Vanessa Hudgens: It's Guangco, not Cojuangco

Author: Dave Dizon
Column: Entertainment

My gosh, Tito Ricky. Super favorite ni Baby James ang High School Musical. We watch the DVD (of Parts 1 and 2) together all the time. On Friday (Oct. 24) nga, we'll watch the first screening pa lang of Part 3 (High School Musical 3: Senior Year). Could we be related to Vanessa? Or maybe her mom's family just copied the name?

That text message came from Kris Aquino last Sunday morning when my conversation with Vanessa Hudgens and her HSM leading man Zac Efron came out. In the story, I quoted Vanessa, who is half-Filipina, as saying that her mother's surname is "Cojuangco," from Cebu, and that's why Kris (whose middle name is Cojuangco...as if you didn't know!) was asking if she and Vanessa could be related.

Readers Ashley Ketchum and Sheryl Lapuz pointed out that Vanessa's mom's is actually "Guangco" which sounds like "Cojuangco." Vanessa's eyes lit up when I told her that the Cojuangcos are a rich and influential clan in the Philippines that owns a TV station and, previously, a telephone company.

Was something, uh, lost in translation? Did Vanessa mispronounce the surname? Or did jetlag (12-plus hours non-stop PAL flight from Manila to L.A.) hamper my hearing?

Anyway, the record has been set straight.

Watch HSM3 and see how Vanessa's "Filipino-ness" makes her stand out.

* * *

Did you know that Disney's Fil-Am princess Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, one of nine young Hollywood hopefuls named to join the cast of the big screen remake of the 1980 Oscar-winning musical Fame, is a Filipina? She's the granddaughter of Sylvia La Torre and Funfare once featured her in an exclusive story.

Co-produced by MGM and Lakeshore Entertainment, the movie will be released in September next year.

"This means," according to Funfare's Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre, "that Anna Maria, who is turning 18 on Dec. 23, will be shedding her Disney image (at least for this film) to take on the role of Joy, one of the students at the New York City's celebrated High School for the Performing Arts hoping to find fame as singers or actors."

Fame - known for the line "I'm gonna live forever" and which starred Irene Cara and Debbie Allen in the 1980 movie - is an inspiring story of a diverse group of students as they commit to four years of grueling artistic and academic work. With candor, humor and insight, the show explores the issues that confront many young people today: Prejudice, identity, self-worth, literacy, sexuality, substance abuse and perseverance.

Along with Anna Maria in the ensemble are Kristy Flores, Paul Iacono, Paul McGill, Naturi Naughton, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, and Walter Perez.

Edmund said that Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) is also in negotiations to take one of the remaining leads. And Debbie Allen, who played Lydia in the original, is rumored to be in line for a cameo, though not as the same character. The studio is still seeking actors for the adult roles.

Written by Allison Burnett and Aline Brosh McKenna, the $25 million remake will be directed by choreographer Kevin Tancharoen. If reports are true that shooting will begin late next month, Anna Maria would probably celebrate her 18th birthday on the set of the film and without a lavish debutante ball "Filipino style" she's been dreaming about.

Anna Maria, a regular of the Disney's Hannah Montana TV series, was recently seen in the smash hit TV movie Camp Rock opposite the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato.

Edmund added that in a recent interview he did for Funfare at the New York City press junket for Camp Rock, Anna Maria - Wengky to family and friends - revealed that she's a TFC fanatic and adores Kapamilya stars Jon Avila, Piolo Pascual, Kristine Hermosa, Angel Locsin, Sarah Geronimo, Sam Milby and KC Concepcion, as well as Kapuso star Richard Gutierrez.

Here's the rest of the details of Fame remake from Reuters/Hollywood Reporter:

Much like in the Oscar-winning original, directed by Alan Parker, the story will track the failures and fortunes of super-ambitious young performers and their teachers as they navigate a school year at the prestigious High School for the Performing Arts in New York.

As a buoyant batch of relative unknowns in a brutal business, the new cast members mirror the stories of the musical's characters - rising stars in a variety of artistic disciplines competing for respect and success.

Flores plays Rosie, a dancer; Iacano (The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie) plays Neil, a filmmaker; McGill plays Kevin, a gay dancer; Naughton (Notorious) plays Denise, a multi-talented classical pianist; Panabaker (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) plays Jenny, an actor; Payne (So You Think You Can Dance) plays Alice, a ballerina; Pennie (Half Nelson) plays Malik, an artist; Perez (Friday Night Lights) plays Victor, a musician; and Perez de Tagle (Hannah Montana) plays Joy Moy. Dekker would play Marco, a singer.

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com )

Source: ABS-CBN News