"We’re very comfortable with each other as we’ve been working as co-hosts in Wazzup Wazzup for a year now," Vhong says. "From the start, we instantly had rapport as she has good comic timing."
"I admit I’m very comfortable with Vhong," says Toni. "He’s someone who can be trusted. He’s sweet and caring to everyone and does not take advantage of the women he works with. Wala siyang arte sa katawan and easy to get along with."
This is not really Toni’s first movie as she was previously paired with Oyo Boy Sotto in D’Pakners, the last film made by Fernando Poe Jr. "But I have a much bigger role here as Vhong’s love interest," she says.
Born on Jan. 20, 1984, Celestine Gonzaga is the eldest of two girls. She has always been attracted to showbiz. She studied at the United Methodist Christian School in Taytay, where their family lives, and was taking up Mass Communications at Dominican College before her showbiz schedule became so hectic. She’s now enrolled at the Asian Institute of Development Education taking up AB English in its home study program.
She has a good singing voice and has sung in many lounges. At 13, she auditioned at the GMA Artist Center and signed a contract with the network. She did bit roles in many GMA shows, like Bubble Gang and Lagot Ka, Isusumbong Kita, but her career never really took off until she was paired with Piolo Pascual in a soft drink commercial where she is asked to be "magpakatotoo ka" and cries, "I love you, Piolo!" After that, she got bigger exposures in S.O.P. and The S-Files and became a host of Eat Bulaga.
Early this year, she transferred to ABS-CBN, where she’s co-hosting Wazzup Wazzup for Studio 23. She was quickly given several other shows: M.R.S. (which didn’t rate and has since been axed), ETK, My Juan and Only, and ASAP.
She was also given a starring role in D’Anothers, the shooting of which was delayed because of her. "They had to wait for me until I have moved from GMA 7 to ABS-CBN, kaya January na ako nakapag-shooting sa movie which they started to do last year," she says.
She is happy that her first film with ABS-CBN’s Star Cinema is a horror comedy like D’Anothers. "After reading the script, nagustuhan ko agad as it’s not the usual comedy. Like Scary Movie, this spoofs other films, but not only horror films but even serious ones. So we spoof both Feng Shui and Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa? I’m glad to work with Bb. Joyce Bernal as our director. I watched all the movies she did with Aga Muhlach and Regine Velasquez, so I was intimidated with her at first. But she’s so approachable and gives the cast the chance to contribute their own input, so we’re all comfortable sa set. Walang pressure."
In the movie, she’s asked to do all sorts of crazy things as Vhong Navarro’s girlfriend, like growing hair in her armpits and being hit on the face with raw fish. "Okey lang sa’kin to do ridiculous things kasi si Cameron Diaz nga in one of my favorite comedies, There’s Something About Mary, all sorts of funny things are also performed on her and okey lang sa kanya. I also enjoyed working with my other co-stars in D’Anothers, like John Prats, Joross Gamboa, Roxanne Guinoo, Archie Alemania, Michelle Madrigal, Pokwang, and many more. The movie is actually more funny than scary, perfect for these trying times when our country is faced with a political crisis. This is a good break for people to forget their worries and have a good time."
She’s sad that one of her TV shows, M.R.S., has just been axed. "Tears were shed on our last taping day, but I still have other shows, so it’s okay. I really love hosting so I hope they’ll give me another show like M.R.S. na host ako."
Toni claims she has never had a boyfriend. "I’m not like other girls na kailangan, laging may love life," she says. Nagkaroon ako ng ka-MU when I was 15 but I broke up with him as my parents were against it. For me now, istorbo lang if I’ll have a boyfriend considering how busy I am. And I can see other girls na may boyfriend and it only gets in the way of their work, lalo pag nag-aaway sila."
How about the reports that she is now really going steady with Luis Manzano? "No, that’s not true," she replies. "But Luis is very sweet. Nako-conscious nga ako when he pampers me with too much attention. We’re good friends. But we don’t know yet where it’s going. Tingnan na lang natin. We’re both busy kaya huwag na lang madaliin."