ARCI Muñoz has a new soap, “Pamilya Ko,” on ABS-CBN and she also has a new movie that’s an entry in the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, so she’s really busy. She’s happy to be reunited with JM de Guzman in “Pamilya Ko,” after they were paired in the film “Last Fool Show” shot in Boracay that was shown last April.
“I did this for him,” she says looking at JM, “Kaya you owe me. Remember, si Piolo Pascual ang last leading man ko. JM and I have been good friends since our college days in UP, so it’s really nice working with him. Basta siya, anytime. Pero dito, ang role ko, best friend lang niya. Hingahan ng kanyang mga sama ng loob sa buhay, lalo na’t ayaw sa kanya ng mother nilang si Sylvia Sanchez.
‘Yun lang ang papel ko sa kanya dahil ang object of affection niya rito, si Alyssa Muhlach, a young doctor.”
“Pamilya Ko” starts airing this Monday before “TV Patrol.” The last time we got to talk to her at the presscon of “Last Full Show,” Arci was still on with Anthony Ng, also the ex of Erich Gonzales. But now, she admits they’ve broken up. She said then her past boyfriends were two-timers. Is Anthony one of them?
“No, nothing like that po,” she replies. “Walang third party involved at all. Ilang months na rin po kaming wala. Everything naman happens for a reason. Maybe it’s not just the right time for the two of us.”
As of now, she’s not interested in having a new boyfriend. “I just devote my time sa trabaho ko. And also, sa pagiging fan ng K Pop, lalo kay Park Ji Min ng grupong BTS. Sobrang obsessed ako sa BTS ngayon. Gusto ko na ngang mag-aral ng Korean to communicate with them, kasi hindi sila marunong ng English.”
***
Louise de Los Reyes was the original partner of Alden Richards when she was still with GMA-7. They did several soaps together like “One True Love” and “Mundo Mo’y Akin” that rated really well. But Louise left GMA to be managed by Viva while Alden was paired with Maine Mendoza and the rest, as they say, is history. Now, Alden has become a top box office star because of his appearance in a Star Cinema movie, paired with a top Kapamilya actress.
Louise, in turn, played supporting roles in some Kapamilya shows, did a movie with Xian Lim for Viva, and she’s now one of the sexy leading ladies of Viva’s new naughty comedy, “Sanggano Sanggago’t Sangguwapo.”
“I’m happy to be doing this movie with Janno Gibbs, Andrew E and Dennis Padilla kasi matagal na akong di nakagawa ng comedy,” she says. “Masaya kami sa set, lagi silang nagpapatawa, at masaya rin ang buong pelikula. They helped us ng iba pang leading ladies in our work. Tinuruan nila kami ng tamang techniques sa pagko-comedy, lalo na ng tamang comic timing sa pagbitiw ng mga linya.”
Off cam, Louise admits she’s now living in with her non-showbiz boyfriend. They’ve been together in a condo unit for some months now, along with two other friends. She thinks that at 27, she is now in the right age to make important decisions for herself. And so far, she is enjoying their current kind of setup.
***
Gabbi Garcia admits she felt sad when the soap she was supposed to do, “Rosang Agimat,” was shelved early this year after Manoy Eddie Garcia had an accident at their taping and eventually passed. But now, that show has been replaced by “Beautiful Justice,” a hardhitting action drama about three women who seek revenge after their loved ones were killed by a ruthless drug syndicate and will start airing on September 9 to replace “Sahaya.”
“I play Brie Cuevas, whose boyfriend was mercilesslly murdered so gusto ko siyang ipaghiganti,” she says. “I’m paired with Derrick Monasterio for the first time. Siya ang boyfriend kong PDEA agent na napatay. But it turns out he didn’t really die naman pala and he just has a secret kaya nagtatago siya to protect his own life.”
So what kind of girl is Brie? “Mayaman siya, susyal. She has a vlog and I do have a vlog in real life, so I can relate with her. Deep inside, she has a good heart but she’s also technically savvy and is a computer hacker. So ‘yun ang edge niya at magagamit nila ito later.”
“Beautiful Justice” will start airing on September 9, replacing “Sahaya” that ends this week. Gabbi has also finished a new movie that is an entry in the coming Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, “LSS (Last Song Syndrome).” Directed by Jade Castro of “Endo” and “Zombadings,” Gabbi stars with boyfriend Khalil Ramos and the current hot band, Ben and Ben. Khalil now sports a hort haircut and it becomes him. “Hindi ba? It was the right decision kasi he looks more neat, bumango ang hitsura niya. Noon ko pa sinasabing magpagupit siya and I’m glad he finally did kasi mas bagay sa kanya.”
***
Ryle Santiago renews his contract as endorser of Cherub Baby Care Products of Megasoft Hygienics. In his first contract that lasted for one year and six months, Ryle was able to do 30 shows for Cherub and visit many schools in various provinces throughout the country. Which ones are the most memorable for him? “Una ang sa Negros Occidental kasi naging wild ang reception ng mga tao.
Sobrang pinagkaguluhan ako at nagkasugat tuloy ako sa may leeg. Pero okay lang, kasi magandang souvenir ‘yun ng warm reception nila sa’kin.”
“Naging tagaawat nga ako sa crowd,” says Aileen Choi Go, Megasoft VP for sales and marketing.
“Pati hair ko, nahila. But doon ko nakita kung gaano kagusto ng tao si Ryle. Marami ngang schools ang tumatawag sa amin para bisitahin din niya. We love Ryle kasi napakabait niya, masayahin ang personality and maganda ang upbringing ng parents niya sa kanya. He’s a good example sa youth kasi kahit busy siya sa showbiz, he continues with his college studies kaya bagay sa aming theme na ‘School is Cool’.”
Ryle is currently taking up filmmaking at Meridian International (MINT) College. He’s with his stepdad, Chris Tan, at the signing of his renewal contract. He considers Chris his real dad as he grew up with him since he was 7 years old. “He was legally adopting me para maging Tan na rin ang surname ko but my real dad (Junjun Santiago), hindi pumayag, kaya Santiago pa rin ang ginagamit ko. But I had Tan tattooed on my arm to show how much I respect Daddy Chris.”
Ryle admits he’s not in the best of terms with his biological dad, although he’s in good terms with his Uncles Rowell and Randy. He says he’s just waiting for his dad to take the initiative to make “lambing” to him and everything will be okay with them. He’s now 20 years old and it’s common knowledge he wooed 19-year old Kira Balinger, who’s now in “Pamilya Ko,” but it didn’t prosper. What happened?
“Favorite siya ng ABS-CBN management and they can see she has a bright future. Niligawan ko siya, pero hindi naging kami. People around her think hindi pa siya dapat makipagrelasyon. So kung ayaw ng family niya at ng management, I have to respect that. I don’t want to get in the way of her career, but she remains to be a very special person for me up to now.”
