‘As an actor, napakasipag niya mag-training at laging mas nauuna pa siya sa akin sa skating rink. — Ashley Ortega’
ASHLEY Ortega is given a solo lead role in the new GMA series, “Hearts on Ice,” the first TV drama focusing on figure skating. “This is a dream come true for me kasi first love ko talaga ang figure skating. Three years old pa lang ako when my parents enrolled me sa figure skating lessons. I fell in love with it and it became a part of my life.”
When she joined showbusiness, she became more focused on acting. “Medyo nakalimutan ko, but for this show, I went back to the skating rink and I’m now proud to show to all the viewers my skills on ice. I play Ponggay. Tita Amy Austria is my mom, a former figure skater who gave it up when her friend, Rita Avila, betrayed her. Tita Rita is the mother of former Miss Philippines Earth, Roxie Smith as Monique, a balikbayan who becomes my best friend and later, chief rival as a figure skater.”
Her leading man is Xian Lim as Lawrence Razon or Enzo, an overconfident and arrogant man who comes from a rich family who’ll later fall for Ponggay. Xian trained hard in ice skating to prepare for his role.
“I really take my hat off to Xian kasi he really trained for the show for five months and it’s good he’s a fast learner,” Ashley adds. “As an actor, napakasipag niya mag-training at laging mas nauuna pa siya sa akin sa skating rink. The show is not only about the sport but it also highlights the importance of family, friendship, love, how to cope with failure and rejection. It’s really very inspirational and will start airing on GMA Telebabad on March 13.”
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Wendell Ramos is elated to have a new soap, “AraBella,” that replaces “Unica Hija.” And this time, he is glad to be in the same show with his son Saviour. So how is it working with his son?
“We don’t have many scenes together kasi ako, mostly with Camille Prats, at siya naman, with the young stars who play Camille’s daughters, Shayne Sava and Althea Ablan, kasi classmates sila in school,” says Wendell. “I tell him to take his work seriously and always be professional. Maswerte siya kasi maganda ang management team na napuntahan niya, ang GMA Sparkle, so matutulungan talaga siya.”
How about Saviour, how does he feel being in the same show as his dad? “Si Papa, I can feel ‘yung pagkatatay niya rito. Magkasama kami sa tent and I’m very open in sharing my feelings with him. Light lang ang scenes namin together. Pero kapag iba ang kaeksena ko, I ask him, Pa, kung ikaw ito, how would you do the scene? Nag-i-script reading kami together, ang ganda ng bonding namin. Natutuwa talaga akong lagi ko siyang nakakausap.
Nagkakasama na kami, natututo pa ako sa kanya in my role as Ed.”
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Nikko Natividad gained fame as a member of Hashtag dancers in “It’s Showtime” after winning in its “Gandang Lalake” contest in 2014. He forayed into acting and played supporting roles in various soaps. Now, he plays his first starring role in a movie, “Salamat Daks,” where he goes sexy in love scenes with leading lady Ayanna Misola.
Why he did he consent to go sexy? “I accepted the movie kasi ang ganda ng story,” he says. “Sobrang kakaaliw siya. ‘Yun nga lang, first time ko to do sexy scenes and I asked sina Direk Bobby Bonifacio and Ayanna to help me para hindi ako mahirapan. Kasi never pa akong nakipag-bed scene kaya nanginginig ako sa takot noong umpisa, but naitawid naman namin. Si Ayanna ang first screen kiss at love scene ko and I’m thankful tinulungan niya ako.”
What is the reaction of his non-showbiz wife, Cielo Eusebio, in his love scenes with Ayanna?
“About my wife, hindi naman maiiwasan ang magselos but I told her trabaho lang ito. She knows namang artista ako at part ito ng job ko. Normal naman ang magselos so, sabi ko huwag na lang niya panoorin, pero manonood pa rin daw siya.”
Was he turned on by his love scenes with Ayanna? “She’s so sexy pero faithful po ako sa misis ko, kaya lalabanan ko ang mga tukso. Basta nag-focus lang ako sa character ko. At nag-plaster po ako. Hindi ako marunong maglagay kasi first time ko. Nagpatulong ako sa mga make-up artists. Nagkasugat-sugat nga po ang singit ko, ang hita ko, kasi ilang beses inaalis at idinidikit uli.”
