‘But as the shooting went on, she showed na kalog din pala siya, but may class ang pagka-kalog niya — Carlo Aquino’
CARLO AQUINO
CARLO Aquino says he initially thought he’d find it difficult working with Julia Barretto in “Expensive Candy.” “Ang akala ko talaga, hindi ko siya makaka-vibes, kasi she’s very quiet on the set,” says Carlo. “But as the shooting went on, she showed na kalog din pala siya, but may class ang pagka-kalog niya.”
In the movie, he plays a high school teacher who has to prove to his students that he is no longer a male virgin. He gets Julia as Candy to service him and, in the process, he really falls in love with him. How did approach the role of a man who falls in love for the first time and with a girl-for-hire at that?
“I asked our director, Jason Paul Laxamana, to guide me in every scene. Kasi siempre, vision niya ito and he knows kung anong kind of treatment ang babagay roon sa role. So he tells me pati kung paano ang gusto niyang pagbabato ko ng linya and I really appreciate that he guided me in my role as Renato or Toto.”
Director Jason Paul Laxamana takes his hat off to Julia. “She is very courageous,” he says. “Kasi not all mainstream actresses will consent to do this kind of daring role and movie. Sa first movie pa lang she that did for me, ‘Between Maybes’, I’ve learned to admire her na for her professionalism. She is very serious with her craft and you’ll see it here in ‘Expensive Candy’, which opens in theatre on September 14.”
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Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla joins Manny Villar’s AMBS (Advanced Media Broadcasting System) Channel 2’s ALLTV. The versatile television host and, endorser is looking forward to a productive collaboration with ALLTV.
AMBS President Maribeth Tolentino said at their contract signing that Mariel will make ALLTV viewing more exciting as she takes her role as TV host and actress to a new level.
“Thank you so much to ALLTV,” says Mariel. “I am so excited for the many possibilities. Let’s make a beautiful show. Let us make our viewers happy.”
Boy Abunda, who discovered Mariel before she became a TV personality and is now her manager, is excited about the “infinite possibilities” with Mariel now being part of ALLTV.
Mariel is married to actor-turned-politician, Sen. Robinhood Padilla. They have two daughters, Maria Isabella and Maria Gabriella.
Aside from her, TV host and comedian Willie Revillame, multi-media star and actress Toni Gonzaga and her husband, multi-awarded director Paul Soriano and broadcaster Anthony Taberna, and accomplished theatre and movie actress, Ciara Sotto, have also joined the new TV network. ALLTV has also teamed up with CNN Philippines for the airing of its flagship news program, News Night, at 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday. It is available on Channel 2 on free-to-air TV and Planet Cable, Channel 16 on digital TV, and Channel 35 on Cignal TV and Sky Cable.
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Raymond Bagatsing won a couple of best actor awards for his role as Pres. Manuel Quezon in the historical drama, “Quezon’s Game,” then he did “Bagman” and “Probinsyano” on TV. Now, he’s back in a new movie, “The Escort Wife,” where he goes sexy again. He has love scenes with his two leading ladies, Janelle Tee and Ava Mendez. Did he have second thoughts about disrobing again?
“I think going sexy is just part of one’s craft as an actor,” he says. “Ako naman, basta I like the script, ok lang. ‘The Escort Wife’ is not just a sexy film. Its script is a masterpiece written by Yam Laranas. I’m proud to say that everyone in the cast is good.”
In the story, he plays a doctor who’s been neglecting his wife, Janelle, who gets lonely and bored. When Janelle sees their neighbor across the street, Ava, making passionate love to a man, it intrigues her a lot and she stalks Ava. She discovers Ava’s actually an escort girl and one of Ava’s clients turns out to be her own husband. So to get even, she becomes a secret escort girl herself. What is Raymond’s opinion about escort girls?
“It’s not for me to judge them. They may have their own reasons. It’s a profession they chose and it just so happened it’s in the sex industry. But I’m just happy to make a film about them for us to better understand more their psychological patterns.”
How does he find doing sexy love scenes?
“It’s not easy to go bare before the camera with your co-stars. It takes a lot of focus and concentration para hindi ka ma-distract sa set na maraming ibang tao. But if it’s necessary for the story, the movie, then you have no choice but to do it.”
“The Escort Wife” will start streaming on Vivamax on September 16.
