• This is a correction to the correction about Coquitlam where Joey Albert and her family are based. More readers called my attention to the fact that British Columbia is not a country but a province located in Western Canada. Coquitlam is a city/town in British Columbia. There. I hope I got it right, finally!
• From reader Lucille Sanders: I saw Paul Cavett, Donita Rose’s brother, in an episode of Second Chance on the TLC Channel here in the US. He’s so grown-up and guwapong-guwapo, in very good shape. He should join showbiz back home. On Second Chance, Paul was given a second chance to rekindle his love for a girl named Jasmine, a Filipina based in San Francisco (Paul is from Sacramento).
According to the show, the two have been together for quite sometime until Jasmine left and Paul never heard from her again. Through the show, Paul and Jasmine became a couple again, never been separated since their reunion.
• Cesar Montano is holding auditions for his next film, Suba (The River), on June 9 in Bohol and June 10 in Cebu. Suba will be filmed in Visayan with English subtitles for the international release. Roles to be filled in are: A leading lady aged 16 to 30; the brother, 16 to 25; Japanese soldiers; American expatriates; a priest; parents; and a village idiot. Conceptualized by Cesar, Suba is scripted by Cris Vertido. Those interested may call Leah at 372-4265 or James Pizzaras (in Bohol) at 0916-233-0379.
Are, rather were, they really, uh, lovers?
"We’re friends," said Aleck, "and, contrary to rumors, there was nothing romantic between us. People simply misinterpreted our friendship as something else. May pagka-selosa at possessive si DJ and she’d get insecure everytime somebody, anybody, whether boy or girl, would text me."
Has the world run out of available/eligible males that she would be romantically linked to another woman?
"Sa totoo lang," laughed Aleck, "I still prefer men and so does DJ. I’m sure of that. I haven’t had any (intimate) relationship with another woman and I don’t think I ever will." Oops! Not that I have anything against two women falling in love. Wherever or whoever you’re happy with, go for it. To each her own."
That issue cleared, Funfare asked Aleck how she felt almost two years after she won a FAMAS Best Actress (for her first movie, Tampisaw, directed by Jun Posadas) and created a huge controversy after Ara Mina (for Mano Po 1), one of the losing nominees, commented that she didn’t think Aleck truly deserved the award.
"When I look back," said Aleck, "I’m convinced more than ever that I deserved that award. I’m convinced that I played my role (as a battered child who lost her sanity) very well."
The big irony was that at the FAMAS Awards earlier this year, Aleck was tapped to present the trophy to this year’s (actually for year 2003) winner who turned out to be Ara Mina (for Huling Birhen sa Lupa). Wasn’t Aleck tempted not to give Ara the trophy (perhaps to get back at her "tormentor")?
"No naman. Like me, Ara deserved her award."
After Tampisaw, Aleck did four movies (Kaulayaw, Masarap na Pugad, Kerida and Hiram) before her latest, Angora Films’ Naglalayag (a Manila Filmfest entry), directed by Maryo J. delos Reyes from a story by Irma Dimaranan. In the movie, Aleck plays the sari-sari store owner girlfriend of Yul Servo who plays a lowly taxi driver who has an affair with a 49-year-old widowed judge (Nora "Ate Guy" Aunor) whom he gets pregnant.
For a respected director like Maryo J to personally choose Aleck (and the other members of the cast) for one of the lead roles is a clear vindication of Aleck who said she was challenged all the more to prove her acting mettle after the FAMAS brouhaha. In Naglalayag, Aleck gets not only pitted against Nora but top billing as well (Nora’s name comes after Yul Servo’s, with the all-important "and" and a "Ms.").
"Nora and I don’t have any confrontation scene," said Aleck. "Our only scene together was a quiet one, in which I was entrusting Yul to her."
Asked if she felt nervous during her close encounter with The Superstar, Aleck said, "Not at all."
The pre-shooting workshop direk Maryo conducted among Nora, Aleck, Yul and Chanda (Romero) helped a lot, said Aleck.
"In that workshop, we got to know one another very well. It was a familiarization session para mawala ang inhibitions namin. So when the actual shooting came, sanay na ako kay Ate Guy."
Aleck’s next movie, Sa Pagkagat ng Dilim (also from Angora Films), is another "vindication" of sorts. It’s directed by another A-list director, Jeffrey Jeturian, with Jay Manalo and Katherine Luna (of Babae sa Breakwater, which made waves at the Directors Fortnight at the recent Cannes Filmfest) among Aleck’s co-stars.
Written by Bing Lao, Dilim casts Aleck as a woman with a curse, marked by a mole right below her eye (where tears drop).
"According to superstition, women with that kind of mole get widowed all the time. In the movie, all my three husbands died. I’m an Ilongga from Capiz, a witch which turns into a dog at dusk."
Dilim is intended for the Metro Filmfest in December. If and when Aleck wins another award, maybe at this month’s Manila Filmfest or in the Metro Filmfest, will anybody still have doubts about her acting ability?
"Sana wala," said Aleck. "I don’t think Tito Maryo and Kuya Jeffrey will agree to direct me kung wala silang bilib sa akin."
In connection with it, Funfare is conducting a joint quiz promo with the concert producer from today until Saturday, June 12. Two winners, who will each get two tickets to the concert, will be picked by a representative of the concert-producer. There will be 12 winners all in all.
Simply answer the question Who do you think is the coolest Linkin Park member? and e-mail your answer to linkinparkpromo@yahoo.com or fax to 816-0014. (Winners will be duly notified and can claim their tickets on June 14 at Unit 809 V. Madrigal Bldg., Ayala Avenue, Makati City. Bring your ID and look for Mic Florendo or Agie Dacanay, or call 817-2940.)
Here’s a sample answer, from veejay/model Sarah Meier: "Joe Hahn. He’s the member that I’m closest to. And he’s really a genius, musically and artistically. He’s a great DJ, great director! Chester’s cool, too, though, and he’s like the anti-rockstar rockstar."
The Linkin Park is composed of Joe Hahn, Chester Bennington, MC Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave Farrell a.k.a. Phoenix and Rob Bourdon.
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)