XIAN Lim is now a Kapuso. But unlike Bea Alonzo who was given a grand welcome in a five-star hotel, Xian was introduced in a Zoom press con. Well, to begin with, after ABS-CBN, Xian became a Kapatid first and he’s still hosting a game show with TV5, “1,000 Heartbeats.”
Xian’s first teleserye with GMA-7 is “Love. Die. Repeat.” He will be paired with Jennylyn Mercado in an unusual story similar to the intriguing narratives of “Groundhog Day” and “Happy Death Day.” Jen plays a woman who mysteriously gets to relive the day that her husband died over and over again.
Xian will portray Angela’s husband, a civil engineer who plans on starting his own construction company for his family’s future.
“It feels wonderful to be a part of this innovative series na ‘Love. Die. Repeat.’,” says Xian.
“I feel grateful sa GMA na nabigyan nila ako ng pagkakataon to be part of this project and I feel excited to work with Jennylyn as I’ve seen her past movies and I know she’s a good actress. I’m so happy to be given this chance to work with her. I’m also looking forward to working with the other GMA artists in the cast na ngayon ko pa lang makakatrabaho.”
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‘I hope this will open new doors for me as I really want to be recognized more as a good actress, not just someone who disrobes for the camera — Rhen Escaño’
Rhen Escaño went sexy in “Untrue,” “Adan” and “The Other Wife.” She is now given her solo launching flick, “Paraluman,” where she plays a Mia, a young woman in a small town who falls in love with a man much older than her, Jao Mapa, who’s already living in with Gwen Garci. This is one of her most daring films so far.
“I am aware that I will do sensitive scenes after I’ve read the script,” she says. “So pinag-usapan muna namin ni Direk Yam Laranas ang requirements niya from me and I’m so happy na one take lang lagi ang mga eksena with Jao. Hindi naman ako nahirapan.”
Jao is the oldest guy she has made love with on camera. Did she feel awkward at all? Does she know Jao as an actor from the ‘90s who has stopped acting for a while?
“First time ko makipag-love scene sa hindi ko ka-age bracket but hindi ako nailang at all, Yes, when they told me that he’ll be my leading man, kilala ko naman siya but I haven’t met him and I’m not familiar with his movies, so I watched muna his films available on YouTube. Sobrang cute pala niya talaga before.”
She says she enjoyed working Jao. “Lock-in shoot kami so I enjoy ‘yung mga kuwentuhan namin. Kasi he’s more experienced than me and he tells me stories about moviemaking then. He also gives me tips how to handle my career, how to deal with my co-actors, and I’m grateful for that. Very helpful siya as we study our scenes together, kung anong emotions at atake ang kailangan. I’m glad he’s back in doing movies and you should watch for what he has to offer in our movie. Actually, na-excite ako sa ‘Paraluman’ kasi iba namang story ito that we offer sa viewers about forbidden love.”
Rhen is in Singapore currently doing an international film called “Sunday.” She plays a domestic helper working there and is paired with Vietnamese actor Ho Thanh Trung and Singaporean actor Adrian Pang.
“I hope this will open new doors for me as I really want to be recognized more as a good actress, not just someone who disrobes for the camera,” she says.
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Ken Chan is happy to topbill the first offering of “Regal Studio Presents,” a collaboration between Regal Entertainment and GMA Network. This is “That Thin Line Between,” where he is paired for the first time with “First Yaya” star Sanya Lopez.
“I’m happy to work with Sanya,” he says. “Pareho kaming galing sa ‘Walang Tulugan’ of the late German Moreno and I’m sure that our dear Kuya Germs [Moreno] will be happy to see us now having more stable careers and working together. I’m sure natutuwa siya para sa aming mga alaga niya noong araw.”
“Regal Studio Presents” is an anthology series that aims to present timely TV specials with unforgettable stories each weekend. In “That Thin Line Between,” Ken will play an accountant while Sanya is an online seller. They are neighbors but they are often at odds with each other due to their conflicting ways and beliefs. Their two-part primetime special will air on September 11 and 18 at 8:30 p.m.
After this, succeeding “Regal Studio Presents” stories will be shown on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. starting September 26. Future stories will star the reel-and-real love team of Gabbi Garcia and Khalil Ramos, and the teen love team of Sofia Pablo and Allen Ansay.
Meantime, Ken’s “Ang Dalawang Ikaw” is ending soon and he says viewers should watch out for more startling twists in the story.
“Basta huwag kayong bibitiw sa last few episodes kasi maraming pasabog na eksena,” he says. “The finale week will surely shock you.”
Why would it shock us? “Kasi, si Anna Vicente as Beatrice will do everything in her power para siya ang piliin ko as Tyler at iwanan ko na nang tuluyan si Mia. Pero siempre, hindi rin magpapatalo si Rita as Mia at ipaglalaban din niya ang pagmamahal niya sa akin as Nelson.
Isang malaking trahedya ang mangyayari and you have to find out kung may happy ending pang naghihintay para kina Mia at Nelson.”
“Ang Dalawang Ikaw” is directed by Jorron Lee Monroy and seen right after Glaiza de Castro’s soap, “Nagbabagang Luha.”
