Star Awards: 'Fearful' forecast

Curtain-raisers:

• Toys are supposed to be played with — and, inevitably, destroyed in the process, but it shouldn’t matter, should it? Part of a child’s growing up. An actor didn’t get to enjoy his toys when he was a kid because his father wanted the toys “preserved” so he housed them in a glass case. The toys are intact up to now, proudly displayed. Did the actor miss a good part of his formative years?

• His over-generosity might boomerang on an actor who spends on his friends — and girlfriends — as if money grows on trees, using his credit cards. Now he owes the banks more than P1-M. Not a small problem, is it? He should learn how to control his finances.

•  The sexual preference of this Hollywood actor (a confirmed bachelor) has long been the subject of speculation. A handsome veejay (not from the Philippines) kind of found out the truth when he interviewed the actor in Hollywood. The actor winked at the veejay, made a “revealing” gesture with his finger when they shook hands, and asked not only for his cellfone number but also his room number. The veejay was amused but didn’t give in.

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The 25th Star Awards for Movies won’t be held until May 28 yet (at the Ateneo’s Henry Lee Irwin Theater, to be aired on May 31 by ABS-CBN), but already there’s a guessing game on who will emerge the winners.

Funfare Update will hazard a “fearful” forecast on some of the major categories. Here it is:

• Movie Actress of the Year — Who will win: Sharon Cuneta (for Caregiver, Star Cinema); who should win: Gloria Romero (Fuschia, APT Entertainment);

•  Movie Actor of the Year — Who will win: John Lloyd Cruz (A Very Special Love, Star Cinema) or Aga Muhlach (When Love Begins, Star Cinema); who should win: Baron Geisler (Jay, Pasion Para Pelicula Productions);

• Movie Supporting Actress of the Year — Who will win: Sharmaine Buencamino (Ang Lihim ni Antonio, Viva Digital); who should win: Tessie Tomas (100, A Martinez Rivera Film Productions);

• Movie Supporting Actor of the Year — Who will win: Phillip Salvador (Baler, Viva Films/Bida Foundation); who should win: Emilio Garcia (Walang Kawala, DMV Entertainment);

•  Movie Director of the Year — Who will win: Cathy Garcia-Molina (A Very Special Love, Star Cinema) or Chito Roño (Caregiver); who should win: Mark Meiley (Baler); and

•  Movie of the Year — What will win: A Very Special Love or Caregiver; what should win: Baler.

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Scarred by life’s trials, and beautifully surviving them, Maricel Soriano has become highly-spiritual. She doesn’t get tired sending inspirational messages and passages from the Bible to her friends (this one included). She has also mellowed considerably.

She is back collaborating with direk Chito Roño in the Star Cinema shocker T2 which opens on Black Saturday, calculated to scare you back to your senses after the gloom of Lent. The two have worked together in a few films, including Dahas, Nasaan ang Puso and Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin.

Since the Lenten Season is upon us, Funfare Update asked Maricel to make a list of the 12 valuable lessons she has learned from life and she came up with the following:

1. Love yourself. You cannot claim that you are capable of loving unless you are able to love yourself.

2. Always leave something for yourself.

3. I have learned to say no even if it hurts me.

4. I have learned to listen.

5. The simplest things are what matter most.

6. I have learned that less is more.

7. I believe that whatever you throw at the universe, good or bad, will come back to you.

8. I have learned that dwelling (on the past) will get you nowhere. And neither will complaining.

9. I have learned to accept things that I cannot change.

10. I have learned to surrender everything to God.

11. I have learned to say sorry to people that I hurt.

12. I have learned to look deeper behind every action and every word that I say. Sincerity is what is most important to me.

What’s up?

•  Could it be true that the hosts and staff of Showbiz Central, the GMA Sunday show, were made to choose between Rufa Mae Quinto and Mo Twister (the two have been bumping heads)? Find out who they chose this Sunday. The one “missing” is the loser.

• Bella Notte is slated for tomorrow, April 4, at the Philam Life Theater (UN Ave., Ermita, Manila), topbilled by Jose Mari Chan and British Columbia-trained soprano Elaine Lim. The concert features the world-famous one-act opera-comedy The Telephone by Gian Carlo Menoti, classical solo and duet performances from Magic Flute and Marriage of Figaro by Mozart and Porgy and Bess by Gershwin.

• The Center for Arts Foundation is holding a benefit concert to raise funds for the Immaculate Heart in Memoriam, Inc. foundation for abused children on April 4, Saturday, 8 p.m., at Captain’s Bar of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Makati. The concert, billed Echoes of Dreams: A Night of Broadway Music, will feature the music of Broadway and showcase the talents of the Center for Arts Foundation faculty, alumni and students. (Tickets are priced at P1,500, P2,000 and P2,500. For details, call 927-269, 927-6468 or 915-6959.)

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