‘And if ever kung maging kami talaga, I’d prefer we just keep it to ourselves – Heaven Peralejo’
HEAVEN Peralejo says her love team with Marco Gallo helped boost their showbiz careers.
After the success of their series, “The Rain in España,” they’re now touted as the break out love team of 2023 with so many loyal fans. Looks like Viva has now come up with another bankable love team in the “MarVen” (Marco-Heaven) team up. They are paired in the movie, “The Ship Show,” an endearing romcom that’s a test if they’d also be successful on the big screen.
“Well, we’re praying na sana, lahat ng nasiyahan sa ‘The Rain in España,’ manood din nitong ‘The Ship Show’ in theaters,” says Heaven. “Sobrang laking tulong talaga ang ‘The Rain’ kasi mas dumami talaga ang supporters namin. Puro positive ang feedback sa amin at sa show kaya tuwang-tuwa kaming basahin ang comments ng viewers who root for us.
In ‘The Ship Show,’ I play Chia and Marco plays Araw. Magiging contestants kami sa isang reality search called ‘The Ship Show.’ Bukod sa amin, there are five other love teams being introduced by Viva in the movie which is directed by JP Laxamana.”
Is it true they got much closer while shooting “The Ship Show”? “Yes, but such closeness doesn’t mean we’re already on. And if ever kung maging kami talaga, I’d prefer we just keep it to ourselves. Sasarilinin na lang muna namin.”
***
Joko Diaz was seen in the series “Sex Hub” as a father searching for her daughter, Micaela Raz, kidnapped by a sex gang. Then he did the movie “Mary Cherry Chua” with his own daughter Ashley Diaz, after which he was seen as the cuckolded husband of Jamilla Obispo in “Litsoneras.”
And now, he has another new movie with Vivamax, the erotic suspense-thriller, “Manyak,” where we suspect he plays the title role but, naturally, he won’t admit it as it would be a spoiler.
“I play the rich husband of Sheree Bautista in the story,” he says. “Very domineering ako rito. What I say, kailangan ‘yun ang masunod. Sheree and I have to leave our home for several days to attend the opening of a resort out of town. She asks her sister, played by Christine Bermas, to stay in our house para may tao sa bahay habang wala kami. It’s while housesitting sa bahay namin that an intruder got in and raped her.”
He has been idle for some time after his heyday as an action star at Viva. But now, he’s active again after reviving his career as a villain and drama actor in such films as “Kinsenas Katapusan” and “Siklo.”
“Yes, I really want to thank si Boss Vic dahil dumami uli ang trabaho,” he says. “Kailangan talagang kumayod kasi may mga pinag-aaral pa ako.”
He says he is happy supporting newcomers in the movies he is now doing. “Yes, kasi binilin talaga sa akin ni Boss Vic ng Viva na tulungan ‘yung mga baguhan, alalayan sila sa mge eksena nyo. So that’s what I do. I’m just happy to be of help to them, sharing with them my own experiences as an actor in showbiz for 30 years now.”
***
Director Joel Lamangan’s “Aishite Imasu 1941” in 2004 is a romance-drama about a Japanese officer and a Pinay transsexual set during World War II. It won several awards, including best picture and director and also acting awards for its lead, Jay Manalo and Dennis Trillo.
Now, two decades later, Direk Joel is once again making a movie with World War II as its background, “Apo Hapon.” This is about a Japanese soldier, Kazuo Toro, a member of the Japanese Imperial Army who chose to be a deserter as he is a pacifist. He is a traitor in the eyes of the Japanese but, as Apo Hapon, he becomes a hero for the highlanders he has helped.
The story will be told from the viewpoint of his great granddaughter, Mizuki, a doctor who chooses to be a travel vlogger with a huge social media following. She goes to the Cordilleras to find out more about her long-lost grandpa who chose to live with the Igorots.
In her research, she will be assisted by Reyson Olsim, an Igorot native who is an historian and consultant with the National Historical Commission. Reyson intends to later write a full book on Kazuo.
Mizuki will be played by a Japanese actress, Sakura Akiyoshi, while Reyson will be played by JC De Vera. Director Joel says “Apo Hapon” is a tribute to Filipino-Japanese relations.
“Noong panahon ng giyera, maraming pinatay ang mga Hapon,” he says. “Pero sa ngayon, napakaraming mga kababayan natin ang nabubuhay sa tulong ng mga Hapon, sa dami ng OFWs natin sa Japan. This movie is about the beautiful friendship between the Japanese soldier and the Pinoys who accepted him, adopted him and whose lives he helped improve.”
