RISTINE Hermosa
wants it for the record that she is again officially and happily single.
Likewise, she wants to assure Dina Bonnevie that there's nothing serious between
her and Dina's son, Oyo Sotto. They are just the best of friends, Kristine
stressed.
Dina, in her appearance in a talk program recently, expressed
her disappointment over the rumored romance between Kris-tine and Oyo.
When Kristine was asked if it's true that Oyo often visited
her on the set of "My Big Love," when she was still shooting it with Toni
Gonzaga and Sam Milby, Kristine replied: "Actually, dina-drive niya
ako sa shooting ko dahil wala akong driver.
"How nice of him, 'di ba?"
What's the status of his relationship with Diether Ocampo
who, at one time, was her rumored husband? They allegedly got married in Jaen,
Nueva Ecija. But the courts reportedly declared the marriage null and void.
***
Kristine is cast as the third party in the heart-warming
tandem of Toni Gonzaga and Sam Milby in the movie, "My Big Love."
How come she agreed to play a supporting role to Toni and
Sam?
"Frankly," Kristine answered, "I don't find anything wrong
with it. Sa akin naman, okay lang kung second lead lang ako sa kanila.
I would not even mind kung wala ako sa billing."
Star Cinema, which produced "My Big Love," gave Kristine the
honor to be billed first in the movie's layout.
"My Big Love" marks Kristine's first appearance with Toni and
Sam in a movie. Briefly, the three of them worked together in "ASAP Live," the
noontime show every Sunday on ABS-CBN.
Said Kristine: "Working with Toni and Sam in 'My Big Love' is
a new experience for me. And I love it."
"Besides, 'di ba," Kristine continued, "nasanay na
akong gumanap sa mga heavy drama, whether in my roles on TV, or the movies.
Pero itong 'My Big Love' is a light comedy. Kung may drama man,
kakaunti lang. Kaya tuwang-tuwa akong talaga."
***
Jade Castro, the young director of "My Big Love," confessed
that he felt nervous at first directing Kristine, Toni, and Sam. He described
them as big stars so he thought he had to handle them with care.
In no time, however, the three of them became friends.
Working with them was a breeze.
"Mapi-feel naman ito ng manonood once they
watch the movie. Ang gaan gaan nilang idirek na tatlo," related direk
Jade.
Before "My Big Love," Jade directed "Endo" (short for end of
contract), an indie film which earned glowing reviews not only in the
country but in international film festivals. "Endo" starred Jason Abalos and Ina
Feleo.
Direk Jade started working as a writer for Star Cinema.
He wrote the story of two Star Cinema movies, "D'Anothers" and "First Day High."
He became a producer after co-producing the indie
film, "Sarungbanggi."
He has always been a film lover, he said. He started watching
films at the age of six. The film he first saw, he remembered, was "Clash of
Titans."
His favorite directors, he said, are Ishmael Bernal, Mike de
Leon, and Lav Diaz.
"They are all story tellers," he said of them.
His main concern as a director, he said, is to make good
movies that are true to form. If the film is a comedy, it should be funny. If
it's drama, it should make the movie goers cry.
With "My Big Love," direk Jade is keeping his fingers
crossed that everybody who watches the movie leaves the theater smiling and
happy.
***
IT'S always a sad and painful experience when a loved one
dies.
My mom, Amparo Ramos, passed away a little after four in the
morning last Sunday. She was 95 years old.
Thus, it's always heartening, not to say, gratifying, when
friends and acquaintances shower you with sympathetic and encouraging messages.
One text message which truly touched our hearts came from
Ogie Diaz, a friend and fellow columnist. He is also a host of the showbiz
portion in "Umagang Kay Ganda." Ogie also hosts a radio show on DZXL, "Wow!
Showbiz."
Ogie, in his text, said that my mom must have died fulfilled,
for only a mother who has been loved and served by her children, like the way we
probably did, can only reach the age of 95.
In this regard, I'd like to thank my mom's yaya, Mary
Deliqueña, who served my mother for 17 years. Because of my mom, Mayang chose
not to take a vacation in her hometown in Botolan, Zambales. Mayang was at my
mom's beck and call. When my mom breathed her last at the ICU of the Lourdes
Hospital in Mandaluyong, she was with her. She tried as much as possible to stay
close to my mom whose remains will lie in state until Wednesday at the Maria
della Strada church, Katipunan Street, beside Miriam College and Ateneo de
Manila.
Viewing time for her remains is from 6 a.m. to midnight.
She will be interred at the Loyola Memorial in Marikina on Thursday after an
8 a.m. mass.
