Piolo and Marian seal first movie team-up with a kiss

Because they belong to competing networks, it was deemed next to impossible for Kapamilya Piolo Pascual and Kapuso Marian Rivera to star in a movie together.

I don’t know if lawyer Joji Alonso (producer) and Jeffrey Jeturian (director) hypnotized the two stars but they managed to make them do a guest appearance together in Ekstra, first indie starrer of Vilma Santos who plays the titular role.

Piolo and Marian are supposed to be the stars of a soap titled Nauna Kang Naging Akin which is a poor-boy/rich-girl spoof of Romeo and Juliet with a twist. In the sugarcane field scene where the lovers reconcile after having been forced apart, Piolo and Marian reconnect not only with a tight embrace but also with a lip-locked kiss perfected after three takes. Playing a maid, ekstra Vilma could only gasp in disbelief.

Vilma has three more days to go to wrap up her scenes for the movie intended for the Cinemalaya in July.

Besides Piolo and Marian, other stars playing cameos are Cherie Gil, Pilar Pilapil, Eula Valdez, Richard Yap, Olive Isidro and Joey Javier Reyes (as, what else, a director!).

Binibinis build homes for typhoon victims, show talent

Madame Stella Marquez de Araneta and those with her in the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) are not, so to speak, leaving a stone unturned in their effort to make the country’s long-running and most prestigious beauty contest’s 50th year a truly golden.

“This year’s search promises to be the most colorful,” said Funfare Update’s “other beauty expert” Celso de Guzman Caparas who covered two recent Binibini events. “Pinaka-bongga!”

Over the weekend, the 50 aspirants for the three titles at stake (Miss Philippines-Universe, Bb. Pilipinas-International and Bb. Pilipinas-Tourism) in the April 14 grand finals (at the Smart Araneta Coliseum) competed in the Miss Talent portion (winner will be known on D-Day). Some danced, some sang, some declaimed, some did drama skits.

Last Tuesday, 48 of the contestants trooped to the P20M Julio Iglesias-Araneta Center Gawad Kalinga Village in Tanay, Rizal to help in breaking ground for future homes of typhoon victims.

On Monday, March 18, the 50 beauties will be formally presented to the media and that’s where the Miss Photogenic will be chosen.

This afternoon, Madame Stella and her beloved Jorge Araneta will host a tea party with past and present title-holders at the Bahay na Puti (White House) in Quezon City.

Broadway actor to play Tarzan in Manila production

This just in: Dan Domenech, who made his Broadway debut as aspiring rock star and love interest Drew in Rock Of Ages (with MiG Ayesa as lead), will play Tarzan in the upcoming Atlantis production in Manila.

Dan was a swing performer in Rock Of Ages’ US tour. Before breaking into Broadway, Dan appeared in such productions are Sister Act in Pasadena, California, and Wonderland In Tampa, Florida. He also performed in the regional presentation of Rent, Altar Boyz and The Who’s Tommy.

A Puerto Rican, Dan shares the same cultural values with Filipinos.

“I love to eat, too,” he was quoted as saying. “I’m looking forward to tasting Filipino food, especially lechon.”

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