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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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MANILA --- Young balladeer Erik Santos will remember 2004 with fondness. Since he won in “Star in a Million,” his life has never been the same again. His debut album, “This is the Moment,” is a huge success.
His concerts in Manila and the provinces and even the US were all well attended. He has won the Awit, Aliw, and Star best new artist awards. He now faces his toughest challenge in his back-to-back concert with Ai Ai de las Alas on Nov. 27 at the Araneta Coliseum, “The Prince of Pop and the Comedy Concert Queen,” where they’ll be accompanied by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.
He leaves no stone unturned to make sure the concert will be a success. He’s now taking voice lessons at Ryan Cayabyab Music Studio.
“I want to learn new techniques on how to use my voice better,” he says. “My voice proficiency classes will help keep my voice in top shape come our Araneta concert, which is totally different from any concert I’ve done before. I’ll be singing more songs and do more production numbers. And I’m excited to work with Ai Ai. We’ve sung together at Klownz and other smaller venues. Pero siempre, iba ang Araneta. I’ve done shows with other singers sa Araneta but this one with Ai Ai is the biggest and the grandest in concept and design.”
He’s separated from his colleagues in the hit “Night of the Champions” concert tour like Sarah Geronimo, Rachelle Ann Go, Mark and Christian Bautista, who now have another concert in the Big Dome, “Pinoy Idols.”
Does he feel any competition between their concerts that will be shown within a week of each other?
“No. I wish them well. We’re very good friends because we bonded well when we did shows here and abroad. Walang rivalry among us and we support each other. Sana, parehong maging hits ang concerts namin because I believe there’s room for all of us in showbiz.” (MNS)
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MANILA --- If there's one thing Pops Fernandez would like to request from writers who interview her, it's for them to stop asking her any question about Martin Nievera or Brad Turvey. "Hindi ba puedeng interbyuhin ako without them getting into the picture?" she sighs.
But we guess she knows this is an impossibility so she continues to answer their queries about the ex-men in her life. "I just saw Brad. Brad Pitt, huh. I watched his movie 'Meet Joe Black' for the first time at ang guwapo niya roon. If he wants me, I'm here," she jokes.
In an interview, Martin said it's not true that they have reconciled when they had a vacation with their kids in the States. What can she say about this?
"Wala talagang balikan. People concluded that dahil nagbakasyon lang kami with Robin and Ram. Nagkita lang naman kami roon and I don't think there's anything wrong with that since, let's face it, no matter what happens, we're still the father and the mother of our two kids who're just happy to see us in friendly terms again."
It was earlier rumored that Martin is hunting down Brad because he left Pops heartbroken. Martin said: "Whatever happened between Pops and Brad is none of my business. Sa kanila na lang 'yun. Why do I have to make pakialam? I'll probably go and talk to Brad only if he hurt Pops, but Pops herself says that what happened between them is a mutual decision. So bakit ko naman hahantingin si Brad?"
"Sometimes, the stories about us ni Martin, nakakatawa talaga. There's an invitation for us to be partners in the 'Extra Challenge' episode to be shot in New Zealand. Okay lang sana sa akin, but Martin has a show in Japan, so hindi siya puwede."
Is it true ABS-CBN is getting her to replace Zsa Zsa Padilla in "Born Divas" because it's not rating?
"No. I have no offer from ABS at all. Ang bagong show ko is 'Pops!', a new late-night talk show directed by Bert de Leon and produced by Kitchie Benedicto. I'm taping it soon for ABC-5, aside from hosting 'Sing Galing' for them. I want my first guest to be Martin in a no-holds barred interview."
Pops is also busy rehearsing for her birthday concert, "It Girl," to be held at the ULTRA on Dec. 11. She will be singing the best songs of the "It Girls" today: J Lo, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Madonna, Janet Jackson and other divas. She'll also sing old standards re-arranged in her own style.
"This will be more spectacular than any of my previous concerts," says the Concert Queen. "Direk Floy Quintos has prepared some awesome special effects to thrill the audience. I'll wear dazzling costumes by Rajo Laurel, Randy Ortiz and Maxi Cinco. My guests, Jay-R and Christian Bautista, will do some elaborate numbers with me. All in all, we'll be having about 20 numbers with the Hotlegs. Maraming medleys of favorite songs." (MNS)
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MANILA --- The three love teams featured in Star Cinema’s “Bcuz of U” have enough starpower to make it on their own. These are Diether Ocampo and Kristine Hermosa, Heart Evangelista and Geoff Eigenmann and Hero Angeles and Sandara Park.
All six are under contract to Talent Center (now known as Star Magic) and have shows on ABS-CBN 2.
Diether has been in show business the longest among all six. No wonder that he is the most experienced among them. He has also made the most number of films and TV shows.
Diether was introduced in the movie, “The Calvento Files,” which had him playing the role of Claudine Barreto’s leading man. He considers that one of his most difficult roles, as all the other assignments were light and easy.
He was last seen as Ai Ai de las Alas’ leading man in “Volta,” Star Cinema’s Manila Filmfest entry this year.
“Bcuz of You” is just one of two movies he is currently doing for Star Cinema. The other one is “Lihim,” co-starring him with Claudine and Jericho Rosales.
He is in the cast of the fantaserye, “Marina,” which also pairs him with Claudine, who portrays the title role.
Kristine has done a number of movies with her then perennial partner, Jericho (Rosales). “Bcuz of U” is her first movie with Diether, who also happens to be her sweetheart in real life.
Their romance started when Diether was cast as the other man (besides Jericho) in her life in the teleserye, “Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas.” Their team-up, even with Jericho’s presence, was a surprise hit. What added to the excitement was when they made it known that they were really in love.
Kristine can very well consider herself a box-office star as she was the leading lady of Aga Muhlach in the blockbuster movie, “All My Life,” also produced by Star Cinema.
Heart belongs to the well-off Ongpauco clan. That’s why, she now reveals, she had difficulty convincing her father, a restaurant magnate, to allow her to join showbiz.
“But I, myself, am surprised at my transformation,” she relates. “Hindi rin siguro makapaniwala ang father ko that I have the makings of a movie star. Kasi, in my younger days, I was an ugly duckling. In fact, classmates of mine, especially in the primary grades, were frank and brutal enough to tell me so.”
Heart spent her early schooling in the US, where her dad used to own a restaurant.
Now considered as one of the prettiest faces in local films, Heart is the busiest among her contemporaries. She has the most number of TV commercials. She is a mainstay of the top-rated TV series, “Hiram,” where her “Bcuz of You” leading man, Geoff (Eigenmann), is also her partner.
Geoff’s parents and grandparents are icons in showbiz. His father and mother, Michael de Mesa and Gina Alajar, are two of the most award-winning performers in their field. They happen to be both TV and movie directors, too.
His grandparents, Eddie Mesa and Rosemarie Gil, have had their time as showbiz personalities. Both were under contract to the now defunct Premiere Productions Studios when they met, fell in love and got married.
Eddie is now more actively involved as a pastor of his congregation while Rosemarie is also in “Hiram” with grandson, Geoff.
“Bcuz of You” is not Geoff’s first movie, as he had done films before as a child star.
“Pero, itong ‘Bcuz of U’ ang sasabihin kong first adult movie ko,” Geoff, who is 20, says.
Hero and Sandara are both products of the “Star Circle Quest,” a discovery show produced by ABS-CBN. Sandara emerged runner-up to Hero, who was proclaimed the champ.
Although they are almost paired together in TV shows, they dream of making a name as individual stars in the future. After all, they say, they have their own respective talent and personality.
“Bcuz of U” is actually Hero and Sandara’s first attempt at movie acting. So far, the experience was satisfactory to them. They look forward to making more movies, Hero with his favorite actress Heart Evangelista or Sharon Cuneta and Sandara with either Patrick Garcia or Aga Muhlach. (MNS)
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