Felix Manalo makes Dennis highest-paid actor

If the estimated 2-million-plus members here and abroad (others put the number at thrice that) of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) will watch (and I guess they will), Felix Manalo, the biopic of the INC founder, will go down in history as the biggest box-office hit. Produced by Viva Films, the movie will have a premiere at the 55,000-capacity INC-owned Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, a few days before its nationwide commercial run on Oct. 7. It might break into the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest and most star-studded ever -— that is, if, besides lead stars Dennis Trillo and Bela Padilla (as Felix Manalo and his wife Honorata), the 44 other stars in the cast will show up (and they will, I guess).

Said to have been produced at the staggering cost of P150M, shot in 59 calendar days, Felix Manalo has just made Dennis probably one of the highest-paid, if not the highest-paid, actor in Philippine Cinema. At the presscon, Dennis said so but he didn’t reveal the price.

Not all the cast members are INC members (the casting was done regardless of religious belief, with director Joel Lamangan helping in the selection). Dennis is Catholic while Bela is a Jehovah’s Witness. Gladys Reyes is an INC member, but I don’t know what the religion of the other stars is, including (at random)…

Elizabeth Oropesa, Christopher Roxas, Ruru Madrid, Roxanne Barcelo, Ryan Eigenmann, AJ Muhlach, Heart Evangelista, Ping Medina, Richard Yap, Sheryl Cruz, Dexter Doria, Joem Bascon, Rey “PJ” Abellana, Christian Vasquez, Lloyd Samartino, Snooky Serna, Joel Torre, China Cojuangco, Andrea del Rosario, Glydel Mercado, Raymond Bagatsing, TJ Trinidad, Jackie Woo, EJ Falcon, Antonio Aquitania, Ricardo Cepeda, Tonton Gutierrez, Carla Humphries, Jaime Pebanco, Eddie Gutierrez, Boy 2 Quizon, Richard Quan, Tony Mabesa, Jaime Fabregas, Gabby Concepcion, Alice Dixson, Jaclyn Jose, Allan Paule, Arci Muñoz, Alfred Vargas, Mylene Dizon and Wendell Ramos.

Above: Anna Achacoso and husband Chris Graham at the family-owned Mrs. Graham’s Macaron Café (and the Mr. Graham’s Sandwiches next door). Left: Some members of The Mass Appeal Choir at Mr. Graham’s, back row, from left: Allan Dale Alojipan (director) and Ramon Eugenio; and front row, also from left, Dr. Melfred Hernandez (over-all chair of SOAP Opera ng Bayan Ko project), Denise Tolentino, Dingdong Eduque and Raymond Tolentino (event producer).

 

Mr. Graham’s/Mrs. Graham’s owner in ‘Healing’ concert

Maybe not many people know that Anna Achacoso Graham, who owns Mrs. Graham’s Macaron Café and Mr. Graham Sandwiches with her husband Chris Graham, is a singer. The daughter of musical director Ding Achacoso, Anna is a member of the trio Baihana with Krina Cayabyab (Ryan’s daughter) and Mel Torre.

Baihana is among the performers in Ang SOAP Opera ng Buhay Ko (The Concert: Voices of Healing) tonight at the Marriott Grand Ballroom to raise funds for the new UP College of Medicine Academic Center and to benefit the medical “Iskolars ng Bayan.” Baihana will perform a Lady Gaga medley and Ryan’s Mamang Sorbetero.

The concert will feature the 50-piece ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Gerard Salonga. Aside from Ryan, main performers are Lea Salonga, Jed Madela, Vice Ganda, Franco Laurel, Cris Villonco, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Bituin Escalante, Pinky Marquez, The Tux, Caisa Borromeo, Timmy Pavino and Catherine Fisher, plus the 80-strong chorus composed of The Mass Appeal, Ateneo Chamber Singers and the UP Medicine Choir, to be led by Prof. Jonathan Velasco, assisted by Inday Echavarria.

It will be Lea’s last concert before she flies to New York City to star in Allegiance which premieres on Oct. 20, her much-awaited return to Broadway since her last appearance in Les Miz in 2007.

Incidentally, Mr. Graham’s Sandwiches opened only two Sunday ago, just next door to Mrs. Graham’s on #51 Scout Rallos (near corner Tomas Morato Avenue), Quezon City. You won’t miss them. The two are among the coziest nooks in that area. (For inquiries, call 0915-812-2662 or landline 351-5115.)

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