Michael: I'm a changed man

After having been away for more than a year, Michael de Mesa came home last Feb. 19 for the wedding last Feb. 28 of his and ex-wife Gina Alajar’s eldest (of three sons) Ryan Eigenmann to TV host Cathy Bordalba. He came and went (last Thursday, March 4) back to L.A., his second home deliberately without fanfare, judiciously avoiding the movie press which was eager to find out how he felt about the persistent issue linking Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao to Krista Ranillo who, if we are to believe the rumors, reportedly figured in the break-up (more than a decade ago) of Michael and Gina’s marriage which has since been annulled.

A day before his departure, Michael trusted only Funfare and Startalk with an exclusive interview to clear that issue (in which, to protect Michael and some people’s feelings, no names were mentioned though the reference was very obvious) and to update us on how his life is in L.A. The Eigenmanns are green card-holders (the whole family was granted “extraordinary-ability visas,” with the help of immigration lawyer and STAR columnist Michael Gurfinkel).

Here are excerpts from that interview:

How was the wedding?

“It was very sweet, very touching. The whole family was here — our parents (Eddie Mesa and Rosemarie Gil) came home from the US and my son AJ (Andrew James), who is based in Las Vegas, arrived last January.”

Did you and Gina give Ryan away?

“No. Gina walked with Ryan and I walked with Cathy’s mom.”

Okey naman kayo ni Gina?

“We’re okay.”

You have found a new love and she’s looking for one.

“Well, I hope she finds one soon.”

How is Michael de Mesa today?

“I’m a changed man. I’m very loyal and faithful to Julie (Reyes, member of a dance company, herself divorced). I haven’t had any extra-curricular activity since Julie and I got together nine years ago. Been there, done that, sabi nga nila. I made mistakes in the past and I wouldn’t say I’m proud of them. But I would say that I’ve never been happier.”

I thought Julie was as young as one of your sons.

“She’s 37. I’m 13 years older than her. I’m turning 50 na.”

Did Julie come home with you?

“She lives here. In two or three years, she will live with me in the US after her papers are processed. I’m still working on my (US) citizenship. Meanwhile, she can go there to visit me or I can come to visit her. We will eventually get married.”

Just to clarify...did you meet Julie (or any other woman) while you and Gina were still married?

“No. Gina and I broke up in March 2001 and I met Julie a few months after that. To set the record straight, Julie was not the cause of our separation.”

Without naming names, did “another woman” cause the separation?

“Again, I want to make it clear. Sa separation namin ni Gina, there was no third party. It was just between Gina and me. I must admit that noong bagets pa kami, Gina and I would break up because of a third party but I would go back to Gina.”

So wala talagang third party sa break-up n’yo ni Gina, huh?

“Wala talaga.”

Meaning hindi “siya” (si You-Know-Who)?

“Hindi siya. Basta, no third party involved. It was an amicable separation.”

Did you and Gina have “closure”?

“Yeah, mayroon. Under California law, we are divorced; under Philippine law, we are annulled. So we are both officially single and free, although committed na ako.”

You and Gina will be grandparents soon.

“It’s funny nga because when Ryan and Cathy were planning the wedding, they found out that Cathy was pregnant. People thought that they were getting married because Cathy was pregnant but that was not the case. It will be our first apo.” (Note: Ryan and Cathy have been living together. She suffered a miscarriage last year.)

Don’t you and Julie plan to have a child of your own?

“Not now. Julie has a daughter who’s turning 17.”

How’s life in the States?

“Well, it can get lonely. AJ is in Las Vegas and my parents live in the Bay Area in San Francisco so we meet up every now and then. But thanks to the new technology, I am in touch with Julie. We chat on the Internet.”

How do you deal with lonely nights?

“My mindset is on what Julie and I are planning, we have a goal, so there’s nothing that, you know, will make me ‘detour.’ As I’ve said, I’m a changed man. Kung ano man ‘yung bina-brand sa akin noon, wala na ‘yon ngayon. Honestly, I haven’t looked at another woman since I met Julie. I started early with, you know...In short, nag-enjoy na ako sa buhay and iba na ang focus ko ngayon.”

What’s your job in L.A.?

“I do marketing for Lynch, an ambulance company, so I’m on the road most of the time. We don’t sell the ambulances, we sell the service. Right now, I live with friends until I get my own place maybe when I go back.”

No more showbiz activity?

“Carlo (Muñoz, also now based in L.A. like his brothers Lean and Angelo, both also married) and I are working on a TV series produced by Bodgie Dasig and Odette Quesada geared toward Filipino communities. If the Latinos, the Armenians and the Chinese have their own TV shows produced in the States for their own kababayan, why can’t we Filipinos have our own?”

Don’t you get in touch with other Filipino stars also based in California?

“I do, every now and then. In fact, I was in Pacquiao’s victory party in Las Vegas after his fight (in May) with Ricky Hatton. Kararating ko pa lang noon (Feb. 2009) sa States.”

Did you see Jinkee (Pacquiao’s wife) there?

“No, I did not. But I saw Nora (Aunor) and Martin (Nievera).”

Didn’t you see, you know, “anybody else?”

“If you mean her, no, I didn’t see her.”

Are you updated on local showbiz happenings? You have been in movie headlines for months.

“Yes, I am. It’s so funny nga because kung kailan pa ako lumayo, biglang nabuhay ang mga bagay-bagay na hindi na naman kailangan pag-usapan pa. It’s something that I don’t want to dwell on; it’s the past. I’d rather talk about what’s happening to me now.”

I’m sure you miss showbiz.

“Yes, of course. First and foremost, I’m an actor. I miss acting. But being the type of person who wants to try new things, I decided to experience life in America away from showbiz and as I’ve said, I’m happy. I know that showbiz will always be there.”

(Note: For more on Michael de Mesa, watch Startalk this afternoon on GMA after Eat, Bulaga!. Other exclusive features are the coverage of the wedding of Camille Prats and Anthony Linsangan, the Ryan Eigenmann-Cathy Bordalba wedding reception, interviews with Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser, stars of Extraordinary Measures, along with those of Vilma Santos and Judy Ann Santos.)

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