Marian Rivera as Marimar...Aw!

Marian Rivera as Marimar...Aw! "click on image for a larger view"

Bernard Palanca Hindi Ipasasagot Kay Willie Revillame ang Gastos sa Binyag ni Elijah!

Bernard Palanca Hindi Ipasasagot Kay Willie Revillame ang Gastos sa Binyag ni Elijah! "click on the image for a larger view"

Si Kim Chiu na ang Nagma-manage sa Finances ni Gerald Anderson?

Si Kim Chiu na ang Nagma-manage sa Finances ni Gerald Anderson? "click on the image for a larger view"

Bea Alonzo Super Payat Na

Bea Alonzo Super Payat Na

One Sided View of Diether Ocampo

One Sided View of Diether Ocampo "click on the image for a larger view"

Ara: Don't Underestimate Me

ARA MINA IS CLEARLY UPSET.

In spite of the laughs and revelry on the set of GMA 7's "Bubble Gang," the singer-actress can't hide her annoyance.

She can't understand why she's being linked, romantically, with boxer Manny Pacquiao, her leading man in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry "Anak ng Kumander."

When her name was mentioned as possible singer of the Philippine National Anthem for Pacquiao's rematch with Mexico's Marco Antonio Barrerra in Las Vegas on Oct. 6, she was again deluged with intrigues. This one came with snide remarks.

She demands: "Why are people underestimating me? I am no biritera (belter), but "Lupang Hinirang' is not meant to be belted. It was [composed] by Julian Felipe as a march."

She insists that it wasn't her idea in the first place. "The promoters know that I do concerts abroad [and] I was asked to audition."

She thought nothing of trying out, and isn't perturbed now that R&B singer Kyla has gotten the nod. (This was confirmed by Wilson Tieng of Solar Sports.)

"I'm happy for Kyla. She's a good singer--and a friend. I know she'll do well," Ara tells INQUIRER Entertainment.

She is still unsure of watching the Vegas fight. "My friend Rustom [Padilla] is persuading me to join him [after which] we're also planning to go to New York."

Whether she's going to Vegas, she insists, will depend on her work schedule, and will not be affected by the idle chatter concerning Pacman.

"It's stressful," she admits. "It's as if every move I make involves Manny."

She understands why Manny's wife Jinkee got affected by the controversies. "I feel for her and her family. I'd like to meet her, so we can put this behind us."

She was bothered by the rumor that she earned P3 million for "Kumander," she says. "I'm not hung up on talent fee. If I were, I wouldn't be doing independent movies like 'Selda.'"

Just distressing for her was the news that her kissing scene with Manny took nine takes.

"That was exaggerated," she explains. "My love scene with Sid [Lucero] in 'Selda' was more torrid, but it wasn't played up in the media."

She's clearly proud of her work in that movie, directed by Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos. "In one scene, I had to cry for five minutes straight."

Ara is also thinking of producing her own indie digital movie, with sister Cristine Reyes as co-star.

"As producer," quips Big Sis, "I'll make sure she won't get exploited."

Source: PDI by Bayani San Diego Jr.

Direk Lino Cayetano is on The Right Track

Born on Jan. 4, 1978, director Lino Cayetano is the youngest of four kids of the late Sen. Renato Cayetano. "The eldest is Pia, followed by Allan, then Renren, at ako na," he says. "Pia and Ren are married."
He finished grade and high school at the Benedictine in Alabang then took up Mass Communication in UP. "In high school, I was into social science, politics and sports. But in college, I planned to take up broadcasting sana, kasi idol ko si Noli de Castro. It was also at that time that my dad went into radio and TV and he realized the power of the media in helping more people. When I took up some film courses, that's when I changed my mind and wanted to be a director. I saw Ishmael Bernal's Manila By Night and realized you can make films where you can incorporate your views about politics and life. Pwede pala. I also like Lino Brocka's Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag. After graduation, I took cinematography and film directing classes at the New York Film Academy, New York University and the School of Visual Arts. I was eager to direct my first narrative film, but when I returned here, wala naman akong makuhang trabaho so I taught film courses in UP for two years."

It was GMA 7 that first gave him the chance to direct on TV. "I had this concept na 'Who Wants to be an Artista', parang Who Wants to be a Millionaire. GMA naman had its concept about a reality search at naging swak ang ideas nila with mine, so that's how StarStruck was born."

He directed the very successful first StarStruck that produced the likes of Mark Herras, Jennylyn Mercado, Yasmien Kudi, Katrina Halili, Cristine Reyes and Nadine Samonte. The next StarStruck finds didn't become as popular as those of the first batch. By then, Lino has moved to ABS-CBN.

"They offered me to direct the Maalaala Mo Kaya episode about my dad's life story, with Ronaldo Valdez playing my dad and John Lloyd Cruz as me. It turned out so well they even replayed it, then they offered me a contract to do films and TV shows for them, so, nagpaalam ako nang maayos sa GMA. I was given the chance to work with director Maryo de los Reyes in two teleseryes, Anghel na Walang Langit and Calla Lily. I consider him my mentor as I learned so much from him."

As we're having lunch, we notice he's eating nothing but greens so we ask him if his diet is restricted after he donated part of his liver to his dad. "Bawal sa 'kin ang fatty foods kasi when part of my liver was removed, inalis pati gall bladder ko as it was attached to my liver. Now, I must have periodic checkups to see if my liver is doing okay."

Writer Mel del Rosario, who scripted his first full-length film, I've Fallen For You, says he is a producer's nightmare. "Not because he goes overbudget but because ang dami rin niyang fans na nagpakuha ng litrato with him kaya nadi-disrupt ang shooting," she adds. "Sabi ko nga, mabuti pa yung mga baklang director na walang fans, hindi naiistorbo ang trabaho sa set. I told him if this first movie of his wouldn't click, gagawin ko na lang siyang bold actor."

Lino has become a celebrity himself due to his involvement with Bianca Gonzales before and now, with KC Concepcion. He and Bianca broke up after she was linked with Zanjoe Marudo when they were on PBB Celebrity Edition.

Now, despite the rumors that he and KC are playing beautiful music together, Lino chooses not to talk about it.

"There are people who are very open and comfortable talking about their personal life and I'm not one of them. It's my own choice. But I don't hide naman my admiration for KC. After all, she's beautiful and very talented. I also want to thank her mom (Sharon Cuneta) for all the nice things she said about me."

Lino was supposed to direct his first film last year yet, an episode in the supposed trilogy, 'Wag Kang Lilingon.' "But they scrapped the third episode and made it just a twin bill. I felt so sad then."

But Mel, who has helped launch the careers of many directors, says what happened then turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he's now given the chance to do a full-length film and not just one episode in a trilogy. She's confident I've Fallen for You will be a hit.

"I saw the rough edit at magaganda ang visuals niya. The movie is not just about the love story of Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson but also that of their elders, Albert Martinez and Lotlot de Leon as Kim's parents, and Chin Chin Gutierez and Lloyd Samartino naman kay Gerald. I told him nga, 'Aba, marunong ka pala magdirek, may kinabukasan ka.'"

"It's really worth the wait as I don't want the usual romance na pampakilig lang, kasi when you're 17, hindi lang naman lovelife ang priority mo," adds Lino. "I'm thankful to Star Cinema that they allowed me to do the film I had in mind, as I also want to face, the choices they have to make in life, and the consequences they have to face as a result of their decisions. I want a movie that offers good values for the whole family."

In the story, Kim and Gerald have the same name: Alex Reyes. There's a reason behind this. It will turn out that Kim's dad and Gerald's mom were once sweethearts and Kim's mom has a difficulty accepting the fact that Gerald's mom is really her husband's one true love. How this affects the love affair of Kim and Gerald is part of the film's very absorbing plot line.

What kind of films does he want to make later? "I feel very strongly about family life so I want to do a drama about relationships between a father and a son or a daughter. The Hollywood film I really like is The Godfather series of Francis Ford Coppola as it's really about a family."

What does he prefer: Box-office success or artistic acclaim? 'That's a tough question. I think I just want to make films that people will watch. As of now, basta happy ako with my first film and I'd like to thank all the people I worked with, from the stars to the crew, as I know we have a film we can all be proud of."

Source: The Philippine STAR Entertainment by Mario E. Bautista

Carmina Villaroel's Twin Joys

Host-actress Carmina Villaroel is in a daze.

She admits that her hectic work schedule--juggling the daily talk show "Sis" and nightly soap "Mga Mata ni Angelita" -- has left her spaced out.

"[Once] I got home from 'Angelita' at 5 a.m. and woke up at 7 a.m.," she relates. "Good thing, [co-hosts] Ate Janice and Gelli [de Belen] are there to cover for me when I feel like a zombie."

She's been so preoccupied that she didn't even know that ex-husband Rustom Padilla had tied for Best Actor with Mark Gil at the Gawad Urian last week.

"A guest on 'Sis' told me about it. I had been out of the loop," she explains. "I'd much rather tend to my kids than watch TV when I'm home kasi."

Lest it be misconstrued, she swiftly stresses that she's proud of Rustom's achievement.

"I'm, glad for him. I've gotten over what happened [between us]. Since I'm happy with my life, I also want him to be happy with his. A Gawad Urian is such a big blessing."

Rustom, who has maintained cordial relations with his ex-wife, echoes the same sentiments: "It's clear that she's happy and that she wishes me happiness. Her children are so beautiful!"

Hands-on mom

Her 6-year-old twins by partner Zoren Legaspi are the main reasons that she's working so hard, Carmina points out.

No matter how busy, she's still a hands-on mom. "I bring Mavy and Cassy to school. Even if I lacked sleep the night before, I wake up early and have breakfast with them."

Constant communication is a must for her. "Even if I'm in a faraway location, I call them."

On the set of the series "Angelita," which wraps up its run this week, she is often thinking of the kids.

"I see my daughter Cassy in [young co-star] Kristal [Reyes]," Carmina says. "They're both sweet and affectionate."

Since she herself joined the biz at the tender age of 12, she feels for child stars like Kristal. "I often ask about her studies. I advise her to never give up schooling. I can be inquisitive. It's the TV host in me," she admits.

She's just as protective of her twins who've started doing TV ads, too. "Zoren and I are present on the set to make sure that the working conditions are okay. We don't want our kids to feel it's work. It's as if they're playing lang."

She affirms that she has a lot of things to be thankful for.

Last month, she received an unexpected birthday gift--a phone call from longtime crush Hollywood actor Josh Hartnett who shot a movie in the South.

"I loved him in '40 Days and 40 Nights,' 'Hollywood Homicide' and 'Pearl Harbor,'" she says.

At the time of the call, she was preparing gifts for indigent kids, with whom she celebrated her birthday.

"A friend [who worked in the US production] called and passed the phone to Josh," she recounts. "I didn't want to sound like a fan, so I tried to keep cool. But he was so nice and sincere that I couldn't help myself. At the end of the call, I let out a shriek. I heard him laughing."

As bonus: "My friend told me that all throughout our conversation, Josh was smiling."

Source: PDI by Bayani San Diego Jr.

Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson I've Fallen For You

September 26, Wednesday will the premier showing of the most romantic and exciting film for the last quarter of 2007. Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson with director Lino Cayetano will be in Cebu on Monday for the film premier at SM Cinema 2.

"Natutuwa po kami na may bago na naman kaming regalo sa inyo dahil po sa sobrang init ng inyong pagtanggap sa amin in the past year na andito kami sa show business. Sana po magustuhan nyo," Kim says.

Gerald adds: "We are truly blessed and I hope that you will be able to watch this movie with your whole family. Why? Kasi punong-puno ng lessons ang pelikula namin. Desicion-making at a young age, maturity, 'yan and ilan lang sa lessons. It's just not a love story. It's a love story and more!"

But insiders from Star Cinema who have seen the movie’s rushes definitely believe that Kim and Gerald has taken chemistry to a whole new level. Indeed, the two are ready for superstardom. “Nagpapasalamat po kami sa lahat ng pagtitiwala. Kaya po ngayon, ang panalangin po namin ay hindi po kami mapapahiya sa inyo, dahil talaga namang we’re very proud of what we’ve done,” said Kim.

“I’ve Fallen For You” will be in over 100 cinemas all over the country on September 26!