Golden Divas talk about sex

"'Yun naman ang gusto ni Lotlot, so I hope she now finds what she's looking for dahil siya naman ang umalis ng bahay nila," she said at the presscon of the "Golden Divas" concert repeat held at her Greenhills restaurant. "I'm glad she's active now. Nasa 'Dyesebel' daw siya. I haven't seen her since she left five years ago and in fairness to Monching, naaalagaan naman niya nang maayos ang mga anak nilang iniwan sa kanya. Ang gaganda ng mga apo ko. Janine, the eldest, is now 18. May mga kumukuha mag-artista but I think Monching is right in his decision that they all finish their studies first."

Someone asks her what's the secret of her youthful looks?

"Sex. Importante 'yun."

Her colleague Carmen Soriano was there and asked her: "Totoo ba 'yan? What does it feel like? Kasi nakalimutan ko na as I haven't done it for so many years."

"You know, it actually depends on your partner. My husband Carlos and I are together almost 24 hours a day and he's active, very active pa rin. I'll talk to you later in private and I will teach you. Sabi ko kasi sa'yo hahanapan kita ng boyfriend. I'll introduce you to an Australian who just moved here. I've known him for a long time at bagay sa'yo kasi mahilig din sa music. We all need an inspiration and music, love, sex and happiness come together."

"Actually, I don't need sex," says Carmen. "I can do it by myself."

"Yes, but it's not as exciting!" says Pilita. "Mas maganda ang may partner kaysa 'All By Myself'."

Pilita is optimistic that the "Golden Divas" repeat on May 30 will be an even bigger hit than the first.

"Kasi ang venue now is SMX at Mall of Asia and they have elevators there. Sa Music Museum naman, ang taas-taas ng hagdan, marami kaming fans na hindi na maka-akyat, lalo na 'yung mga naka-wheelchair. And this time, we will show na kaya pa naming mag-Britney Spears at Cristina Aguilera para mas mag-enjoy ang crowd. Pati gowns namin, puro bago lahat."

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The afternoon soap "Maging Akin Ka Lamang" is ending this Friday and replacing it starting Monday is the TV remake of "Magdusa Ka" starring Katrina Halili in the lead role originally played by Dina Bonnevie. How does she feel now that many people doubt if she could be credible playing a lead role?

"Siempre, kinakabahan ako," she says. "Lalo na nga Ms. D won several best actress awards for this movie. Sa akin naman, huwag agad tawaran ang kakayahan ko. Hindi ko siya puedeng tapatan but with the help of our director, Maryo de los Reyes, I promise to do my very best and I pray that they'll watch the show muna before they pass judgment on me. Aminado naman akong mas nadadalian na akong gumanap sa villain roles kasi automatic na sa'kin 'yung ganung inaapi ko ang bida. So big challenge for me to portray a role na ako naman ang api-apihan. Patutunayan kong makakaya ko rin 'yan kahit nahihirapan ako dahil ako naman ngayon ang iyak nang iyak dito."

What can she say about Iwa Moto doubting if she could play a "bida" competently?

"Iwa and I are friends. Para nga kaming magkapatid kasi Ate ang tawag sa'kin niya dahil nauna ako sa kanya sa 'Starstruck,' 'di ba? She doesn't mean anything naman when she said that. Binigyan lang ng ibang kulay ng ibang tao para kami pag-awayin. Pero ayun, hindi namin pinatulan. We get along fine sa set ng 'Magdusa Ka,' where she's the one who plays contravida to me."

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Playing the role of Toyang, the unforgiving mother who uttered the title "Magdusa Ka," is Rita Avila. It was originally played by the late Nida Blanca in the movie. Nida scored a grand slam as best supporting actress for her performance. How does Rita feel as she fills in Nida's shoes?

"It's unnerving, of course, lalo na nga't nakatrabaho ko rin si Tita Nida noong araw at naging neighbor ko pa," says the former Seiko Jewel who also shone in her time in "Sumayaw Ka, Salome." "But Direk Maryo told me na huwag gayahin ang performance niya dahil ibang interpretation naman itong sa amin. I am just too thankful that GMA-7 assigned me this role dahil challenging siya talaga."

Doesn't she feel too young to play mom to Katrina? "Hindi naman. Okay lang sa akin at this point to play mother roles dahil tapos na ako sa pa-cute roles noong araw."

How come some of her contemporaries won't play mother roles, like Gretchen Barretto?

"Well, sayang, kasi they're missing a lot lalo na kung ganito kaganda ang role."

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Director Maryo de los Reyes says the new version of "Magdusa Ka" should not be compared to the film version originally directed by Eddie Garcia in 1986. "'Yung original kasi, considered classic na 'yun, kaya hindi mo na kailangang pantayan o higitan pa. Ito naman, it's a new and expanded TV version na malayo na sa klasikong pelikula. When this was offered to me, I got excited kasi they gave me a formidable cast. Ang una kong challenge is how to make Katrina Halili convincing in a bida role. Kasi, for so many years, nasanay na siya in contravida roles kaya naging inherent o second nature na sa kanya playing such roles. I told her na kung comfort zone na niya playing such heavy roles, she should get out of that at dapat sanayin niya ang sarili niya na tigilan na ang contravida acting, pati na sa delivery niya ng lines niya. Hindi na puede 'yung masyadong malakas ang dating niya. Kailangan, mas low key na, so I guard even her facial expressions para hindi too strong sa harap ng kamera. And so far, I think we're succeeding dahil serious naman siya with her craft. A lot of people will be surprised by her restrained and finely nuanced portrayal here."

"Magdusa Ka" was written as a komiks novel by Pablo Gomez. Katrina plays Christine, a poor waitress raised alone by her "lavandera" mom, Toyang. Her boyfriend is Rod (Dennis Trillo, played then by Christopher de Leon), a jeepney driver disliked by Toyang. She elopes with Rod but he proves to be a two-timer, so she lives with her rich father (Gardo Versoza, originally played by the late Dindo Fernando), who's married to Olivia (Jackie Lou Blanco, then played by Liza Lorena), whose daughter Millet (Iwa Moto, then played by Pinky Amador) makes life miserable for Christine. It turns out that Rod himself has a wealthy dad (Emilio Garcia) and a half-brother (Gabby Eigenmann), who also oppresses Rod. The only member of the cast who's in the film and TV versions is Liza Lorena. She now plays the role of Donya Perla, originally played by Armida Siguion-Reyna in the movie.

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Emilio Garcia looked dashing and debonair in his black suit at the presscon of "Magdusa Ka," where he plays Gerry, the filthy rich father of Dennis Trillo and Gabby Eigenmann. He also looks too young to be the father of Dennis and Gabby. "I don't really mind doing father roles kasi father na naman talaga ako in real life," he says. "Thankful nga akong hindi ako nakakalimutan ng GMA-7 at lagi nila akong kinukuha. After playing the husband of Dina Bonnevie in Direk Joel Lamangan's, 'Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita,' heto and I play a longer role in 'Magdusa Ka.' At least, hindi ako nababakante."

Emilio just won the Gawad Tanglaw best supporting actor award for his crackerjack performance as a quiet but deadly prisoner who has an affair with Sid Lucero in the indie film, "Selda." He's now also nominated for the same film in the forthcoming Star Awards. "I'm so happy that my acting finally gets recognized and it serves as an incentive for me para mas pagbutihin ko pang lalo ang bawat performance ko," he adds.

He is now doing two more indie films, "Rosario" with Lovi Poe, directed by the team of Paolo Villuna and Ellen Ramos (who also directed "Selda") and "Manghuhula" with Eula Valdez and Glaiza de Castro, directed by Paolo Herras.

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