Out of sight, out of mind

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

Angel Locsin says she is notan ingrate just because shecan?t do "Marimar" for GMA-7. "The management understands my decision," she says at the presscon of "Angels," the film she co-produced with manager Becky Aguila that got favorable comments from those who saw it in its premiere night last Sunday. "Kasi I really have to go to London to study in a fashion school for the business I?m putting up in August kasosyo ang isang anak ni Mr. Lucio Tan. Hindi naman ibig sabihin noon, wala na akong utang na loob sa GMA. Sunod-sunod ?yung shows ko sa kanila from ?Mulawin,? ?Darna,? ?Majika? and ?Asian Treasures.? Tapos may movies pa ako with GMA Films, kaya entitled naman siguro ako to rest for a while. Hindi rin gimmick ito. Talagang aalis ako. Hindi naman puedeng lahat ng magandang projects, sa akin na lang. Let?s give others a chance naman, ?di ba? Kung totoong si Marian Rivera ang napili nilang Marimar, I?m happy for her."

This sounds very generous of Angel. But we hope she won?t regret her decision. Other stars who rested for a while like Sandara Park and Jericho Rosales later had a hard time in making a comeback. As they say, out of sight, out of mind.

About her and Marvin Agustin, she says although they?re being linked, he?s not even courting her. "Lumalabas kami together with other friends, pero wala kaming relasyon. We?re close to one another after working in ?Asian Treasures? and in ?Angels,? pero as friends lang talaga."

In the "Angel of Mine" episode of "Angels," she plays a police reporter who is bitter in life after her own mom rejected her. Then she gets to take care of a child, Eunice Lagusad, entrusted to her by a friend, and the girl humanizes her. Their episode is directed by Gina Alajar. The second episode, "Daddy?s Angels," is a tearjerker, with Marvin Agustin as the ex-convict and Nash Aguas as the boy hungry for his love and attention. Both deliver superlative performances. The last episode, "Angel of Mine," is a feel-good romance with Jennylyn Mercado shining as the impoverished but feisty rocker who falls for a very rich boy, real-life sweetheart Patrick Garcia.

"Sana naman kumita ito as I put my lifetime savings into this project," Angel prays. "Hindi naman kami mapapahiya dahil we can be proud of the film."

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We guested in "Showbiz Central" last Sunday as part of its Central Jury, along with Dondon Sermino and DJ Mo. We interviewed Jennylyn and Patrick on air and, even off the air, we can see how sweet they are to each other. Jen was never this sweet to Mark Herras before. Later, we saw them again at the premiere night of "Angels" at Megamall and those who say that Jen?s fans do not approve of their relationship are wrong because the supporters of their love team came in droves and were cheering for them all throughout their episode in the film. Jen is right when she said the age gap between them is an advantage (she?s 20, he?s 25), unlike in the case of Mark (who?s also 20) with whom she bickers almost everyday. "Patrick is very patient and more mature in his outlook," adds Jen.

Another highlight of "Showbiz Central" last Sunday was the interview with Rufa Mae Quinto, who confirmed that she had split with Erik Santos exactly one year after they went steady in June of last year. They both feel sad about it and Rufa Mae said it?s not true that they broke up because she got jealous of Say Alonzo and Erik got jealous of Mark Herras. The culprit, just like in the case of Ara Mina and Polo Ravales, is that they just don?t have much time to spend with one another since they?re both so busy with their respective work schedules. How sad as when we last talked to Erik, he even said he?s saving up for the construction of their dream house. Well, we guess they?re just not really meant for each other. We heard that Rufa Mae now has a new and very rich businessman suitor who might be the reason why she dumped Erik.

In the portion of Raymond Gutierrez that brings fans closer to their idols, an admirer of Robin Padilla named Mario and his girlfriend, Madel, got the chance to meet Binoe in person on the set of "Asian Treasures." The fan apes the getups of Binoe and he was thrilled when Binoe gave him a pair of boots that he is using in "Asian Treasures." The finale item showed Rita Avila revealing that she has psychic powers ala-"Sixth Sense" that allows her to see apparitions and ghosts. She was at first reluctant to talk about this. She?s scared viewers might think she?s going crazy after she lost her baby. But she has proof about her third eye as a photo showed a ghostly figure with her. Because of that segment, we felt like we?re watching a show meant for Halloween.

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Valerie Concepcion shows how good-natured she is when interviewed by some writers at the presscon of "Angels." Just because she became an unwed mom at 16, most of the questions addressed to her was about sex: when she last had it and doesn?t she miss it?

"The last time I had sex was three years ago at ?yun nga, I got preggy. After that, wala na. Ang lungkot nga, ?di ba? Three yearsnang wala. Hoy, joke lang. Hindi naman totoong once nakatikim ka, hahanap-hanapin mo na. I don?t even look for it. Bakit, sex maniac ba ako?" and she laughs heartily.

She?s being linked to "Angels" co-stars Marco Alcaraz but she swears they?re just friends. "Nakakatawa nga dahil nili-link din ako kay Wendell Ramos who?s my co-star naman in ?Sinasamba Kita.? But the truth is I have no boyfriend. At this point, I know kung ang hanap lang sa akin ng isang lalaki is sex at ako na agad ang umiiwas. Kasi nga, I?m more careful now. My baby will be three years old soon and I?ve learned my lesson. She?s now my priority kaya working hard ako. After all, mahal ang gatas at diapers, ?no? Alangan namang unahin ko pang maglandi, mabuntis pa ulit ako. No way. Nagkamali ka na noong una, kapag nagkamali ka pa uli, katangahan na ?yon dahil ?di ka pa natuto. Ayoko nang magdala uli ng problem sa family ko."

She plays a short but very demanding role in the "Daddy?s Angel" episode of "Angels." "I?m the wife of Marvin Agustin, but Paolo Paraiso rapes me. Marvin kills Paolo in revenge and gets jailed. Ako naman, nabuntis dahil sa rape and I die of childbirth. Si Nash Aguas ang naging anak at inaapi-api siya ni Marvin. It?s a heartbreaking story and I swear,maiiyak kayo."

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Mother Lily Monteverde is glad that Yilmaz Bektas has relented and offered the peace pipe to Ruffa Gutierrez and her mom, Annabelle Rama. (But wonder how Dolly Anne Carvajal feels now that Yilmaz made a turnaround after she championed his cause?)

"With what Yilmaz did, he proves himself to be a gentleman," said Mother Lily in an interview held at the new Starbucks Coffee on the ground floor of Imperial Palace Suites. "Buti na lang at natapos na dahil isang buwan na silang pinagpipiyestahan sa media."

Will she still be interested in making the local version of "Desperate Housewives" starring Ruffa and Gretchen Barretto, among others? "No more. I don?t want to be accused of exploiting their personal lives. Mga anak ko ?yan sa Regal. They grew up with me and I know they?d be able to handle themselves well in the controversies they got involved in."

Doesn?t she wish her upcoming movie, "Tiyanaks," which opens on July 4, is as controversial and also being talked about?

"Well, it?s going to be talked about as this is the most expensive horror film I?ve made. Ang special effects nito plus the costumes and prosthetics used on the three kids who play tiyanaks and in their puppet counterparts, inabot na ng P6 million ang budget. Kasi bawat isang tiyanak, P1 million na ang cost. Add to that the fact that the cast of ?Tiyanaks? is really big, a combination of the stars of the two top networks, kaya mas magastos. From GMA-7, we have Mark Herras, Jennylyn Mercado, Ryan Yllana, Karel Marquez, JC de Vera. From ABS, we have Rica Peralejo, TJ Trinidad, Lotlot de Leon, Alwyn Uytingco, Jill Yulo, Nash Aguas and Andrei Felix. The advantage, of course, is puede kaming mag-promote in both channels dahil sa stars nila."

Source: Malaya