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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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MANILA --- John Lloyd Cruz admits he did feel bad when he first learned that Bea Alonzo would be paired with Piolo Pascual in “Dreamboy.”
“Siguro, na-insecure lang ako,” he says, “kasi magtatatlong taon na rin kaming magka-love team. We did two teleseryes together (‘Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay’ and ‘It Might Be You’), which were both successful. Iyong dalawa ring movies naming ginawa (‘My First Romance’ and ‘Now That I Have You’) were big hits at the tills.
“It took a while before I realized that what Star Cinema and ABS-CBN were doing was just part of a new career plan for Bea, and for me, too,” he adds.
John Lloyd says he does not have to watch “Dreamboy,” to say that it’s a good movie.
“Knowing Direk Gilbert (Perez, who is the director of ‘Dreamboy’), I know he did a great job. I am really going to watch it. And I really hope ‘Dreamboy’ does very well at the tills. For Bea and Piolo’s sake, too.” His next movie assignment will still not have Bea. He will be doing a movie with Aga Muhlach and Claudine Barretto to be directed by Rory Quintos and filmed in Dubai.
John Lloyd was touched when he learned of Bea’s reaction to the report that he was hospitalized due to drug overdose.
Bea allegedly said: “Sa more than three years kong nakatrabaho si John Lloyd, ‘di ko napansing nagda-drugs siya. Ang pagkakakilala ko sa kanya, straight person siya.”
Bea, a wide reader at 17, learned how to detect a drug addict or an alcoholic from her readings.
“Actually, it was John Lloyd who encouraged me to read books,” relates Bea. “He gave me the book, ‘Tuesdays with Morrie,’ and after that, I became hooked. I’ve grown fond of reading lalo na ng mga inspirational books.”
Bea is looking forward to taping her third teleserye with John Lloyd, which will most likely co-star them with Maricel Soriano. The two are big fans of the Diamond Star.
Bea and John Lloyd, together with their “It Might Be You” co-star Maja Salvador, are leaving soon for the US to do a concert. (MNS)
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MANILA --- Joyce Jimenez has left to finish her marketing studies at Griffith College in Gold Coast, Australia. She’s glad to have completed a new movie before her departure, Cine Suerte’s “Birhen ng Manaoag.”
“When Director Ben Yalung first called me to offer the film, I laughed and couldn’t believe it as I’m known as a sexy actress,” she says. “I said: are you sure you want to get me? This is a religious movie. What will I play, Mary Magdalene? Then he told me I will play a teacher who learns she’s dying of leukemia and wants to prepare her husband before she dies.
“It’s a challenging role, but the problem is I’m going to school and I will leave nga in February and couldn’t help them promote it. You know, hanga ako sa kanila, they adjusted to my schedule. When I have classes at Thames College, wala akong shooting. Okay lang sa kanila kahit wala na ako for the promo, but at least, I got to attend the presscon before I left.”
She’s glad to be a part of the film. “I first became aware of the Virgin of Manaoag through Kris Aquino. She was mentioning the Virgin frequently. E, kahit sexy star ako, religious din naman ako as I studied in a Catholic school in the US for 12 years.
“When I started doing sexy movies, nagka-conflict din ako but I believe God naman will not disown me because of my roles. Marami namang stars who play murderers, ‘di ba? Ang sexy roles ko naman, part of my being an actress. When we shot on location at Manaoag, talagang nagandahan ako sa church and their Rosary Garden with life-sized statues of the Station of the Cross. It was very peaceful there. I have a scene showing me making lakad ng paluhod to the altar while crying. First time ko to do it. Ang hirap.”
So how did she interpret the role of a dying woman? “Mahirap kasi I’ve never had a loved one who had a terminal illness. Hindi ako maka-relate. But with the help of Direk Ben, I think he was able to motivate me well. It also helped that my partner is Albert Martinez, with whom I’ve done several films na kaya relaxed na ako with him.”
Will she refrain from doing sex films from now on?
“No naman. Kaya lang, I’m not young anymore. Twenty-six na ako last Oct. 19. If I’d go sexy again, it has to be really worth it. Kung pangit, huwag na lang.”
Joyce is leaving the operation of her four lingerie stores of Private Joyce in SM Manila, SM North Edsa, Sta. Lucia East and Greenhills to her manager, Shirley Kuan. (MNS)
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MANILA --- Only a few people know that Pops Fernandez and Regine Velasquez are the best of friends. "I owe Pops a lot," says Regine. "After I won in 'Bagong Kampeon,' she recommended me to sing in her show with Martin (Nievera), 'Penthouse Live'."
"I heard her singing sa isang live show in a carnival and I said: who is that?" says Pops. "I looked for her and I didn't know nagdaan na pala sa harap ko. She was so thin then. I told the people on GMA to get her."
"Pops was so nice she even lent me some of her clothes then kasi poor lang ako at wala akong damit," says Regine.
Since then, they've done shows together in Japan, US and Europe.
"It's in Europe na nag-bonding kami nang husto," says Pops. "We found out we have some things in common: our love for eating and shopping. Pero ang favorite line: Girl, kailangan tayong mag-diet."
What is Regine's best qualities as a friend? "You can trust her. At the time I was having problems with my marriage, kinukuwentuhan ko siya lagi and she really knows how to keep a secret. And she's by nature very generous, not just to me but even to other people."
"At sabihin mo," Regine butts in, "napakaganda ko."
"O 'yon, napakaganda raw niya," Pops obeys her.
And what is Pops' best qualities? "She's always been very supportive. She pushes you as an artist to achieve more. Parang Ate ko talaga siya at feeling baby ako. And she's always very sweet and thoughtful."
Finally, they get to do a Valentine concert together on Feb. 11 and 12 at the Ultra, "Queens on Fire," their first time to do a back-to-back show in Manila.
"We'll be doing a lot of duets. The audience will get a surprise as we'll be singing songs na panlalaki but given new arrangements by our two musical directors, Homer Flores and Raul Mitra," says Pops.
In April, they'll take the show to the US where there's a demand for them to perform together. The show's title is "Queens on Fire" because Pops is known as the Concert Queen while Regine is the Queen of Song. But why "On Fire"?
"Because we're both on fire when it comes to our passion for our craft, for our career," says Pops. "And also, this is a concert that shows women's power."
Both of them has two shows. Pops is in "Sing Galing" and "Pops" on ABC-5. Regine is in "Pinoy Pop Superstar" and "S.O.P." on GMA-7. Is it true Pops will also be doing a new soap for GMA? "Sorry but they have no offer. But ABC-5 is very pleased with the ratings and commercial load of my shows."
How did Regine feel now that "Pinoy Pop Superstar" will be competing with "Search for Star in a Million" on ABS-CBN, hosted by Sarah Geronimo and Mark Bautista who were discovered in an amateur show she herself hosted?
"I'm happy for them. Ganyan lang naman talaga sa showbiz. Okay lang maski tapatan nila kami. We'll just take it as a challenge to make our show better. Ang maganda sa GMA-7, they don't pressure me na Hoy, may bago kayong kalaban, mas galingan n'yo. On my own, I really just do my best." (MNS)
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MANILA --- Lucy Torres has all the right to get mad about the rumor that she’s a shoplifter.
This started circulating the other year yet. She was said to have stolen a watch from Rustan’s. She said then that it’s not true, thinking the rumor would die down simply. But lately, it returned as a blind item, more vicious than before, and also circulated in text and internet messages with added embroidery saying her husband Richard Gomez paid the Rustan’s management to keep quiet.
Lucy once again denied it, more vehemently this time. She said she’s wrong to just ignore it. Now, it’s been perpetuated by nasty minds who have turned it into an urban legend adding more fictitious details to the story.
We won’t be surprised if Lucy would decide to sue some people. After all, that was also the action taken by her hubby when someone wrote in a blind item that Richard had AIDS. He sued, won the case, and the writer was fined.
Most Filipinos are so gullible and easily believe such rumors, like Sharon Cuneta going comatose after giving birth to her third child, or Robina Gokongwei being born with a snake as her twin. Up to now, some folks are scared that if they’d go alone into the fitting rooms of Robinson’s Galleria, the snake would be there to violate them, which is what it allegedly did to Alice Dixson some years ago. Alice denied it then, but the rumormongers won’t stop and alleged that she was just paid to keep her mouth shut. (MNS)
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