PAULINE Mendoza gets positive comments for her performance as the lowly Elaine Inocencio, in GMA-7’s hit primetime suspense series, “Widow’s Web.”
“As Elaine, ako lang ang mahirap sa apat na babaeng bida sa story, sina Carmina Villaroel, Vaness del Moral and Ashley Ortega,” she says. “Sila, sosyal, ako, poor. I think viewers were able to relate with me after my boyfriend, Edgar Allan Guzman as Frank, was wrongly accused as the killer of Ryan Eigenmann, the CEO of the Salgado company. I know he is innocent so I took it on my own to investigate about the crime and I’ll learn the secrets ng ibang characters that puts my life in danger.”
Pauline started in showbiz in 2015 when she was only 16 years old, doing supporting roles in soaps like “Little Nanay” and “That’s My Amboy.” She was given a good break in “Kambal Karibal” in 2017 and a lead role in the afternoon soap, “Babawiin Ko ang Lahat” last year. What’s her biggest takeaway in her stay as a Kapuso?
“Ang tumatak talaga sa akin is the need for humility,” she says. “It doesn’t matter kung gaano katagal ka na showbiz at gaano kalayo na ang narating mo, it always pays to be humble to the people you work with. Be nice, be kind, lalo na sa mga mas senior sa iyo, co-actors mo man o director o staff and crew. Huwag lalaki ang ulo.”
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‘I can talk about my vulnerabilities that I don’t mention when I was in my 20s kasi mas marami kang reservations or insecurities when you’re in your 20s. – Bea Alonzo’
AJ Raval denies director Roman Perez Jr.’s declaration that she is now one of Viva’s superstars. “I just feel so blessed na mapasama ako sa new series na ‘Iskandalo’,” she says. “But about being a superstar ng Viva, hindi ganun ang tingin ko sa sarili ko kasi napaka-humble ko pong tao. Pero thank you po for giving me such a good role in ‘Iskandalo’ as the victim of a leaked sex scandal.”
Some unscrupulous content creators in the internet have taken advantage of her past movies like “Taya” and “Hugas.” Her sexy scenes were lifted out and posted like they were scandals taken in real life. How does she feel about this?
“Nakakalungkot po dahil pinagpapaguran namin, tapos nananakawin lang nila ang mga seksing eksena at ipapalabas as scandals para pagkakitaan,” she says. “We really feel bad and sad about it, na pinagpipiyestahan sa social media ang movies namin, pinagkakitaan nung may ari ng account.”
She just prays viewers of such stolen scenes will be more discerning. “Ang viewers naman, sana huwag basta mag-judge not knowing the whole context of the scene. Sana panoorin nila nang buo ‘yung movie at hindi kami basta i-judge based dun sa ninakaw na film clip.”
Can Viva do anything to control this rampant piracy of sexy scenes? “Naku, hindi naman po natin kontrolado ang social media, so they just choose the most sensitive scenes and exploit it. Kahit bawalan silang mamirata, gagawin pa rin nila kasi nasa streaming ‘yung movies namin.”
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Sean de Guzman and Rash Flores are the two studs paired with Christine Bermas in Joel Lamangan’s latest sex-drama, “Island of Desire.” Direk Joel says the story is told in two different levels. One level is the realistic one where Christine is a simple wife married to Rash Flores. The other level is the mysterious one where Christine is a nurse assigned to an island and Sean is a tricycle driver named Leloy who becomes her boyfriend.
“It’s not just the usual sexy movie because the story is really different this time,” says Sean. “It’s quite dark as Christine’s character as a nurse assigned in an island where there is an evil cult is very intriguing, specially when she finds out her sister, Sheree, is a member.”
Sean is truly one of the busiest Vivamax contract stars as, aside from this movie, he is also in the ten-episode series, “Iskandalo,” that starts this April with him playing AJ Raval’s love interest. He has love scenes with both Christine and AJ in their respective projects. Does he still find it hard to do nude love scenes?
“Sa totoo lang, at this point na ang dami ko nang nagawang bed scenes na iba-iba ang kapareha ko, hindi na ako sa ganoong mga eksena ng hubaran nahihirapan,” he says.
“Sanay na kami ng mga kapareha ko. In ‘Island of Desire,’ pinakamahirap na pinagawa sa akin ay i-drive ‘yung lumang motorsiklo na ipinagagamit sa akin as a tricycle driver. Dahil luma na, kung minsan, ayaw umandar, antagal bago mag-start, kaya ako ang napapagalitan ni Direk Joel Langan kahit ‘yung motor ang may kasalanan.”
For Rash Flores, “Island of Desire” is his third film. “My first, ‘Pornstar Ikalawang Putok’, wala akong dialog. Puro hubaran lang,” he says. “Sa second movie ko, ‘Palitan’ with Direk Brillante Mendoza, wala kaming script. So itong ‘Island of Desire’ ang pinamakahirap for me kasi may script kaming sinusunod. Nagagalit si Direk Joel kapag nalilimutan mo ang mga linya mo ng dialog.”
He admits Direk Joel shouted at him. “Okay lang naman po kasi I was warned na matapang siya. But doon ka naman matututo as an actor. He wants you to grow. Gusto niya, bago ka mag-report sa set, in character ka na. Para preparado ka na pagharap mo sa kamera.
Husband ako rito ni Christine sa real life story. Naaksidente kami at doon papasok ‘yung mysterious second story set in an island. Yung kaluluwa niya, maglalakbay at makakarating dun sa Isla Bato where she meets the other characters.”
