SUNSHINE Cruz is so busy this year. She’s in GMA-7’s new drama series, “Underage,” and she has done three new movies: “Pamilya sa Dilim” and “Greatest Performance of My Life” with director Jay Altarejos and the last is “An Affair to Forget” with director Louie Ignacio which is her first streaming movie for Vivamax. Did she hesitate working with Vivamax which is known for its sexy flicks?
“No worries as when I read the script, nagustuhan ko talaga. I play a hotshot lawyer and it’s a new challeng kasi first time kong gumanap na isang abogada. Also, this is with Viva, where I did a lot of films, so bale comeback ko rin ito sa Viva.”
In the story, her husband Allen is a painter who’s intimidated with her as she earns more and she is a very strong woman. Their son, Karl Aquino, is also alienated from Sunshine and communicates only with his dad, Allen. It’s common knowledge that she has just broken up with Macky Mathay. Is that one affair that she’d rather forget?
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“I don’t want to talk about that. I’m not ready. Basta I can say I don’t want to forget all my love affairs as I learned from all of them.”
How is she spending the holiday season? “I will be with my side ng family ko on Christmas Day, then sa New Year, I will treat my daughters and we will go to Bohol wi their brother nila, si Diego, and their dad (Cesar Montano) with his new partner.”
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Liza Lorena gets to play a starring role again in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry, “Family Matters,” opposite Noel Trinidad, with Nonie Buencamino, Mylene Dizon, Nikki Valdez and JC Santos as their four children, Agot Isidro as Nonie’s wife and James Blanco as Mylene’s husband.
Liza was discovered when she became first runner-up in the 1966 Binibining Pilipinas pageant using her real name, Elizabeth Winsett. She was then 18. She was launched by Nepomuceno Production as the long-lost daughter of Charito Solis in “Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak,” which was shown in 1967 at the Manila Grand Opera House for more than a year.
As a mom, Liza is mom to actor Tonton Gutierrez who has two daughters with actress Glydel Mercado. The eldest, Alyssa, is now also into acting and has finished a movie with Joaquin Domagoso.
“But right now, she’s studying in Singapore so hindi muna siya puedeng mag-focus sa acting,” says Liza.
She also has a daughter, Wednesday, whose son Carlos Philippe was a champion golfer. “They now live in Colorado and Philippe is now 21 years old,” says Liza.
It’s her first time to be paired with Noel Trinidad. “Yes, first time namin, but I told him I used to watch him in ‘Champoy’ and ‘Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata.’ Dito, he plays Francisco and I play his wife, Eleanor. Ang problema sa kanya, we’re old, pero ayaw niyang magpa-alaga sa ibang caregiver. Gusto niya, ako lang. So palipat-lipat kami sa mga anak namin. Mahina na ang hearing ni Noel so ako’ng nag-uulit sa kanya sa instructions sa amin ni Direk Nuel Naval.”
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‘I love what I’m doing. I took up law in college but I didn’t take the bar as I’m already into acting. — Nico Antonio’
NICO ANTONIO
Nico Antonio is so lucky to be part of the sixteen-episode Korean action-drama series, “Big Bet,” that will be shown on the Disney+ channel starting December 21. Among the Pinoy actors in the series, he has the biggest role as Mark Flores, an anti-narcotics operative assigned to investigate the killings of Korean citizens in the Philippines.
Most of his scenes are with Son Suk-Ku (“My Liberation Notes”), who plays the Korean cop sent to Manila who becomes his partner in conducting the investigation. Their main target is Choi Min Sik (“Old Boy”), a Korean gambling lord in Manila named Cha Mu Sik. The other Korean actors in the show are Lee Dong Hwi (“Extreme Job”), Heo Sung Tae and Kim Joo Ryung (both from “Squid Game”).
Nico’s mother, Atty. Joji Villanueva-Alonso of Quantum Films, acts as his manager and she asked the director why they’re getting Nico.
“I was wondering kasi he’s not really that well known as an actor here,” says Atty. Joji. “The director told me, ‘Don’t worry. After this, he will be very popular.’ He said Nico is a natural actor. He knows what good acting is all about it.”
Nico shot some of his scenes in Seoul where he stayed for 19 days in July. So what’s the difference between Korean and local productions? “The big difference is they have more money, a bigger budget. For this series, they spent P1 billion no less. Some of the interior scenes meant to be shot in the Philippines, they re-created the sets in a huge sound studio.”
Nico is the eldest son of Atty. Joji and his siblings are all lawyers like their mom. Does he somehow regret that he’s not a lawyer?
“No regrets at all. I love what I’m doing. I took up law in college but I didn’t take the bar as I’m already into acting. I’m just like my mom. She comes from a family of scientists at siya lang ang naging lawyer. Pareho kaming nalihis.”
