MARICEL Soriano is back on the big screen in “The Heiress,” a horror movie where she plays the role of a sorceress. Her young co-stars in the movie, Janella Salvador and McCoy de Leon, both admitted they were scared of her before the shoot started. What can she say about this?
“Naku, madalas ko ngang naririnig ‘yan,” she says. “Na my young co-stars, takot daw sa akin. Bakit naman sila matatakot, ‘di naman ako nangangagat? I told Janella not to be intimidated by me. Basta gawin lang nila ang trabaho nila nang maayos at narito lang ako para umalalay sa kanila. But kapag nararamdaman kong ilang sa’kin ang co-stars, ako na mismo ang gumagawa ng paraan to make them feel comfortable with me para kami masaya lagi sa set.”
McCoy, who plays Janella’s boyfriend in “The Heiress,” says this is true. “One time, pawis na pawis ako. Biglang andiyan na si Inay Maria at nilagyan ng tuwalya ‘yung likod ko. Sobrang nagulat ako kasi I felt that she cares. ‘Yung bimpo niya, I kept it as a souvenir of working with her. I really feel so lucky and blessed na nabigyan ako ng chance na makatrabaho ang isang Maricel Soriano.”
Janella confirms this. “She’s really very accommodating. Starstruck ako noong una pero siya mismo ang nagsabi na I shouldn’t feel that way. She made alalay to me all the way. Para talaga siyang mother sa set na concerned sa anak niya and it’s really a pleasure working with her in ‘The Heiress’.”
How does Maricel feel that “The Heiress” did not make it as an entry in the Metro Manila Film Festival?
“Siempre, sad kami, but then, who are we to question kung anong plano ni God, ‘di ba? Malay natin, ngayong we are given an earlier playdate, mas malaki pala ang kitain ng movie namin, ‘di magiging mas masaya si Mother Lily. So thankful lang kaming nabigyan kami ng earlier playdate at mas mauuna pa kaming ipalabas kaysa doon sa entries sa film fest. And I can assure the viewers, lalo na ‘yung mahilig sa horror films, na hindi sila mabibigo sa pelikula namin. Magaling na direktor si Frasco Mortiz, anak ni Bobot Mortiz. Fresh ang ideas niya kasi bata pa.”
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Andrea Brillantes and Seth Fedelin comprise the “SethDrea” teen love team that started in “Kadenang Ginto.” Now, Dreamscape gives them the chance to cross over and star in their own movie, “Wild Little Love,” to be shown in iWant streaming on November 23, directed by Benedict Mique. What can they say to the prediction that they will replace the “KathNiel” love team, what with Seth looking like a young Daniel Padilla?
“Sana nga maging totoo,” says Andrea. “Matagal na po akong fan ng ‘KathNiel’ kaya lang hindi naman namin sila mapapalitan. I’m sure nandiyan pa rin sila. Sana lang, maabot namin kung ano ang inabot nila sa showbiz.”
Director Benedict Mique said Andrea really prayed for someone like Seth to come into her life. Is this true?
“Ibinuking naman ako ni Direk but yes, it’s true. Ipinagdasal ko pong magkaroon sana ako ng isang Daniel na ka-love team at ayan, ibinigay naman siya sa akin.”
So, like “KathNiel,” will they also end up with each other?
“Ay, tungkol doon, hindi po natin masasabi. Sa ngayon, basta trabaho muna. Sa age namin ngayon, basta enjoy lang.”
“Kung kami naman talaga ang magiging para sa isa’t isa, ‘di sige, but as of now, no one can tell kasi sobrang bata pa po kami,” says Seth.
In “Wild Little Love,” Andrea plays Samantha or Sam, a spoiled, unruly rich girl whose parents, played by Alfred Vargas and Carmina Villaroel, cannot control. To give her a lesson, her dad transfers her to a public high school. This is where she meets Jake (Seth), a poor boy who will teach her to how adjust to her new surroundings.
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Betong Sumaya is having butterflies in his stomach these days. “Yes, sobrang kabado ko, nape-pressure habang papalapit na ang first concert ko sa Music Museum on Thursday, November 21, which is my birthday,” he says. “Two years ago, may nag-offer na sa’king mag-concert, pero pinag-isipan ko muna kung kaya ko ba talaga. Now heto na, timing naman sa birthday ko at pumirma ako ng recording contract sa GMA Music.”
Betong says singing is really one of his passions. “My mother is a singer. There was a time na tinalo niya si Nora Aunor in a singing contest sa Villamor Air Base. Ako rin, first placer ako sa amateur contest in high school and in college sa PUP, nanalo rin ako. I also won sa isang pa-contest ng SM.”
But after college, he was hired by Cheche Lazaro as production assistant in Probe Team in 1996 and that started his broadcasting career. He first tried hosting as a co-host of Susan Enriquez in “Kay Susan Tayo,” then he branched out into acting as a comedian in “Bubble Gang” and in soaps like “Genesis,” “I Heart Davao,” “Inday Will Always Love You” and he’s now part of Alden Richards’ primetime soap, “The Gift.” He also won in “Survivor Philippines” in 2011.
The title of his concert is “Betong’s Amazing Concert: Try Ko Lang Ha?,” produced by Michael Angelo Lobrin and directed by Paul Infante. Will he be supported by his co-stars in “Bubble Gang” and “The Gift”?
“Oh yes. I’m really overwhelmed by their support. So far, 16 na ang confirmed na guests ko, led by Dingdong Dantes, Alden Richards, Michael V., Maey Bautista, Jeric Gonzales, Patricia Javier, Miguel Tanfelix, members ng ‘The Clash,’ at iba pa. Marami pang nagbo-volunteer, kaya lang kung lahat, isasali ko, baka sumobrang haba ng concert at abutin na kami ng ‘Unang Hirit,’ a-appear din sa show ang mga kasama ko roon led by Igan, Arnold Clavio. I will do production numbers with them na may kasamang dancing. We promise to give the audience a great show.”
