Aga said he and Charlene will allow their kids to give showbiz a try should they want to after they finish studying abroad.
AGA Muhlach
AGA Muhlach is happy to be back as one of the judges in “Masked Singer Pilipinas, Season 2.” It’s obvious he has good rapport with the other judges and host Billy Crawford, even if they keep on teasing Aga and calling him Tito since at 52, he’s the group’s oldest member.
“Kung maka-Tito kayo sa akin, ha,” he tells them. “But honestly, masaya akong magkakasama kami uli nina Matteo Guidicelli, Cristine Reyes, Kim Molina, and now, nadagdag pa si Bayani Agbayani. Maganda ang kulitan namin, on and off cam.”
Now that restrictions have been relaxed, will he do a new movie? “Honestly, I’m not that keen on doing movies kasi hindi pa ready ang viewers to go back to the theaters. I am just fortunate that my last film, ‘Miracle at Cell No.7,’ was a big blockbuster in the Metro Manila Film Festival. And after that, dumating na ang pandemic, at nagsarado na mga sinehan. Tingnan natin, baka next year, puede na.”
His and Charlene Gonzales’ kids, Andres and Atasha, are now both 21 years old. Both are very good looking and there have been showbiz offers but Aga says he’s glad his children are keen on finishing their college studies first. Atasha is studying in England and Andres is in Spain.
“It was not hard for Charlene and I to let go of our kids,” he says. “Kasi, mga bata pa sila, talagang napag-uusapan na namin ‘yung pag-aaral nila ng college abroad. So noon pa, alam na naming someday, we will have an empty nest. We’re now happy that they’re growing up to be very independent, to budget their own finances. If, after their studies, they want join showbiz, it’s up to them to decide na.”
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Jillian Ward was only 4 years old when she joined “Little Miss Philippines” in “Eat Bulaga” in 2009. Then GMA-7 got her to be a child actress in “The Last Prince” and later to play the title role of “Trudis Liit.”
We saw her growing up before our eyes as she never experienced the so-called awkward stage. She was acting all throughout and now she plays one of the leads in “Prima Donnas” which is now on its second season.
“We cast members now have greater camaraderie after the second lock in taping namin,” she says. “Almost three years na kaming magkakasama. Before we were quite childish, but ngayon, sabay- sabay kaming nagdadalaga.”
As Mayi, the eldest of the Donnas, she is now given a love interest, not just one but two.
“Yes, may love triangle po kami nina Will Ashley and Vince Crisostomo as Nolan and Cedric. Pinag-aawayan nila ako at aabot sila sa pisikalan. Abangan nyo po kung sino ang makakakuha sa puso ko.”
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Wally Bayola gets separated from Jose Manalo and Paolo Ballesteros, his usual partners in “Eat Bulaga,” and gets new ones in Buko Channel’s news comedy show, “Balita One Nan”: Alex Calleja and Kaladkaren.
Wally will be known as Migs “Reaksyon Man” Mamaril, who reacts to every news in a hilarious manner. Kaladkaren will be KaladKaren Dadilat, always updated with the news with her big eyes that never blink. Alex Calleja is Seph “Patola” Balimbing, who always has an answer or opinion for every news report.
“We feature mga balitang katatawanan done in the most ribtickling way,” Wally says. “We now air Monday to Friday at 8:30 p.m. This is a feel-good show. Sa dami ng problema natin ngayon, we all need to have a good laugh.”
How are they preparing for their pilot telecast? “Naku, puspusan ang paghahanda namin to make sure mapaganda ito, mapasaya but also maging makabuluhan ang buong show for the viewers,” says Kaladkaren. “May segment ako titled ‘Karenspondence,’ spoof ng ‘The Correspondents’ noon na tumatalakay sa iba’t ibang tao at issues sa ating buhay pero done in a fun way. This is social satire and we make fun of the hard news, but with a feel-good alternative making everything light.”
The show is directed by comedian John Lapus, who says they’re very careful in what they do. ”There’s a thin line between being funny and being offensive so we try to be cautious as some people can be so sensitive,” he says. “We’re after positivity and good vibes to help detoxify watching hard news na kung minsan mabigat ang pakiramdam mo bago ka matulog. We don’t do fake news but we make fun of the fake news.”
