‘Dati kasi, as contravida, lagi akong galit, sumisigaw. But here, they made me deliver my lines in a calm and collected manner. — Thea Tolentino’
THEA Tolentino considers herself very lucky. Her last show, “The Lost Recipe,” where she played the villain Chef Ginger, has just ended, but here she is now in the cast of yet another new show, “Las Hermanas.”
“I’m really thankful hindi ako pinababayaan ng GMA dahil may kasunod na agad akong bagong project,” she says. “I’m really happy with ‘The Lost Recipe’ kasi I learned so much from it. Unang-una, binago nila ang acting ko. Dati kasi, as contravida, lagi akong galit, sumisigaw. But here, they made me deliver my lines in a calm and collected manner.
Ibang-iba talaga siya at maganda naman ang epekto. It helped me in improving my craft as an actress.”
The show’s fringe benefit is she learned how to cook. “Yes, dahil ang role ko naman dito is a chef, natuto talaga akong magluto, na before, akala ko, hindi ko kailanman matututuhan.
I never knew it can make me so happy when I see the people I cook for appreciating the dishes I prepare for them.”
It was in 2012 that she started her showbiz career when she won in GMA’s artista search, “Protege.” “I’m very happy sa naging takbo ng career ko. Tuloy-tuloy lang siya and now, I look forward to doing ‘Las Hermanas’ na three sisters kami. Kasama ko sina Ate Yasmien Kurdi at Faith de Silva. Ate Yasmien as Dorothy is the eldest, then si Mimi, ako ‘yun, then si Faith as Scarlet, the youngest. Playing our dad is Albert Martinez. We’re a rich family but biglang bumagsak ang kabuhayan namin and we’ll have to cope with so many problems.”
Her role will reflect the difficult demands of being the middle child in a family. “As Mimi, the middle child, medyo neglected ‘yung character ko. Meron nung tinatawag na middle child syndrome. The eldest child and the youngest one get the most love and attention. Si Mimi, wala siyang sariling boses. But she’s a writer at dun niya nailalabas ang emotions niya.
Kasama rin namin sa cast si Jason Abalos, na nakasama ko na before sa ‘Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko’ kaya bale reunion namin ito.”
***
Ai Ai delas Alas was able to relate well with the recent Mother’s Day presentation in “Magpakailanman” in her role as an impoverished mother who gives up her daughter for adoption and later regrets it badly. She herself was given up for adoption by her biological mother to her aunt, just like what happened in the story.
“My real mom is Gregoria, nasa Batangas. Pinaampon niya ako sa kapatid niyang si Justa de las Alas na mas nakaangat sa buhay kasi engineer siya. Seven-years-old ako nang malaman ko ang totoo pero hindi naman ako nagrebelde. Nag-sorry sa’kin ang tunay kong ina pero sabi ko, okay lang. Sabi ko, it’s destiny. When she got sick, I took good care of her until she passed some years ago at inasikaso ko rin ang wake and funeral niya. Kaya may soft spot talaga sa’kin ang mga ampon. Mahal na mahal ko sila.”
Ai Ai is very fulfilled as a mother to her own three kids. The eldest, Sancho, finished culinary arts and is now also into acting. The other two are also college graduates in the States, Niccolo and Sophia. “Sa ngayon, para lang kaming magbabarkada. Kahit malayo ‘yung dalawa sa’kin and of age na sila, hindi ako nagkukulang ng pangaral sa kanila. There were trials along the way, but as a whole, I think I raised them well naman and I’m very proud of them. Last Mother’s Day they all sent me heartwarming greetings at na-touch naman ako.”
Ai Ai is also very proud of her husband, Gerald Sibayan. They just celebrated their 7th anniversary as a couple last month and they’ve proven that in love, age doesn’t really matter.
***
Bong Revilla is grinning from ear to ear now that his comeback show, “Agimat ng Agila,” is a certified top rater in the AGB Nielsen surveys. Before its airing, he admits he was so nervous as he was gone from showbiz for five years and not sure if he still has a spot in the hearts of TV viewers who made his past shows like “Idol Ko si Kap” and “Indio” topraters.
“Ganun talaga ako kapag may bagong project, grabe ang anxiety ko, lalo pa ito, comeback ko sa GMA. Kaya sobrang tuwa ko dahil ang dami nagte-text sa akin, congratulating me.
Puro positive ang feedback sa show at walang epekto yung bashers na nagsabing ibo-boycott nila ang show.”
Bashers also said advertisers will not support “Agimat ng Agila” but they were proven wrong because the show turned out to be loaded with so many TV commercials. “I really want to thank GMA for their great support kasi ginastusan nila talaga ang show,” he says.
“Parang pelikula ang pagkakagawa ni Direk Rico Gutierrez sa ‘Agimat ng Agila’ at very impressive ang special effects. Ang maganda, marami ring pumuri sa tema ng show na pro-environment protection.”
His character as Major Gabriel Labrador is the nemesis of ruthless people who defile our environment. “That’s what we really want to show, na dapat nating pangalagaan ang ating kalikasan, kaya ang role ko talaga is to be a protector of our environment and save it from illegal loggers and poachers who kill wildlife indiscriminately.”
Some fans of “Agimat ng Agila” are requesting him now to make it a daily series instead of a just once-a-week show. “Gusto ko man silang pagbigyan, hindi ko magagawa,” he says.
“Marami rin akong trabaho as a public servant at hindi ko kayang mag-taping for a daily teleserye. At ngayong may pandemya, mas mahirap magtrabaho lalo na for an action-drama like ‘Agimat ng Agila’ na maraming stunts.”
***
Jerald Napoles did not expect he’d be the leading man of Sunshine Guimary in Viva’s sex-comedy “Kaka,” directed by GB Sampedro. The trailer is very sexy and some folks are wondering how come he did a porno movie when he’s a comedian.
“Hindi naman po porn itong ginawa namin,” says Jerald. “Bago kami mag-shoot ng sexy scene, talagang dinedetalye ni Direk GB kung ano ang gagawin namin sa harap ng kamera.
Very artistic naman ang approach niya and maayos naman naming naitawid ang lahat ng mga seksing eksena.”
It’s common knowledge that he is currently in a relationship with comedian-singer Kim Molina, with whom he did the hit “Jowable.” Is it true Kim got jealous because of the sexy scenes he did with Sunshine in “Kaka”?
“Hindi naman exactly naging jealous,” he says. “She just felt uncomfortable for me kasi, let’s face it, maski naman ako, hindi ko inaasahang sa’kin mapupunta ang ganitong movie na sex comedy. Nung malaman niya ang mga detalyeng gustong ipagawa ni Direk GM, nalinaw sa kanya what is required of us at sinuportahan niya kami sa gagawin namin.”
What exactly is his role in the movie? “Ako ‘yung best friend ni Kaka, Sunshine Guimary’s character. May lihim akong pagtingin sa kanya, pero ang mas gusto niya, si Ion Perez na ang paniwala niya, siyang magli-lift sa sumpa sa family nila na lahat ng babae, hindi lumiligaya sa kama. Pero si Ion nga ba ang chosen one to lift the curse? ‘Yun ang panoorin nyo sa movie.”
Sunshine herself said during the movie’s Zoom press con that she felt more comfortable with him than with her other leading man, Ion, who everyone knows is the boyfriend of Vice Ganda. How does he feel about this?
“Well, ako kasi, alam kong first movie niya ito, so bilang ako ang mas may experience between us as an actor, I made sure na mare-relax siya sa shoot at hindi siya naiilang sa akin,” he explains. “Okay naman si Sunshine for a newcomer, hindi siya nagpapaiwan sa eksena at walang arte sa hubaran. Kaya don’t miss our movie when it opens sa VivaMax on May 28 dahil tiyak na hindi kayo mabibitin.”
