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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 --- Action star, now Sen. Bong Revilla, has just arrived from a two-week stay in the US Thus, it was only after his arrival that he got the chance to watch his son Jolo’s four-part mini-series on ABS-CBN.
The series, tilted “Love Rainbow,” co-stars Jolo with Shaina Magdayao, Amy Austria, Raymund Bagatsing, Perla Bautista, Michael de Mesa and Patrick Garcia. Direction is by Connie Macatuno.
“Pinahanga ako ng anak ko,” Bong commented, “Aba, he’s in good company. I noticed na ‘di na siya nagpahuli sa mga co-stars niya. Let’s face it, maliban kay Shaina, lahat ng artistang kasama niya ay award-winning.”
He admits he is impressed with the treatment ABS-CBN is giving Jolo.
“Star na star na ang dating ng anak ko,” he remarked, smiling. “Sa abroad, when I was there, pinag-uusapan siya. Thanks sa TFC (The Filipino Channel). Sabi ko nga sa sarili ko, ‘Aba, dinaig pa ako ng anak ko!’ Na excite tuloy akong mapanood ang series nang dumating ako dito, since ‘di ko ito napapanood sa abroad dahil I had to attend to several commitments.” (MNS)
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MANILA - John Estrada celebrated his birthday recently and his inamorata, Vanessa del Bianco, flew in from Canada just to be with him on his special day.
On the day of John’s birthday, they celebrated it along with John’s four kids with ex-wife Janice de Belen. The kids reportedly have accepted the woman that had caused the breakup of their parents’ marriage.
Vanessa stayed here from June 14 to June 19 and during that period of time, she’s always with John that they looked like honeymooners. Well, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. John even saw Vanessa off at the airport when it was time for her to return to Canada.
As for Janice, it’s just fine with her to allow their kids to go out with John at Vanessa. After all, she herself has found a new boyfriend according to her “The S Files” co-host, Richard Gomez. (MNS)
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NEW YORK — The “star quality” of an artist in Philippine showbiz is principally focused on physical attributes, on a love tandem with another celebrity, and on good talent managers — which leave almost no room for real talents.
But for actor and commercial model brothers Leandro and Carlo Muñoz, though they obviously are handsome young men, their success in the entertainment business is strongly hinged on their acting.
Both of them have done challenging roles in several award-winning movies, and have shown compelling performances.
“I really enjoy doing character-roles,” said Carlo, 25. “These roles make me a better actor. It shows my versatility in acting.”
Since he started as a commercial model in 1998, Carlo has already involved in seven blockbuster movies and has achieved the highly prestigious FAMAS Award for his supporting role in the movie “Yamashita.”
“I couldn’t believe that I bested top-billing actors in the country. Winning the most coveted FAMAS award has truly boosted my confidence even more as an actor,” Carlo said. “When you have such a great achievement, it gives you more inspiration to hone your craft.”
Also, Carlo bagged the 2002 Star Awards for Best New Male TV Personality, and the 2002 Guillermo Mendoza Award for Best New Movie Actor. He was nominated, in 2001, for Best Supporting Actor in Metro Manila Film Festival, and for Best Supporting Actor in 2002 Urian Awards.
The movies that Carlo had so far been involved include Sanib, Ngayong Nandito Ka, Dekada ‘70, Jologs, Yamashita, Luv Text, and Narinig Mo Na Ba Ang Lat8st?
Asked if character-roles, especially the villain-type, may create a stigma on his marketability, Carlo said: “If I act it right, and I convince my fans and other viewers that I can deliver what the script is asking from you, I don’t see any reason that character-roles may affect my image as an actor. In fact, it may be more enhanced.”
Carlo has a number of commercial endorsements, like Tide, Knorr, PLDT series, Star Chips, Coke, SM Malls, Gaisano Malls, Del Monte, Sta. Lucia Malls, and Street Jeans. He also has television shows, namely: Bituin, Pira-pirasong Pangarap, Tabing Ilog, Kaybol, Gimik, and Super Laff In.
On the other hand, what about Leandro?
Undoubtedly Leandro, 28, is a daring and an equally talented actor, creating his own niche in show business.
“I’m ready to do mature roles,” he said. “If it is necessary to show some skin, as long as it is significant in the movie, I’m willing to do it.”
Leandro was chosen, in 1998, the Best New Male TV Personality, and, in 2000, the Best Youth Oriented Host.
Though he is more evident in television shows, he had been involved in five movie projects — and most of them were highly acclaimed films, such as Anak and Kahit Isang Saglit. He was also in Kung Ikaw Ay Isang Panaginip, Isusumbong Kita Sa Nanay Ko, and Lupe.
“I really started as a commercial model. But acting has always been my passion. I have played roles of various types. In fact, I did a movie with my brother Carlo, and part of my role was to beat him up,” Leandro said, showing smiles on his face.
Leandro’s television shows include Saan Ka Man Naroroon, 1999; Tabing Ilog, 1999; Your Honor, 2001; Okatokat, 2001, and Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan, 2002.
Close-Up, Chippy, Rejoice Shampoo, Sketchers, Timex, Rudy Project, SM Malls, Gaisano Malls, and Private Property were part of his long list of commercial endorsements.
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Two filmfest entries for Jean Garcia
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MANILA - Maryo de los Reyes has two entries as a director in the current Manila Filmfest, “Naglalayag” and “Kulimlim.”
As an actress, Jean Garcia also has two: “Volta,” where she plays the villainous Celfora, and “Anak Ka ng Tatay Mo,” where she’s paired with newcomer Ram Revilla.
“I feel so blessed because I’m never out of work samantalang ‘yung iba, walang offers,” she says.
On TV, she plays a major role in “It Might Be You,” which stars John Lloyd Cruz, who was linked to her before when they were doing “Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay.” Jean now says she felt really bad when some quarters accused her of being the reason of the breakup between John Lloyd and Ciara Sotto.
“I admit that we became good friends while doing the show,” she says. “But when some writers even wrote that he slept in my house, I told John that we should put an end to our friendship dahil nasisira ang pangalan ko. How can I make him sleep in my home when I have a 13-year-old daughter and everyone knows I have a Japanese papa? Kawawa naman dahil pati anak ko, nadadamay.
“She goes to school, what will her classmates say, na pokpok ang mother niya? It’s really painful for me dahil ang feeling ko, nagamit ako sa publicity nila. In fairness, John kept saying sorry to me but wala naman siyang sinabi sa press para ipagtanggol ako. It really affected our friendship so we’re no longer that close dito sa taping ng ‘It Might Be You.’ Pero tapos na ‘yang isyung ‘yan, I have moved on and let’s not talk about it again, please.”
She’s happy to play a flying villain in “Volta.” “I’d like to thank Direk Wenn Deramas for choosing me to play Celfora, who gets her power from a cellphone. It’s a movie I can take my own kids to because even my confrontations with Ai Ai, who plays Volta, are very hilarious. But in ‘Anak Ka ng Tatay Mo,’ nagdrama naman ang beauty ko as a prostie who became the good friend of Ram Revilla.” (MNS)
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