Vilma: No stage mom

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

OW is John Lloyd Cruz' experience working with Vilma Santos?

"Unforgettable. Icon na siya sa industriya and working with her, star struck ako noong una, but she's so nice and easily put me at ease para hindi ako mailang sa kanya. It's a big step for me to do scenes with her, parang I have to fly to the moon and back. With her help, mas nalagay ko sa loob ko yung role ko as Noel to be more effective as an actor."

He wants to emphasize that "In My Life" is not a gay movie.

"Kasi yung iba, dahil may relasyon kami rito ni Luis Manzano, they think it's a gay movie. It's not. More than that, it's the story of a mother, si Ate Vi, and her relationships with her son and her son's lover. Hindi ito basta kabaklaan. Nataon lang na pareho kaming lalaki ni Luis."

Was Ate Vi present in the shooting of their kissing scene?

"Noong una, pinaalis ako ni Direk Olive Lamasan. But later, napanood ko. E, sa'kin namin, they're just playing a role, so I understand that. May tiwala naman ako in Direk Olive at ang Star Cinema, hindi naman gumagawa ng basta-bastang pelikula."

She wants to correct the impression of some people that she was the one who told Star Cinema to cast her son in the movie. "I never meddled with the casting. Even when they negotiated with Luis, hands off ako as I don't want to be accused of being a stage mother. Basta ang reminder ko lang kay Luis when we were shooting na, anak, hindi ka na host dito, you're now an actor. Kaya maski sa shooting, kapag pinagagalitan siya ni Direk Olive, hindi ako nakikialam. I feel yung pain pero tahimik lang ako."

She has worked now with both her son and Luis' dad, Edu Manzano. So who is the better actor?

"I never got the chance to work with Doods in a real demanding drama. Karamihan din ng ginawa niya, action, di ba? Si Luis, mabibigat ang mga eksena dito sa 'In My Life,' and I can say na magaling si Edu, pero mas magaling ang anak namin. Need I say more? Ha-ha-ha!?"

***

Heart Evangelista's loss is Cristine Reyes' gain. Heart experienced abdominal pains while taping her Q 11 show, "Fashionistas with Heart," last Wednesday and had an emergency appendectomy at Makati Medical Center. In the role of a patient who turns out to be a creature of the night in "Patient X," she'll be required to do some difficult physical scenes and she couldn't do this in her condition now. Her doctors advised her not to do anything strenuous for the next few weeks, so she backed out of the film. "Naging totoo ang role ko," she says. "I really became a patient in a hospital."

It's good she has advanced several episodes for her GMA-7 soap, "Ngayon at Kailanman." As for Cristine, she considers it a big blessing to take over Heart's role. She's been launched before in "Green Paradise," a movie nobody watched. "Patient X" is really a much bigger project.

"I consider it a big blessing na sa'kin napunta ang role at thrilled akong makapareha si Richard Gutierrez," she says. "I read the script at talagang maganda and challenging ang role ko."

Cristine is a talent of Viva, who's co-producing the film with GMA Films and Richard's own Iced Out Productions. Since she's a sexy star, expect more sexy scenes to be injected in her role as a mysterious and alluring vamp. Their director, Yam Laranas, will just reshoot all the scenes that have been previously shot with Heart and this, of course, will mean additional expenses for the film's budget.

***

Eugene Domingo is lucky she can promote her solo flick, "Kimmy Dora, Kambal sa Kiyeme," on both ABS-CBN and GMA-7. She was interviewed by Boy Abunda in "The Buzz" and Toni Gonzaga in "E Live." Last Sunday, she took the lie detector test in John Lapus' "Don't Lie to Me" portion to help promote her film. Here are the questions to her: Sa palagay mo, magsyota na ba sina Dingdong Dantes at Marian Rivera? Her answer was yes and it'strue.

May lihim na pagtingin ka ba kay Anjo Yllana in "Cool Center"?

She said no and it's a lie.

Noong UP student ka ba, nagkarelasyon ka ba sa isang kaeskwela na director na ngayon? She said yes and it's true, referring to director Andoy Ranay. She adds: "Ang hirap, kasi bakla na siya ngayon. May gusto siguro siyang patunayan noon, nakatulong naman ako."

Pihikan ka ba sa lalaki kaya single ka pa rin?

"Yes. Choosy ako," she said. And it's a lie.

"Showbiz Central" last Sunday also showed the first taping day of "Stairway to Heaven" in Enchanted Kingdom starring Dingdong Dantes, Rhian Ramos and Jean Garcia, plus scenes from Dingdong's birthday celebration, "Dantes Peak," aired later that night. It also had a coverage of the recent wedding of former sexpot Klaudia Koronel with her Chinese American boyfriend, Andy Zhang, an I.T. exec, at the Iglesia ni Kristo Church on Commonwealth Ave. Among her bridesmaids were Ara Mina and Gladys Reyes. Andy promised to take good care of her. Instead of giving her an engagement ring, he gave her a new car.

The contestants of "Celebrity Duets" were grilled in "Intriga Crossfire," while Jessa Zaragoza was interviewed by DJ Mo in "Gimme Mo."

***

Senior actress Luz Valdez of LVN Pictures (introduced in the title role of "Chinita" in the late '50s) was present as Sam Milby renewed his contract for Dermablend Papaya Orange whitening beauty soap owned by Dina Stalder who happens to be Luz' niece. Dina's daughter, Diana, was the one who suggested they get Sam as endorser and he turned out to be very effective. Dina and husband Cris (a Fil-Swiss) own the Diana Stalder line of beauty productsnamed after their daughter.

"Dermablend is my very first endorsement, right after I came out from PBB in 2005," says Sam. "Kaya it's close to my heart."

Do you know that Sam's eardrum was badly hurt when Bea Alonzo slapped him hard in a scene in "And I Love You So"?

"It got perforated and would take three months to heal so bawal ako mag-swim for three months din kasi water might get in," he says. "Pero buti na rin, hindi na kailangan ang surgery."

Did he blame Bea for what happened?

"I know hindi naman niya sinasadya. It's just part of the job to make it look realistic."

Sam did sexy poses for the Dermablend publicity photos whose slogan is "White is the new sexy." Looks like he's ready to undress before the camera. "Dati na naman akong naghuhubad. Halos in every movie, I do that. What else do you want me to do? Gagawin ko."

His Tagalog is becoming more fluent. "I really want to speak it like a native kasi hindi naman puede lagi na lang Fil-Am ang role ko. People will get tired of me easily. Who knows? Someday I might play the role of a Pinoy speaking with a Visayan or Batangas accent, for a change."

How come it's rumored that his closeness to Angel Locsin caused her breakup with Luis Manzano?

"It's true that Angel and I got close while taping 'Only You,' but yun lang yun. Alam nyo naman, naghahanap ng mabe-blame ang ibang tao. Even Anne (Curtis, his ex) was blamed kasi close sila ni Luis. It's really funny kasi may nagsusulat ring nagkabalikan na kami ni Anne kasi we hang out again as friends."

So has he reconciled with her?

"We've both moved on, but I'm glad we're friends again. We'll just see where it'll go from there. I'm open to anything."

Dermablend is now looking for the Dermablend Girl as Sam's partner. Twenty girls will be chosen and they'll win big prizes. Sam is now also shooting "Tanging Pamilya" with Joseph Estrada and Ai Ai de las Alas.

Going back to Luz Valdez, she's now in "Adik Sa'Yo" and will also soon be taping "Now That I Have You" as Jennylyn Mercado's grandma. She's also in the filmfest entry, "Ang Panday," with Bong Revilla.

***

LJ Reyes and Paulo Avelino are both "Starstruck" discoveries. They got the chance to work together in "All My Life." LJ plays a girl in love with Aljur Abrenica while Paulo is in love with Kris Bernal. But off cam, they're the ones who became closer to one another and it's said they no longer hide their feelings for each other.

LJ was previously linked to Alfred Vargas, Mike Tan and a rich non-showbiz guy. Paulo was linked to Jewel Mische during their "Starstruck" days. They must be feeling sad now that "All My Life" will end by the third week of September.

This week, Aljur as Jules and Kris as Romina decide to part ways, with Jules leaving her. But after she reads the letter Jules left her, Romina realizes she's still in love with him and follows him in the bus station where they kiss and make up. Jules proposes marriage and she accepts it. They go to the municipio to work on their marriage but they meet an accident that hurts Romina's face badly. Meantime, moms Gelli de Belen and Manilyn Reynestry to make some moves so their family can patch things up with that of Lani Mercado.

Source: Malaya