MARIAN Rivera’s detractors who claim her heyday is over
since she doesn’t have a show now should have been at "Black Magic," the Jag
Denim Fashion Show at Mall of Asia last Friday to see how countless fans
trooped to watch her sashay on the ramp in their back-to-school collection
with a sophistical tailored feel.
Marian was in her element and oozing with confidence as she
was no doubt the star of the show, even if there were foreign models around
who’re taller than her. But her fans who love watching her on TV will see her
soon in "Narda," the new title of "Darna" to differentiate from past Darna.
"I continue to train for the role," she says. "Sanay na
nga akong lumipad while hanging. Masaya, I’m enjoying it. Tuloy
rin ang martial arts training ko. They want my movements to be
softer, kasi boyish daw, parang lalaki. So gusto nila,
maging feminine ang movements ko, pati paglipad ko."
Is it true Darna will have a new costume?
"I think GMA has designed something na mas bagay sa’kin
at magiging comfortable ako. Kasi it’s difficult to move in a
costume na hindi ka comfortable."
So who’ll be her leading man?
"I’m not sure yet. May mga naririnig lang ako. May
nagsasabi si Mark Anthony Fernandez daw, which is fine with me
kasi mahusay siyang artista. I’m not in a position naman to choose
so I’ll just trust the management who they’ll pick for me."
The name of Mark Herras, who was linked to her before, also
cropped up. "He’s just fine with me. Whatever issues we had then, wala na
‘yun. Naayos na. We see each other in ‘SOP’ at nagkukumustahan kami."
So it’s just fine with her that Dingdong Dantes will also
have a new leading lady in "Stairway to Heaven"?
"Oo naman. But it’s not clear yet also who’ll be
paired with him. Kung sinuman ‘yun, I’m sure GMA will also make the
right choice."
She won’t get jealous?
"Bakit naman? Trabaho lang naman ang lahat. Walang
selosan."
It’s also a big question mark as to who’ll play Valentina
to her Darna. Is Katrina Halili fine with her?
"Oo naman. Walang problemang magkatrabaho kami uli.
Nagkaroon kami ng issue noon sa ‘Marimar’ pero nagkabati kami’t
naging friends in the course of the show. Right now, being a woman, I
really sympathize with her and I want to help her makabalik sa normal."
Dingdong is said to have her initials tattooed on his leg.
Is it true she also had his name tattooed somewhere on her body?
"Naku, kung anuman ‘yung mga tattoo na ‘yun
on whatever part of our, sa amin na lang ‘yun, please. Basta
importante ‘yun."
Her photos for Jag Black Denim with Will Devaughn were shot
on location in Australia. "I enjoyed working with Will as he’s an accomplished
model at masayang katrabaho. Jag reinvented our looks by giving the
fotos a dark edge. I’m portrayed here as a sexy temptress."
After the Jag fashion show, Marian went down the stage and
shook hands with her countless fans to disprove that she is "suplada at
mataray."
***
Will Devaughn is happy to be reunited with Marian in the
Jag Denim show. They were paired before in "Desperadas 1 and 2."
"Working with Marian is always a joy as she’s very
professional," he says. "Doing the Jag Black pictorial is the most challenging
photo shoot I’ve done as I was literally hung upside down on a harness in the
Houdini shot where I’m wearing studded leather and chains. The Jag creative
team does not believe in computer and digital shots so they really hung me
nang pabaligtad for five minutes for each take. It took three hours to
perfect the pictorial with me also wearing storm washed jeans and horns."
Will is now doing "Precious Hearts Presents: Bud Brothers"
with ABS-CBN and he co-stars with controversial doctor-actress Maricar Reyes.
"All of us in the cast sympathize with her. She just keeps quiet on the set
and we respect her decision to be by herself most of the time. Siempre,
we all want to give her space. Women should be honored and respected, not
subjected to such a kind of public humiliation."
Will himself was the object of a cellphone sex video where
Palmolive Palma of the Baywalk Bodies was said to be doing oral sex on him. He
wasn’t in showbiz then yet. He denied it and it died a natural death.
***
Cristine Reyes was not visible in "Banana Split" last
Saturday. Is it because it’s bruited about that she wants to go back to GMA-7
and be a Kapuso again. We heard there are now arrangements between GMA and her
manager, Veronique del Rosario, for her to play Phaedra, the villain to Carla
Abellana in "Rosalinda." We thought Cristine didn’t want to play supporting
roles anymore after she was given a starring role by ABS-CBN in "Eva Fonda."
But how come she’s now willing to play contravida to a total newcomer?
Looks like GMA really wants their newest bet to stardom to
have great support. Jessa Zaragoza has already agreed to play her stepmother,
saying she’s willing to stay in Manila for good. Is this a confirmation that
her marriage to Dingdong Avanzado is really on the rocks? Jessa is said to be
not pleased that Dingdong is having another concert with ex-girlfriend Rachel
Alejandro again when she already expressed her displeasure when they did a
show together.
***
It is good Hayden Kho has Dr. Vicki Belo to help him out
financially, paying for his lawyers and PR firm to clean up his image. As for
Katrina Halili, we’re told she herself is spending for all her legal battles
and her savings will soon be depleted because of her financial obligations. A
confidante of hers says some interested parties have expressed their desire to
help her but she decided not to accept them as she doesn’t want to be beholden
to anyone while she’s waging a personal battle against the man who ruined her
reputation.
"Baka nga naman malagyan pa ng ibang kulay o magkaroon
ng kung anong issue, kaya huwag na lang," says our source. "There
are also offers to do out-of-town shows but she decided to focus on the case
muna and all the hearings, pati sa PDEA kasi pinagbibintangan
siya ni Hayden at ina nito na isang addict. Ayun, nagpa-drug
test na siya sa kanila. But she has not been given any assignment by
GMA for several months now. Her last was as a guest in ‘Dear Friend,’ so
wala talaga siyang bagong income. Meron sana siyang two new
endorsements but they backed out because of the scandal. Malaki talaga ang
nawala sa kanyang income dahil sa kaguluhang ito."
***
Chynna Ortaleza plays the evil contravida Maya who
makes Jennylyn Mercado’s life miserable in "Paano Ba ang Mangarap?" and she
says her fans chide her for oppressing their idol when they see her in public.
"Even when I do out-of-town shows, people call me Maya. Merong natutuwa,
meron din namang takot sa’kin thinking mataray talaga ako in real
life."
Is she willing to do another villain role?
"Oo naman. I’m ready for any kind of role. It’s nice
to do character roles and I think GMA is really trying to mold me to be a
character actress. As long as the role is challenging, I’m willing to do any
role dahil I know mas mahahasa roon ang talent ko sa pag-arte."
"Paano Ba ang Mangarap?" is ending this week but she has no
new assignment yet. "While I’m in between shows, magre-rest muna ako
kasi ‘Paano’ is really nakakapagod. Noong last two days namin,
30 hours kami ni Jennylyn, dire-diretso. Nakahiga na kami sa sahig
sa sobrang pagod. But even if I’m not working, busy pa rin ako sa
studies ko sa UP Open University."
How about her boyfriend, Railey Valeroso?
"Okay. Kami pa rin. Six years na kami on July
1."
Will wedding bells ring soon?
"Naku, hindi pa. Right now, we’re both busy, so
sinisingit lang namin ‘yung pagkikita namin. No need to rush naman,
siguro ‘pag 30 na kami."
***
Noranians must be glad that last weekend, the winners in
the hit game show, "The Singing Bee," was the team of Nora Aunor
impersonators, so they will now be the defending champions this weekend.
"Tribute namin kay Ate Guy ang pananalo namin
dito at sisikapin naming magtagal as champions," says Lady Gay.
They will be up against the representatives of bands
Soapdish, Moonstar 88, SinoSikat, Kenyo, and The Bloomfields.
On Sunday, they will be facing gay contestants Ate Glow,
Vice Ganda, IC Mendoza, DJ Laila, sexy girls Krista Ranillo, Regine Angeles,
Jaymee Joaquin, Aiza Marquez and Jennifer Ilustre, and macho guys Alwyn
Uytingco and Ketchup Eusebio.
Host Cesar Montano is very happy as their ratings continue
to go up.
***
Two of Star Magic’s celebrants are Mara Lopez, daughter of
Maria Isabel Lopez, and Nico Antonio, son of celebrity lawyer, Atty. Joji
Alonso.
Mara turned 18 on May 20 and she was at the Cannes Filmfest
with her mom, who plays the role of the butchered prostitute in Brilliante
Mendoza’s award-winning entry, "Kinatay."
"I’m happy for my mom for her to be part of an
internationally acclaimed film," she says. "It’s my first time for me to be in
such a prestigious festival and it’s a memorable experience for me."
Mara is graduating from her Com Arts course at La Salle
soon. She has finished an indie film by a US-based filmmaker, "Sta. Mesa,"
that won the Special Jury Award at the San Francisco Asian-American Filmfest
where she played a sampaguita vendor who falls in love with a Fil-Am
balikbayan from New Jersey. She is also filming "Junkshop," with Ronnie
Lazaro.
Nico is glad to be a part of Star Magic. The eldest of 4
kids, he was 11 when his parents separated. "Nagrebelde ako’t nagluko sa
pag-aaral," he says. "But when I became 16, I realized sarili kong
buhay ang sinisira ko at hindi sa kanila so I reformed myself. I majored
in European studies at the Ateneo and I’m now in law proper at San Sebastian."
His younger siblings, Angela and Rafael, are also taking up
law at the Ateneo. Their youngest, Manuel Luis, is a high school sophomore. He
loves acting and singing and has done some plays and movies. He has also
appeared in ABS-CBN shows like "Maalaala Mo Kaya" and now plays a lawyer in
the new teleserye of Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa, "Dahil May
Isang Ikaw." In "ASAP," he’s part Voyzboys with Guji Lorenzana, Ronnie Liang
ang Jay-R Siaboc. They will have a show at Metrobar on August 8. He also sings
the theme song of the directorial debut of Bing Lao, "Biyaheng Lupa."
***
Q Channel 11’s family cooking show, "Daddylicious" of Chef
Nino Logarta, will have the culmination of their Kids Summer Cooking Worshop
on Saturday with his young apprentices, Yumi and Miggy, preparing special
dishes: Squid Escabeche, Bibingka Souffle and Pureed Carrot Soup. Favorite
guests Mommy Gidget and her daughter Karel will be the judges. Joining them
are the parents of Yumi and Miggy, plus Chef Nino’s two daughters, Cy and Tia.
There will be a graduation ceremony where a certificate of completion, a
kitchen tool box starter kit, and of course, their very own toques will be
waiting for both Yumi and Miggy. Will Yumi and Miggy’s kitchen masterpieces
pass the judges’ taste? Find out this Saturday, 10:55 a.m., on Q Channel 11
