The ladies of White House

MANILA, Philippines - In casting the female roles of Regal’s pre-Halloween presentation, White House, Mother Lily Monteverde made sure she assembles a stable of competent actresses different from any project she has done before. As such, Iza Calzado, Lovi Poe, Megan Young, Maricar Reyes and Sarah Lahbati act together for the first time as the White House women. Iza, Lovi and Sarah are Kapuso stars while Megan and Maricar are from the Kapamilya network.

Iza may be considered the most senior of the lot, having won Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress awards for films like Sigaw and Dukot. Her career is now on a roll. She co-hosts Sweet Life on Q-11 daily and is also in Beauty Queen, the new GMA 7 primetime soap. In White House, she plays the pivotal role of the mysterious Black Lady. She’s happy to be reunited with direk Topel Lee in White House. “Two horror films I did with him before are both hits, Shake, Rattle & Roll 9 and Ouija. If good things come in threes, I’m positive magiging blockbuster din itong third horror flick namin as I’d dare say that White House is the scariest film we’ve done.”

Lovi plays an unconventional role in White House: A cheap pole dancer who joins the reality show inside a haunted house to win the P1-M prize. “I’m a flirt and I have a fling with one of the contestants, Joem Bascon. I’m glad I’ve worked with direk Topel Lee, who directed me and Rocco Nacino in our Love Bug episode shot in Palawan, so I’m comfortable with him. He’s very cool on the set but can also be very firm in getting what he wants from you.

When she did her recent Bench pictorial, someone secretly videotaped her on the phone showing her intimate parts. This was later uploaded in the internet. How does she feel about it? “I really felt nabastos ako as I was assured walang ibang magkukuha ng picture doon sa pictorial,” she says. “I have no idea who took that video and who uploaded it. But I choose to ignore it. If I’d let myself be affected, I’d just get angry and depressed and I don’t want to dwell on these negative feelings. Bahala na lang si Lord sa kung sinuman ang gumawa noon.”

Megan was flattered when told she’s Mother Lily’s personal choice as one of the contestants in White House. “I saw her in Shake, Rattle and Roll XI last year as the ghost in haunted bridal gown in Ruffa Gutierrez’s episode and she was very good,” says Mother Lily. “So I said she has to be in White House.”

“Nakakatuwa nga as Mother Lily is so sweet to me,” says Megan. “I play Mikee, a college student who joins the reality show after her boyfriend, Chris Cayzer, dumped her. So palaban siya, masungit, straightforward kasi nga galit siya. I can relate with her because I’m like that sometimes, but the difference is I’m happy with my own lovelife.”

Megan is on with ace Ateneo cager Nico Salva. “I’m glad Ateneo made it as champion and I was there to support him.” Nico is a heartthrob on the hardcourt with plenty of female fans. Doesn’t she get jealous? “He tells me there’s no reason for me to be jealous as he avoids them.”

Maricar chose to just keep quiet after the Hayden Kho video scandal and it paid off. A medical doctor by profession, ABS-CBN supported her career in acting and gave her good roles on TV in Your Song and Lovers in Paris, and in the film Miss You Like Crazy as John Lloyd Cruz’s rich girlfriend. Now, she’s part of Imortal and is also playing another important role in Regal’s White House.

“I’m quite thrilled by White House as it’s my first horror film, my first project outside of ABS, and I get to co-star with Gabby Concepcion whose movies with Sharon Cuneta I grew up watching,” she says. “I also find my role very challenging. I play the executive producer of the horror reality show that organizes this contest challenging people to stay for five days inside a haunted house in Baguio City, the famous Laperal House said to be inhabited by ghosts.”

Direk Topel says Maricar usually just stays quiet in one corner while waiting for her take, but once she faces the camera, she gets into her character right away. A caretaker in the haunted house says the spirits in it must have really been attracted by Maricar because of her quiet aura. In some instances, doors won’t open even if they’re unlocked whenever she’s around.

StarStruck V winner Sarah is the newest in the batch and she’s glad to be getting more assignments. On TV, GMA 7 gave her a regular soap, Little Star, the new drama directed by Maryo delos Reyes starring Jennylyn Mercado, Lovi and Mark Anthony Fernandez. “It’s a perfect birthday gift for me,” says Sarah who turned 17 last Oct. 9.

She also stars in Regal’s pre-Halloween offering, White House. “I’m the sister of Jairus Aquino and we’re both in the reality show as contestants who’d stay inside the haunted house,” she says. “It’s a great feeling to be with the likes of Gabby Concepcion and Iza Calzado, also DJ Mo, Lovi Poe and Megan Young in the movie. I enjoyed working with all of them.”

White House will have its premiere night at SM Megamall tonight and opens nationwide on Wednesday.