|
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.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
To tell us what you think about Filipino Express Online or to comment on the stories published here, E-mail us at Filexpress@aol.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- Bea Alonzo does not feel insecure now that her best friend, Shaina Magdayao, already has a boyfriend.
Reports say that Shaina's romance with Patrick Garcia is going strong.
Bea admits she has some male text-mates, but she is not sure if they are courting her. She just gets friendly messages from them, she says.
"Kung sabagay, I tell them right away that I'm not ready for any kind of relationship other than friendship. I'm glad they understand me," she says.
Bea is proud of the good reviews she got for her performance in "Dreamboy," her movie with Piolo Pascual. The positive comments warm her heart, she says.
"Dreamboy," according to Bea, proves that when it comes to romantic movies, Star Cinema is still truly the expert.
"Tingnan mo, sabi nila wala kaming chemistry as a team ni Piolo, yet those who have seen 'Dreamboy' have agreed that it is a romantic movie," she says.
Gilbert Perez's "Dreamboy," which is on its third week of showing, is the first time that Piolo and Bea are together in a movie. Written by Katski Flores, the film is a poignant love story that intrigues all types of moviegoers.
Bea plays a 20-something saleslady. Although she knows what she wants in her ideal man, she cannot help but be floored when she meets the grocery owner's son (played by Piolo Pascual).
But just as she's about to fall in love with him, he suddenly disappears.
Two more guys, also played by Piolo, appear in the movie, and they both possess qualities she's looking for in a man.
"Maganda ang twist ng movie," assures Bea. "And this, I think, is what makes it worth-watching." (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- Luis Manzano effortlessly stole the scene from The Hunks during the presscon of "Bora."
To begin with, he came so much ahead of Piolo Pascual and company, so the writers who attended the affair were able to interview him extensively compared to The Hunks who came late and were in a hurry to leave for their taping.
And it's always nice to talk to Luis as he's one of the most gracious and wittiest guys in showbiz, reminding us a lot of his own dad, Edu Manzano.
He's excited with "Bora" as this is his first regular sitcom. Aside from this, he'll also do the late-night talk show, "Tonight with the Manzanos" with his dad.
During the open forum, Luis got a lot of ribbing from The Hunks but this only trailed the spotlight on him even more so, making him shine all the more when they asked him do his signature "kengkoy" dance. They thought he wouldn't oblige, but Luis showed he is a real trouper and did his funny dance to the delight of the crowd.
In "Bora," Luis plays Luigi, a rich "sosyal" kid from Manila who is the friend of Piolo. He loves jetskiing and kiteboarding and he also loves to party. The Hunks think he's mayabang but, really they have reason to feel insecure, because Luis is younger and more buff than some of them. (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- Rudy Fernandez and Lorna Tolentino finally gave their permission for their eldest son, Ralph Fernandez, to join showbiz.
Raprap, now 21 and an Inter-Disciplinary Studies junior at the Ateneo, will star in a new soap to be produced by TAPE, Inc. who earlier topbilled the son of Vic Sotto and Dina Bonnevie, Oyoboy Sotto, in their drama serials.
Ralph now is getting ready to face the camera by joining an acting workshop conducted by Gina Alajar.
Lorna is very supportive and even drives her son to and from the workshop venue. Observers says Ralph really looks more like his mom while his younger brother, Renz, now 18, looks after their dad. Lorna says they were surprised when Ralph accepted the offer of TAPE.
"Renz is the one more inclined to showbiz so I thought Ralph would go into business as he thinks very seriously," says Lorna. "Nagulat na lang ako when he said he's ready to join showbiz."
What about Renz?
"He wants to be a video jock so he intends to join an audition for a VJ someday."
With Rudy's eldest son, Mark Anthony, also returning to showbiz soon after his rehabilitation, we will then have a surfeit of Fernandezes in showbiz.
We just hope there won't be any case of sibling rivalry among the half-brothers. (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MANILA --- Kris Aquino has turned 34 on Valentine's Day. People think she's loveless but Kris is just being coy about the current state of her lovelife, probably to guard the privacy of the current man in her life. She had a date on Valentine and she says she's ready to get married in May of next year.
She made this announcement in "Pilipinas, Game KNB?" She says she has a new TV commercial that requires her to stay single for one year, but she'd be ready to face the altar by 2006.
We ask her what she thinks is her biggest achievement and her biggest mistake now that she's reached her 34th year on earth. "Sa achievement, it's cumulative," she says. "It's my nine years of stay in ABS-CBN where they gave me the chance to be with the viewers everyday through my various shows. As for my mistake, it has something to do with the magugulong relationships na pinasok ko and which I will try to avoid from now on."
Kris did two hit films last year, "Feng Shui" and "So Happy Together." For this year, her first offering will be another suspense-drama from the director of "Feng Shui," Chito Rono. She will co-star with Claudine Barretto in "Sukob," produced by Star Cinema.
"We will play sisters na sabay ikinasal at naging magkaribal," she says. "We don't know yet kung sino ang leading men namin. But my leading man will play a minor role kasi he's an overseas worker and after just a few sequences, he goes to work abroad." (MNS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
