Richard: Kung saan masaya si KC, doon ako

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Freehand

NO doubt the best looking love team in local cinema today, Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion are glad that they get to promote their new movie, "When I Met U", in both networks. They are appearing live in "The Buzz", "Wowowee" and "Entertainment Live", and they will tape an episode in "Boy & Kris". They're scheduled to appear in most GMA-7 shows, including "SOP", "Eat Bulaga", "Sis", "Startalk" and "Showbiz Central". What will they miss the most in each other after shooting "When I Met U"?

"I will miss every moment na kasama ko siya," says Richard. "Yung laging ang taas ng energy niya kahit pagod o puyat siya. She really uplifts everyone on the set. Napahanga nga niya lahat, even the crew loves her at lahat sila, naging fans niya. I'll also miss the tofu she brings on the set. Vegetarian kasi siya kaya yun lang ang kinakain niya. On her birthday, I plan to give her a lechon tofu. "

"Ako naman, I'll miss yung he's being so relaxed all the time," says KC. "It'll be a lot before he can get stressed. Parang hindi trabaho ang pinupuntahan namin. Excursion ang tingin niya when we shoot out of town. Kahit nangangarag na ang lahat sa set, he'll just say 'chill', kaya napapa-relax din niya ang lahat. "

Chard says they always play beautiful music together. "KC is the one who's more loving. She's not afraid of showing it. Ako, mas discreet. "

"Mas expressive and demonstrative naman talaga ang mga babae but Chard shows love in various ways and styles rin naman," adds KC.

They're now more comfortable in each other's company compared to when they did their first movie in Greece and this shows in their kissing scenes in "When I Met U", which are more plentiful. "We have some kissing scenes na as the film progresses, they become more intense and passionate," says Chard.

"Direk Joel kasi wants to take them from different angles kaya paulit-ulit," says KC. "Ewan ko nga kung masasama lahat yun sa movie. Aside from this, marami pang ibang cute and kilig scenes sa movie. "

In the story, they get stranded in an island. What if this would happen to them in real life? "Masaya yun, exciting!" says Chard.

"I will be the one to cook," says KC.

"And ako naman ang maghahanap ng pagkain namin sa gubat. We'll be good partners and I'm sure mage-enjoy talaga kami. "

What will be an ideal Valentine date for them? "'When I Met U' is my first Valentine movie so my ideal Valentine day will be to watch it with Chard. "

"Ako naman, kunsaan masaya si KC, dun na rin ako. "

So which is the better movie, their first one or this one? "Direk Joel Lamangan is really a blessing for us kasi sobrang inspired siya while were doing 'When I Met U'," says KC. "All in all, we shot the film for 16 days but the preparation that went into it was even longer kasi the script was revised 10 times to make sure maganda siya. Kami ni Chard, parehong maraming contributions na input sa movie and, in that sense, I would say we were all able to polish it well. At least, natapos namin ito three weeks before the playdate. Yung una, palalabas na, nagsu-shoot pa kami three days before so we have more time with 'When I Met U' to make sure it will please all viewers. "

MARIAN: NAGPA-RAFFLE NA NGA KAMI, TINIRA PA RIN AKO

DID all the bad publicity against Marian Rivera caused any of her endorsements to drop her? "No," she says. "I have 26 endorsements and all of them renewed inspite of the negative things written about me. I'm just thankful that the fans continue to be warm to me wherever I go. I really don't know why ayaw tumigil ang paninira sa akin. Last Christmas, nagpa-party kami ng manager ko (Popoy Caritativo) and raffled off so many prizes.

Pero may mga hindi pa rin nasiyahan at tinira pa rin ako. When I did a show in the States, pagbalik ko rito, I heard na may nagkukuwentong tinatapon ko raw ang gifts ng fans sa'kin doon, which is not true. So tinawag ko 'yung nagkakalat noon, but she denied it. Para naman kasing wala na akong ginawang tama, kaya nasasaktan talaga ako. So ngayon, kung may nasaktan man nga ako because of my being frank, willing ako to say sorry. Tao lang ako, I'm not perfect, pero hindi naman ako talaga maldita. Puedeng I'm not aware na may nagagawa akong pagkakamali, so I apologize to anyone I hurt. I'm willing to change for the better. "

One issue against her is that people say it's obvious she's on with Dingdong Dantes but they won't admit it. An evidence being cited is a photo showing her sleeping on Dingdong's lap. "Naku, hindi ko akalain magiging issue 'yan. Pagod na pagod na ako sa taping. Tapos, I want to take a nap, pero walang lugar so Dingdong said, O, dito na lang. At hindi lap niya yun kundi his chest. At may pinatong munang unan doon bago ako sumandig sa kanya. Dingdong and I do go out, kumakain kami sa labas, but only as friends. If we're really on, I'll be the first to admit it. Wala namang masama as we're both single now. Sabi, sobra raw ang kissing scenes namin sa 'Marimar' at 'Dyesebel' kaya sure na on na kami. Naku, e dito sa 'Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang', lalong mas sensuwal ang mga eksena namin kaya people will again jump into conclusions. First time kong mag-two piece bikini dito. I did that in 'Marimar', pero nakatapis ako. Dito, walang tapis at mas sexy talaga. "

What does she appreciate in Dingdong? "It's his being close and caring to his family. Dinala pa niyang lahat ang pamilya niya sa Boracay during the holidays. Ako kasi, I was only 2 years old when my parents separated. My mom was only 18 when she gave birth to me in Spain. Mga ganun din ang age ng Spanish dad ko. My mom worked in London so I was sent to my lola in Cavite at dun nga ako lumaki, pero pinadadalhan nila ko regularly ng sustento so I was able to finish college. My mom remarried but no kids. My dad may dalawang anak with his new wife, pero hindi ko pa nami-meet. I told my mom to return home dito two years ago. Ang dad ko naman, ka-text ko araw-araw. But I wanted to prove to them that I can be independent so after college, hindi na ko tumanggap ng support from them at nag-showbiz na nga ako. Artista na ko, I still wash my own clothes at nagko-commute pa ko, e. Pero sinuwerte naman so I was able to buy my own car. For investment, I bought a lot in Cavite and had a 12-door apartment constructed there that I called La Buena Casa Apartamento, mainly for students and teachers in a school near its location. Ang mommy ko rin kasi, nag-invest sa ganung business and it's now doing well. "

What can she say about the prediction that her star will dim this year? "Hindi sa hindi ako naniniwala sa hula, but honestly, I think tayo rin ang gumagawa ng sarili nating kapalaran. So pagbubutihin ko na lang lalo ang trabaho ko to counter yung ganyang hula. As of now, confident akong 'Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang' will be a big hit with the viewers like 'Marimar' and 'Dyesebel' kasi ito ang pinakamahirap na show na ginawa namin ni Dingdong. It's full of dangerous stunts at very sexy pa kaya abangan nila sa February 2. Sa movies naman, I'm supposed to do three new films. One of them is a full length version of the 'Nieves' episode sa 'Shake, Rattle & Roll'. It will be expanded to be an entire film kasi nag-click talaga ito sa moviegoers. "

INTRODUCING: Carla Abellana

MOTHER Lily Monteverde has just signed up a new discovery, Carla Abellana, the second daughter of Rey Abellana and Rhea Santos who's in turn the youngest daughter of veteran actress Delia Razon. She started appearing in TV commercials when she was 12 and did lead roles in two shampoo commercials. "I've had several offers to join showbiz but I wasn't that keen on acting then," she says at her contract signing with Regal.

It was Roselle Monteverde, Mother Lily's daughter, who got to convince her to sign a contract with them. "Nakita namin siya ni Arnold Vegafria at the wedding of Cheska Garcia in October," says Roselle. "Ang tagal din naming niligawan bago pumayag. "

Carla finished her elementary and high school at OB Montessori then majored in psychology at La Salle. She was able to finish her course in three years then worked as a pre-school teacher and with a real estate company. She's now willing to try acting. "It's a new career, an opportunity of a lifetime," she says.

What did her Lola say about it? "She's happy and excited. Also my parents. My dad is into cell site construction so he's always out of town. He has three kids with his second wife while I have another one with my mom. My older sister, Erica, is graduating from UA & P majoring in the humanities. "

Will she be willing to go sexy? "No. I can do comedy or drama, but not showing skin. I'm very conservative. "

She admits she has a boyfriend, former Ateneo cager JC Intal. She's 5'4" and he's 6'4". What's his reaction on her joining showbiz? "He's excited about it and very supportive. "

Has she seen any of the old movies of her parents and her lola? "I know my parents met in the TV show 'Anna Liza' in the 80s, but I haven't seen it. I saw old movies of my dad on TV. As for my lola, she tells me plenty of stories about the movies she did and her leading men, but I haven't seen any of them. "

Who would she like to be paired with? "Richard Gutierrez. "

Is it true she's being considered as Richard's leading lady in "Zorro"? "I don't know. I'm not sure. "

"But definitely," says Mother Lily, "she'll be Regal's first star of 2009. We're now looking for the right project for her, the first in the contract for 12 pictures she signed up with us. "

LUIS UPDATES ON ANGEL

Luis Manzano is glad that his inamorata, Angel Locsin, has gone home from the hospital after her bout with dengue fever. "She's on her way to full recovery but she's told to rest for one more week before she works again," he says at the presscon of "Komiks Presents Mars Ravelo's Flash Bomba" where he plays the title role.

He came to the presscon in full tight-fitting costume with oversized hands and feet from where he gets his powers as Flash Bomba, the Superhero for All Seasons. His dad played Captain Barbell while his mom and his squeeze played Darna. "Now, konektado na kaming lahat through the works of Mars Ravelo. But of all superheroes, kakaiba si Flash Bomba kasi mas malalim at madrama ang pinanggalingan niya. Hindi siya basta binigyan agad ng superpowers. He had to go through a traumatic experience nang lumpuhin siya ng isang bad tikbalang. He was disfigured, something that Captain Barbell or Darna didn't go through. "

Luis is Roldan Legaspi, the spoiled son of a rich couple, Rio Locsin and Lito Pimentel. "He believes in himself and all that he can do and for this, people think he's mayabang. After the tikbalang made him a cripple, he went into body building to strengthen his upper body and also studied martial arts. Eventually, he learns how to walk on his hands, but then, a good tikbalang, played by Empoy, gives him his superpowers, including a thunderclap that can be a force of nature. Isa pang kaibhan ni Flash Bomba, showbiz siya. He enjoys giving interviews, nagpa-picture sa fans at may fans day pa siya. "

He figures in a love triangle with Roxanne Guinoo and Sid Lucero. "Magkababata kaming tatlo rito, but after I was maimed by the tikbalang, si Roxanne, napunta kay Sid, na sobra naman ang inggit sa akin so he became an instrument of the bad tikbalang to become a super villain. "

In the trailer of "Flash Bomba", he was officially welcomed by other Mars Ravelo superheroes: Lastikman, Kapitan Boom, Varga, Tiny Tony and Dragonna. A surprise endorser is his own mom, Gov. Vilma Santos Recto who wished him the best of luck and told viewers "to watch the show of my son Luis Phillipe Lucky Manzano. "

ASIDE from "Flash Bomba", ABS-CBN is launching more new shows in February: "May Bukas Pa" starring Maja Salvador, Dina Bonnevie and Santino, the Miracle Boy, on February 2; "Ruffa and Ai", the new morning talk show hosted by Ruffa Gutierrez and Ai Ai de las Alas on February 16; "SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon", a primetime showbiz talk show hosted by Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda also o February 16, and "Florinda", a TV adaptation of Susan Roces' classic horror movie starring Maricel Soriano, Jay Manalo, William Martinez, and Roxanne Guinoo on February 23.

WHAT'S ON 5

TV5's 5MAX Movies tonight brings the blockbuster teen comedy and the second installment of the hit Pie series, American Pie 2 starring Jason Biggs and Chris Klein. Tomorrow, Friday, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and Jack Nicholson star in the film based on the successful Broadway drama with the same title, A Few Good Men. Nicholson's reading of the line "You can't handle the truth!" in this movie was voted 29th greatest American movie quote of all time by the American Film Insitute. On Saturday, the unflinching drama that tells the story of the passengers and crew of the fourth hijacked plane on the September 11 US terrorist attack is told in the Oscar-nominated movie United 93. Sunday (February 1) comes with Steven Spielberg's third action-packed entry in the Indiana Jones Trilogy: The Last Crusade, starring Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. Feel the drama, comedy, romance, and action of these blockbusters on 5MAX Movies this week every 9 p. m. on TV5.

Source: People's Journal