara-ting naman yan in the right time. "

She wants to correct the impression that "The Wedding" is a remake. "It's original," she says. "The treatment is light and romantic, parang Koreanovela, but the story is something really new. After a heavy drama like 'Maging Sino Ka Man' and the fantaserye 'Dyosa', I really enjoyed doing this one. "

She is paired with two leading men, Derek Ramsay, who's Warren her childhood sweetheart, and Zanjoe Marudo, who's Marlon the new man in her life. How's it working with them? "It's my first time to work with Derek but I've known him for a long time na. I'm also close to his girlfriend (Angelica Panganiban). Okay siya, masaya kasama. As for Zanjoe, nakasama ko na siya sa 'Lovespell' and 'Dyosa' so we're used to each other na. First time ko rin madirek in a soap dito ni Direk Jeffrey Jeturian at napakagaling niya. I play Candice, a spoiled brat na may pagkamaldita pero lovable. I'm in love with the concept of weddings, but when my parents, Michael de Mesa and Eula Valdes, separate, I blame myself and I try to make them reconcile by arranging an engagement with Zanjoe, a poor engineer who's working with my dad. This leads to a full-fledged romance and wedding preparations. Then Derek re-enters my life to claim me back. "

So who gets her in the end? "Secret. You have to watch it to find out. It's an endearing heartwarming love story that is also about family life. Kasama namin dito sina Alwyn Uytingco, Mich Dulce, Irma Adlawan and Perla Bautista as my yaya who's been waiting for the man who promised to marry her for 50 years. "

Upon her return from Europe, she's going to start her movie with Richard Gutierrez, a GMA-Viva co-production to be megged by Maryo de los Reyes. She expects that they'd be linked again since they're both unattached now. "But let's talk about that later na lang. I want to focus on 'The Wedding' muna. "

ANNABELLE: DI SILA MAGTATAGUMPAY

Richard Gutierrez will receive his award for being an environmentalist, the Fr. Satur Neri Award (in the honor of a priest who was killed for protecting the environment), at Malacanang today. He's honored for his involvement with the Greenpeace movement and for his ecology-oriented shows, "Signos" (about global warming) and "Full Force of Nature".

"I'm really proud of my son," says his mom Annabelle Rama. "Gusto nilang pabagsakin pero ayan, may award pa from Malacañang. Hindi sila magtatagumpay kasi I'm guided by the Sto. Niño na lagi kong dinadasalan. Last weekend, aalis sana ko for the U. S. pero biglang na-cancel ang flight ko, so I got the chance to watch yung lawyer ng PEP na sinisira-siraan si Richard sa 'Startalk'. E, kung nakaalis ako noon, sino ang magtatanggol sa anak ko? Kaya pala hindi ako pinatuloy ng Diyos sa U. S. , para masagot ko 'yung lawyer na 'yun. In fairness to Atty, Felipe Gozon of GMA-7, siya pa raw ang nagsabing i-guest ako sa 'Showbiz Central' para madepensahan ang anak ko. The following day, Monday, nag-number one ang 'Zorro' niya with a rating of 34. 4%, ibig sabihin, nasa anak ko ang simpatiya ng tao. Kaya yung mga sumusulat dun sa PEP na sinasabi ang yabang-yabang mo, Richard, ang nanay mo walanghiya, wa epek sila kasi limang tao lang naman ang gumagawa niyan at paulit-ulit lang na sulat nang sulat dyan sa PEP. Dahil sa taas ng rating ng 'Zorro', hayan, hanggang Divisoria, they're selling Zorro merchandise like hats, masks and capes kahit na hindi aprubado ng GMA. Meron pang cheese curls na pinangalan din kay Zorro. At kung masama akong manager, di sana, walang projects ang mga alaga ko. E ayan si Heart (Evangelista), may bagong endorsement for a line of clothing. Tapos magi-story conference na sila ni JC de Vera for 'Ngayon at Kailanman' and I will attend that. "

Why did she call for a meeting of all Visayan associations and the fans of Richard when she guested in "Startalk"? "I'll ask their help sana so we can have a protest rally sa GMA to call for the resignation of Wilma Galvante dahil I discovered nga na may kinalaman ang kampo niya doon sa demolition job kay Richard na nalagay sa PEP. Nalaman ko rin kasi na ang GMA, investor pala sa PEP. May 40% sila roon, inamin sa'kinni Annette Gozon Abrogar, and yet sinisiraan si Richard. Pero nang malaman ng mga anak ko ang plan kong protest rally, tumawag sa'kin si Richard from the taping of 'Zorro' in Bataan at si Raymond din, kinausap ako. Itigil ko na raw ang balak kong rally dahil na sa court na naman ang kaso. So nakinig naman ako sa kanila. Kung masamang tao si Richard, hindi sunod-sunod ang blessings niya. Ayan, may bago siyang commercial sa Bench to be launched sa SM Mall of Asia this Saturday. Tapos may bagong movie pa siya with Anne Curtis. "

MANUEL: KILALA KO NA SI JANNA

IN "Pinoy Fear Factor," the top three were Jommy, Manuel and Janna. Jommy won but it's now Manuel Chua and Janna Dominguez who are paired with each other in the new ABS-CBN show starting in May in their Hapontastic slot, "Precious Hearts Romances Presents Bud Brothers". This is based on a series of eight novels all written by Rose Tan for Precious Hearts pocketbooks about eight guys who are the best of friends and their respective love lives. Manuel and Janna appear in the novel "He's The One". Manuel is Ed, the pretty boy in their barkada who's a model and actor. He has put a flower farm with his friends. Janna plays Hiromi, a flower shop owner who's the enemy of the Bud Brothers. "Para kaming aso't pusa sa umpisa but we eventually fall in love with each other," says Manuel.

Did he use Pinoy Fear Factor to join showbiz? "No. Wala akong planong mag-artista. I just wanted to cash prize to help our family business in Nueva Ecija. But now that I'm here, enjoy naman ako. I took acting and dancing workshops with the other Pinoy Fear Factor participantes. "

He was only 22 when he became a dad and his daughter, Klarine Angela, just turned 5 on March 5. He's not married to the mom but they're good friends. "Weekends, we all go out to the mall together. "

So how does he feel that he became an "artista" ahead of Jommy? "May show rin si Jommy. Magkasama kami along with Marion in 'George & Cecil'. I play a cop na kasamahan sa police force ni Judy Ann Santos. Kaya bale I have two shows. I'm really thankful na I'm paired with Janna in 'Bud Brothers' kasi kilala ko na siya sa Argentina pa kaya at ease na kami sa isa't isa. "

"Precious Hearts Romances" is a collaboration of Director Lauren Dyogi with publisher Jun Matias, a former scriptwriter who now publishes 50 new novels every month. Jun says there's a big market of readers here and also abroad for Pinoys who take their novels to Hongkong, Middle East and the U. S. Rose Tan said she based the characters of "Bud Brothers" to her real life friends who really put up a flower farm in Laguna ten years ago. The other pairs in the show, that will run for 13 weeks, are Cristine Reyes-Jake Cuenca, Mariel Rodriguez-Rafael Rosell, Valerie Concepcion-Will Devaughn, Wendy Valdez-Joem Bascon, John Prats-Denise Laurel, Ahron Villena-Maricar Reyes, and Roxanne Guinoo and new singer-actor Guji Lorenzana.

NEW GIMMICKS ON 'TSB'

THE third season of "The Singing Bee" is starting tomorrow and there will be new gimmicks in the show. Host Cesar Montano will be doing more singing. The regular Singing Bee interpreters Frenchie Dy, Michael Cruz, OJ Mariano, Apple Chiu and MC Castro will now be officially called The Song Bees.

The group with the best "sample singing" before the game proper will get a prize. The Jumble Bee Round will now be replaced by the segment called Pics Bee with You, an original concept created by ABS-CBN where pictures will be used as clues to get the correct lyrics to a song. For instance, for the words "Someone's always saying goodbye", they will show a picture of Sam Milby plus the figure for number 1 (someone), then they will add the letters "al" to a weighing scale (always), a picture of Say Alonzo plus "ing" (saying), and a picture of sailors waving goodbye (goodbye). The first team to buzz gets a chance to answer and if they give a wrong answer, the other teams may steal it from them. In the next round, "Singing with the Enemy", will feature famous love songs that are arranged differently, like changing a song from ballad to bossa nova. In the Final Countdown round, one member from each group of trio can coach their chosen representatives who sing for them.

All the changes are calculated to make the show even more exciting viewing. The defending champion tomorrow remains to be Team Simpatiko composed of Epi Quizon, Smokey Manaloto and Gio Alvarez.

WHAT'S ON '5'

AFTER their successful TV5 Live Shake Mo TV Mo Caravan last January, the TV5 Caravan travels again on May 1, Friday, to serve as their primer for their latest shows and with a fun party to be held at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall from 10 AM to 12 midnight. Everyone is invited to join and watch hot performances from TV5 celebrities, live tapings of your favorite TV5 shows, Talentadong Pinoy exhibitions and auditions, and chill music jamming with Moonstar 88 and Parokya ni Edgar.

Admission is free. Fun booths and activity stalls are set-up around the venue so expect to take home lots of cool prizes and surprises after enjoying the daylong event. Enjoy and experience TV5 Live on its second shaking wave and watch out for more sizzling summer activities such as the Hirit Sa Tag-init! beach party in Puerto Galera on May 9, to follow the honking of the TV5 Live Caravan.

Meantime, don't miss tonight, Friday, the rollicking action-comedy, "Naked Gun 33&1/3: The Final Insult", the third in the series of Leslie Nielsen flicks spoofing spy movies where he co-stars with Priscilla Presley and OJ Simpson. Tomorrow, Saturday, features the fascinating sci-fi comedy "Evolution", starring David Duchovny, Julianne Moore and Orlando Jones. On Sunday, don't miss the animation masterpiece directed by the award-winning Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg, "Monster House", about three kids who discover that their neigHBOr's house is a living, breathing, monster. Enjoy all these at 5MAX Movies this week every 9 p. m. , on TV5.

Source: People's Journal