So who’s Noel and why is John Lloyd Cruz terribly missing him?
If you still don’t know, Noel is the decent (as in “not loud”) gay character John Lloyd is playing in Star Cinema’s In My Life in which he co-stars with Vilma Santos and her son Luis Manzano as John Lloyd’s lover, filmed mostly in the tri-state of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and directed by Olivia Lamasan.
“We were shooting the other day and I don’t know why I was emotional that day,” John Lloyd revealed at yesterday’s presscon. “I guess it was because the shooting would soon be over and the movie will soon be shown. Isang chapter na naman ng buhay ko ang matatapos and I have another character to let go. I told Inang (direk Olivia), ‘Alam mo, Inang, mami-miss ko si Noel.’ I became so attached to the character. Doing the movie was a wonderful journey. I learned a lot from it as a person and as an actor.”
One thing John Lloyd learned is that a gay person is a passionate lover. In the movie, the gay characters he and Luis play are not, you know, “obvious,” no giveaway (except for subtle nuances) just like the actors in the popular Korean film Frozen Flower — macho outside but pusong mamon inside.
“Parang mas masarap silang magmahal,” John Lloyd added. “Feeling ko, kapag nagmahal sila mas buo, mas matindi.”
Vilma plays a strict/conservative librarian who visits her son (Luis) in New York and is shocked to discover that he’s living-in with another man (John Loyd).
“Mahirap ka-eksena si Ate Vi,” admitted John Lloyd, “because even if I was the focus of the scene and she was just there, simply standing and not delivering a line, umaarte pa rin siya. She’s that good as an actress. She doesn’t just act with you, she interacts with you.”
Asked if he wasn’t taking a “risk” by playing a gay character (as did such respected Hollywood actors as Tom hanks in Philadelphia and Sean Pean in Milk for which he won a Best Actor Oscar), John Lloyd said no.
“I know that it’s a daring move but since hindi mo malalaman kung hindi mo susubukan, I have to try it not only for myself but also for people who trust me. I want to prove to them that hindi lang ako pang-rom/com (romantic-comedy), that I can do something else, something more, at hindi lang ako nakakulong sa isang maliit na box.”
Before the shooting, John Lloyd said that he resisted the temptation to watch Milk to avoid Sean Penn influencing his own portrayal. But he gave in just the same. Penn is his favorite actor.
And, having done a varied roles so far, what’s one he would like to do?
“‘Yung character na heartless. It must be hard to do, very challenging siguro. It’s intriguing to discover why he’s heartless. Also, a character similar to the one played by Sean Penn in I Am Sam.”
(Opening nationwide on Sept. 16, In My Life will have a premiere in Batangas and will be shown at the Alex Theater in L.A. on Sept. 26; Fox Theater in San Francisco on Sept. 27; Landmark Lowes in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Sept. 30; Telus Convention Center in Calgary, Canada, on Oct. 3; and Queen Elizabeth Theater in Toronto on Oct. 4.)
Goodbye, Edith
Here’s a little backgrounder on Edith Nakpil Rabat, Miss Philippines of 1956, who died of cancer last Aug. 26, courtesy of Funfare’s “beauty experts” Felix Manuel, Gery Yumping, Joey Cezeare and Francis Calubaquib:
Edith was crowned Miss Philippines in 1956 but did not compete in the Miss Universe Pageant; Isabel Rodriguez, a Miss Philippine Red Cross title-holder, replaced her. Her mother, Anita Agoncillo Noble, was crowned the first Miss Philippines in 1926. They were the second mother-daughter beauty title-holders in the country; the first being Pura Villanueva (the first Carnival Queen in 1908) and Maria Kalaw (Carnival Queen 1931).
Edith’s father, Juan Nakpil, was named National Artist For The Arts. Her husband, the late Francisco “Paking” Rabat, was a member of the Philippine National Basketball team which won a bronze in the 1954 Olympics. He started his political career as vice governor of Davao Oriental from 1972-1975. He became governor from 1978-1985 and then Mati mayor from 2001 to 2007. Their daughter is incumbent Mati Mayor Michelle Rabat.
Edith was the chairperson of Sambuokan Festival, a festivity that showcased the best of Mati. It was under her leadership that Sambuokan Festival became the second most popular festival in Mindanao after Kadayawan Festival in Davao City.
Briefly noted
• Adolfo Alix Jr.’s still unreleased indie film, Aurora, will compete in the Southeast Asian section of the Bangkok International Film Festival, Sept. 24 to 30. It will be the film’s international premiere after its screening in the NETPAC section of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.
The film, which is about a social worker who tries to get out of a forest to find her way to freedom after escaping her abductors, received financial support for post-production from the Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam. It was selected from over 100 applications from different countries.
The MTRCB slapped the film with two “X”-ratings, making it unfit for public exhibition in the country because of the controversial rape scene involving lead actress Rosanna Roces and Kristofer King. Alix said that he wants to show the film in its integral version. He will appeal the decision to Malacañang.
Other films confirmed competing in the same filmfest are Raya Martin’s Independencia (Philippines), Sherad Anthony Sanchez’s Imburnal (Philippines), Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s Nymph (Thailand), Nguyen Vinh Son’s The Moon at the Bottom of the Well (Vietnam), Ho Tzu Nyen’s Here (Singapore) and James Lee’s Call If You Need Me (Malaysia).
• The search for Turismo Pilipina 2009 was recently launch spearheaded by 2005 Miss International Precious Lara Quigaman who, together with Denille Lou Valmonte (Bb. Pilipinas International 2006) and Turismo Pilipina reigning queens Sherylee Sustiguer (2008 title-holder) and Emmerie Dale Cunanan (2008 second runner-up), led the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with NAITAS, the largest travel association in the Philippines, as partner in this year’s search.
The search is open to all Filipina, between 18 and 25 years old, at least 5’5” tall, single and never been married or having given birth, at least high school graduate, with a pleasing personality and good moral character, and has a good knowledge of Philippine culture and tourism.
Turismo Pilipina 2009 will receive P250,000 cash while the first and second runners-up will receive P75,000 and P50,000 respectively.
More preliminary screenings are scheduled on Sept 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 and 26, 1 to 6 p.m., at the Turismo Pilipina Head Office at # 10 Kasing-Kasing St., East Kamias, Quezon City. For further details, call landline 434-1417 or Francis Calubaquib at 0922-8651210 or 0927-6206501.
• Here’s Fr. Corsie Legaspi’s healing sked for September:
• Sept. 3, Thursday, 1 to 6 p.m., at the St. Michael Parish Church, Bacoor, Cavite;
• Sept. 4, Friday, 1 to 6 p.m., at the Malabon Gymnasium, Malabon City;
• Sept. 6, Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m., at the Coming Home Retreat and Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite; and
• Sept. 9 to Oct. 2, in the US (for information, call 0922-8123030).
(Note: For further inquiries on Fr. Corsie’s healing sked here, call 046-434-8759 or 046-878-0069, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.)
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)