The thing with Ogie & Ina

Did you know that Ina Raymundo and Ogie Alcasid have a “past?” (But, may I hasten to add, Ogie’s wife Regine Velasquez has nothing to worry about. “Past” is “past.”)

This “secret” came up during the lighter moments of the pocket interviews with the stars of Kuya Wes last Friday.

Twenty-five years ago, Ina appeared as guest in Tropang Trumpo (on TV5, forerunner of the long-running GMA gag show Bubble Gang) which starred Ogie. Then already seductive at 19, Ina was sensational as the bida of San Miguel Beer’s Sabado Nights TV ad.

Ogie recalled having been, well, “mesmerized” and could utter only a big “Wow!”

Twenty-five years later, Ogie said that he felt the same way when he met Ina during the workshop for Kuya Wes, a rom-com which he co-produced with Spring Films.

“Napa-wow ako, para akong tulala,” admitted Ogie with a laugh. “Ang ganda pa rin ng babaing ito! You know, there are women who ooze sensuality without doing anything. Ina is one of them,” adding in haste, “and my wife, too.”

Reacting in jest, Ina said that Ogie didn’t pursue her because he already had a girlfriend (Michelle van Eimeren who became Ogie’s wife [now an ex] after she represented Australia in the 1994 Miss Universe pageant held here, with Ogie as mascot).

“He told me that he wrote the song Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang for me,” Ina laughed, “pero ‘yon pala ang song na kinakanta nya sa lahat ng babae. Hmmmm, bolero, di ba?”

“But now,” Ogie said, “ang asawa ko na lang ang maganda para sa akin,” denying that he was ever a playboy or a Ladies’ Man but “only a lover who is a good listener and who readily offers his shoulder to cry on.”

This long-kept “secret” is pertinent to the story of Kuya Wes,  in which Ogie plays a simpleton who has a big crush on Ina.

“I love my character whose name is Erika, namesake of my daughter,” said Ina who, at 43, has retained her Sabado Nights figure, thanks to regular exercise and a healthy diet. Her children with husband Brian Poturnak, a 49-year-old Canadian businessman, are Erika, 17; Jakob, 14; Mikaela, 10; Anika, 8; and Minka, 6. “Pamilya kami na may ‘K’,” said Ina. “The last letter of my husband’s name is ‘k,’ so we decided that the names of our children should also have that same letter. I’m happy to have a husband who is successful in his own field. He’s easy-going and proud of me, and he doesn’t meddle in my showbiz career.”

Kuya Wes won Best Actress for Ina (who tied with Ai-Ai delas Alas for School Service) at the just-concluded 39th Fantasporto International Film Festival (FIFF) in Portugal. Ina couldn’t go because of a previously booked family vacation in Siargao.

“I would have been speechless if I was there,” confessed Ina whose first Best Actress win (from the PMPC Star wards) was years ago for Tuhog, a Cinemalaya entry directed by Jeffrey Jeturian.

Ogie, who was in Portugal, was not disappointed that he didn’t win. (Dante Rivero was Best Actor for Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon.)

“Actually,” according to Ogie, “I didn’t have any expectation. Gusto ko lang mag-enjoy at matuto. Director Louie Ignacio, an international filmfest veteran, was there to help educate me. He received the award for Ai-Ai who was not able to attend. I realized that our films are appreciated abroad not only the serious ones but also comedy films.”

Ina with 14-year-old son Jakob who is a showbiz material. Says Ina, ‘I’m happy to have nice children and a husband (Canadian businessman Brian Poturnak) who is successful in his own field.’

Satisfied with doing TV shows (ASAP, Home Sweetie Home, etc.), concerts here and abroad (he and Regine are set for a month-long series of shows abroad in May) and writing songs, Ogie wondered why the Kuya Wes script (by Denise O’Hara, the late Mario O’Hara’s niece) landed on his lap. The film was directed by James Robin Mayo (who started as documentarist for TV5).

“Bakit ako nilalagay uli ni Lord sa movies?” Ogie said he asked Regine. “My last films (I Do Bidoo Bidoo, Raketeros, etc.) were done years ago. “I guess He has a purpose for me. I fell in love with the Wes character when I read the script. He’s a simple person working at a money-exchange joint, so nerdy, so unloved and so insignificant, whose source of joy is seeing Erika.”

Despite the stumbling blocks (financial matters, etc.), Ogie was not disheartened, not the least of which was nailing a playdate after it was shown at last year’s Cinemalaya. The playdate (Wednesday, March 13) came exactly one year later.

The praises more than made up for those setbacks. Ogie’s dad, Herminio Sr., seldom watched Ogie’s films. After the screening at UP recently, Ogie’s dad congratulated Ogie for a job well done. Direk Edgar Mortiz also congratulated him and so did Ana Feleo, while another friend tapped Ogie’s shoulder and said, “Tapang mo rin, ha; nagawa mo ‘yan.” More glowing reviews came and that should encourage the public to watch the movie and, yes, leave the moviehouse with that “feel-good” hangover.

“I admire comedians na gustong magpa-serious, like Tom Hanks, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and Steve Carell. I really look up to them.”

Asked if he would (dare) do a follow-up to Kuya Wes, Ogie said why not?

“I love inspiring stories, like that of a security guard who graduated with a law degree by supporting himself through school. Stories like that are so empowering.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)