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For the past 21 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 -- Anne Curtis is honored to topbill Viva Films' Metro Manila Film Festival entry, "Baler," which is about the last stand of the Spaniards in the Philippines 110 years ago.
Written by Roy Iglesias and directed by Mark Meily, it's about the 57 Spanish soldiers who took refuge inside the San Luis Obispo church in Baler against the Americans.
Phillip Salvador plays one of the Filipino rebels and Anne is his daughter who's in love with a Spanish-Filipino soldier.
Filmed in cooperation with Sen. Edgardo Angara who's from Baler, it has a budget of P100 million and aims to be shown in Spain.
"Baler" is the first filmfest entry to hold a presscon and it was held in Hyatt Bayview Hotel no less, with the stars wearing Filipino costumes so they'd be in character.
Also in the film are Joel Torre, Michael de Mesa, Bernard Palanca, Baron Geisler, Carlo Aquino, and Ryan Eigenmann.
The film will be shot on location in Baler, but they will also build a special period set in Tanay.
Anne will surely be an asset to the project since she comes from a hit movie, "When Love Begins," and a sprawling fantaserye, "Dyosa." We're just wondering why they got a leading man who comes from a flop movie, flop album and flop TV shows. Well, we just hope Anne will be enough to balance the bad luck.
Anne is surely excited to play the lead role of Feliza in "Baler."
"It's a historical film and it's a challenge for me to look like a young woman who lived in the 1900s," she says.
"Maganda ang movie kasi it's not only a period war film but also a beautiful love story."
Anne has noticeably lost some weight. "Paano, ngaragngarag ako sa taping ng 'Dyosa' where I play three different characters. Tapos I'm shooting 'Baler' pa kaya puyat at pagod talaga. But I'm not complaining. Nagpapasalamat nga ako't hindi ako nababakante at lagi akong may project. Happy rin ako dahil in 'When Love Begins,' si Christopher de Leon ang father ko and now, sa 'Baler,' si Phillip Salvador naman. It feels great to be acting with the best drama actors in our country."
Phillip Salvador is glad to be back doing not just one but two films. He plays KC Concepcion's dad in Star Cinema's "For the First Time" and in Viva Film's Metro filmfest entry, "Baler," he plays a rebel leader who's the dad not only of Anne Curtis but also of Carlo Aquino, a son with whom he is alienated as he doesn't approve of Carlo's desire to enter the priesthood.
It's also Ipe's birthday last Thursday and it coincided with the big presscon of "Baler." The night before, his friends Sens. Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada hosted an asalto for him at Dulcinea. (MNS)
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America’s Los Angeles based E! Entertainment Television cited our very own Dingdong Dantes as one of its Top 25 Sexiest Men of the World.
E! said a television special featuring the 25 hottest males from around the world which includes Dingdong is going to be produced by E!. Among those in the list is soccer superstar David Beckham from Great Britain.
Dingdong said, “never in my wildest dreams ko naisip na mapapasama ako dito. Naappreciate ko siya and much more that napabilang ako sa beinte-singkong taong ‘yon, so isang karangalan sa akin ‘yon.”
What does he feel now that so many blessings had come his way?
“I’m very thankful talaga. Kumbaga, minamahal ko talaga ang ginagawa ko so that’s why siguro it loves me back,” a thankful Dingdong replied.
On Wednesday, August 27, Dingdong and Marian will stage a birthday concert billed as Let’s Celebrate: The Marian- Dingdong Birthday Blowout at the Araneta Coliseum. Dingdong and Marian are currently starring in GMA 7’s latest blockbuster teleserye Dyesebel directed by Joyce Bernal.
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MANILA -- Actress Meryll Soriano said that she has not completely gotten over the end of her relationship with estranged husband Bernard Palanca.
"Masakit pa din, hindi pa din nawawala iyong sakit," said the actress.
Soriano, who still refuses to divulge the reason behind their separation, simply said that she learned a lot of things from the past. She shared that she is now more mature when it comes to love.
"When you grow older mas magandang mag-iisip ka muna," she said.
When asked if she is willing to give Palanca another chance, Soriano abruptly replied: "No."
Soriano may have already closed her heart to Palanca, but she admitted that she is not closing her doors to other men who could give her the love, care and affection she deserves.
"Excited na akong alagaan, and feel like you're a woman, and to find a real partner," she said.
Soriano and Palanca's whirlwind romance ended in a marriage that took place on September 8, 2006 in a civil ceremony held in San Juan City. Their marriage lasted only five months, after which they decided to part ways. They have a son named Elijah.
Happy mom
Soriano said that she is enjoying every moment of being a mother to her first-born Elijah.
"Fun siya kasi everyday parang adventure, and then sobrang ang dami kong nalalaman sa sarili ko at natutunan ko," she said.
She said that at first being a mother was really hard, since it was a first-time experience for her. She admitted that she asked advice from her own mother.
"It helps to accept that parang you are starting from scratch pero everything turns out okay," she said.
Soriano is a self-confessed workaholic. She said that she is back in acting not only for herself but also for the future of her son. She shared that one of her dreams is to travel to different places with Elijah, one reason why she needs to work hard.
"Mahal na kaya yata ang ticket ngayon," she said.
She said that she is open to doing endorsements with her son Elijah.
"Kung mayroon, oo. Aba ang gwapo-gwapo talaga ng anak ko hindi lang dahil anak ko siya pero gwapo talaga siya," she said. (MNS)
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MANILA – BETH Tamayo is turning 30 but she looks so young and pretty she can still pass for a teener, like in her role as Tessie Tomas’ daughter in “Ploning.” This is why she’s not totally credible as the mother of Empress Schuck in a recent episode of “Your Song.”
Now managed by Annabelle Rama, she plays a role much closer to her age in the TV adaptation of “Have Baby Will Date,” a hit chick lit novel that will be seen for four weeks on “Love Books,” TV-5’s special showcase of love stories for the hopeless romantics based on best selling novels.
“I play the role of Valerie Concepcion’s best friend and I act like her conscience whenever she’s making an important decision,” she says. “Pero very light ito at comedy ang approach. Asawa ko rito si Bobby Andrews at si Valerie naman is paired with TJ Trinidad. Single mom dito si Valerie, with a demanding career and a baby girl who takes much of ther time. Maraming matututuhan ditto ang viewers on how to cope with single parenthood.”
In real life, Beth also wants to become a mother soon. “My husband Johnny has two kids from his previous marriage, aged 9 and 12. I get along fine with my stepkids pero siempre, gusto rin naming magkaroon ng sarili naming anak.”
Her hubby is so rich why does she still have to work? “I love acting at gusto ko rin ng may ginagawa. Alangan namang magmukmok na lang ako sa bahay.” (MNS)
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MANILA – Actress Aiza Marquez denied that she engaged in lascivious public behavior with rumored sweetheart crooner Duncan Ramos.
According to one report she was seen sitting on Duncan's lap while they kissed torridly at Decades bar in Quezon City. Reports also said that she was drunk at the time.
"Kung kumandong ako sa kanya walang kaso at walang ibig sabihin sa akin... kung kumandong ako sa kanya, hindi ibig sabihing malandi ako dahil ang malandi yung iba iba ang lalaki," explained Marquez.
She also denied the report that she was drunk, saying that she knows her limitations when she drinks liquor.
In an interview, Marquez denied that Duncan is her boyfriend but admitted that she and the singer are close friends.
"Hindi kami magasyota ganoon lang kami super komportable lang kami sa isa't isa. We are not exclusively dating but we are hanging out. Super sweet kami ni Dungs...pero kasi college pa lang magkakilala na kami," Marquez said.
Marquez said that she sees nothing wrong in being sweet in public with Duncan, whom she has known for almost 15 years.
Marquez who just arrived in the country from United States admitted that she's saddened with the slump in her showbiz career. She said she's open to go back to the US to find a job if her showbiz career doesn’t take-off soon. (MNS)
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