‘Love is still love, in any form. — Janine Gutierrez’
Photo from Janine Gutierrez’s Instagram account
JANINE Gutierrez gives a heartfelt performance in the iWant TFC series, “Sleep with Me,” as a crippled girl who helps people with relationship problems as a radio DJ. In the story, she has just broken up with her girlfriend then she meets Lovi Poe and bravely declares that she has a crush on Lovi.
Has she been wooed by a suitor of the same sex?
“Nope,” she says. “But you can never tell, ‘di ba? Mahirap magsalita ng tapos. I have no objection naman to such a relationship. Love is still love, in any form. And this is what our show ‘Sleep with Me’ is saying, where Lovi plays Luna and I play Harry. The important thing in a relationship is you’re both fulfilled and both growing as good persons.”
How is it working with Lovi? “We both enjoyed it. We got along fine easily, kasi we’re sisters dahil pareho kami ng manager, si Leo Dominguez. Hindi kami nailang even in the kissing scenes kasi hindi naman scandalous ang treatment as we’re both shy and awkward. We just both considered it as a part of our job.”
She’s currently being linked to Paulo Avelino after their love team hit it big in the series “Marry Me, Marry You” and they went on a concert tour together in the States. Is Paulo courting her?
“Ewan ko,” she laughs. “Andaya naman kasi wala siya rito. Dapat siya ang tanungin nyo.
Alangan namang ako pa ang sumagot sa ganyang tanong, ako ‘yung girl.”
But does she like him? “He’s very supportive, very encouraging. Like itong ‘Sleep with Me,’ he says he wants to it. I’m happy that he is excited to watch it as I will appreciate his opinion about it. I hope he gets to like it.””
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Pops Fernandez said she’s very happy for Zia Quizon, the daughter of Zsa Zsa Padilla and the late Dolphy who was in a relationship with her eldest son, Robin Nievera, for quite a long time. Zia got married last month in Nis, Serbia. The name of her husband is Aleksa Rahul.
“I am very happy for Zia,” she says at the face to face press con of her coming concert, “Four Kings and a Queen.” “When I learned that she and Robin parted, I felt sad. Mabait si Zia. But they both have their own reasons. Ang importante, friends pa rin sila. Robin is still very much in touch with her. I wish her all the best on her wedding.”
“Four Kings and a Queen” was first held successfully as a concert tour of four cities in the US last May and June. It will now be staged at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila on August 26 and 27, in partnership with DSL Events, Dreamwings Production of Flor Santos and Cora de Guzman. We ask Pops and Hitmakers Hajji Alejandro, Nonoy Zuñiga, Marco Sison and Rey Valera how their concert did in the US.
“It was very well received in all cities,” says Hajji. “Laging sold out. Kaya lang, in Las Vegas, biglang nagka-COVID kami ni Nonoy. Yung iba, hindi. So we had to quarantine ourselves for five days and the concert was postponed.”
It’s the first time for them to have Pops as part of their act. How is it working with her? “Si Pops, first time namin nakilala nang husto at masarap pala siyang kasama,” says Nonoy.
“She’s very down-to-earth. Hindi feeling diva. Walang kayabangan at all.”
“We discovered na bukod sa napakaganda niya, komedyante pala siya,” says Marco. “She has a good sense of humor. Out of the blue, biglang nagpapatawa.”
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The big winners in the recently concluded Cinemalaya 2022 are “The Baseball Player” as best picture, “Blue Room” as Special Jury Prize and “12 Weeks” as NETPAC award for full length film. Best director is Maan Asuncion Dagnalan for “Blue Room.”
Best actress is (as everyone predicted) Max Eigenmann as the 40-year-old lead character who gets pregnant for the first time in “12 Weeks.” Best actor is Tommy Alejandrino as the Muslim young man who wants to be a baseball player but eventually chooses to be a local soldier in “The Baseball Player.”
Best supporting actor is Soliman Cruz as the brazenly corrupt police chief in “Blue Room.” Best supporting actress is Ruby Ruiz as the supportive mother of an aspiring boxer in “Ginhawa.”
The three films are indeed the most deserving among all the entries in this year’s festival, so we’re not surprised that the major trophies were divided among them. “Baseball Player” also won the best editing and best screenplay (by Carlo Obispo) awards. “Blue Room” also won the best cinematography and best production design awards.
But let it be said that none among the entries this year is as satisfying and memorable as past winners like “Jay” by the late Francis Pasion, “Endo” by Jade Castro, “Last Supper No. 3” by Roni Velasco, “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” by Marlon Rivera, “Pamilya Ordinaryo” and “Quick Change” by the late Eduardo Roy, and “Edward” by Thop Nazareno.
