‘At my age now, I’m still going through the process of losing a loved one. I’m still mourning.’
FAITH Da Silva is the daughter of jailed actor Dennis Da Silva. She joined “Starstruck” 7 years ago. She didn’t win but GMA got her to be part of GMA Artist Center and she has appeared in their soaps doing supporting roles.
Now, she finally gets to play a lead role in the new GMA afternoon soap, “Las Hermanas,” as Scarlet, the youngest of the Manansala sisters.
“I want to thank GMA for this big break,” she says. “Ilang taon ko ring hinintay ito.
Nanibago lang ako kasi dati, lagi akong kontrabida kaya, kung minsan, nadadala ko pa rin ang pagiging mataray. Our director, Monti Parungao, will then remind me na i-tone down ko ang katarayan kasi dapat ako na ang inaapi sa eksena.”
She takes her hat off to both Yasmien Kurdi and Thea Tolentino. “As my two Ates, they’re both very helpful. Ate Yasmien is very responsible. She’s very caring sa mga tao sa paligid niya. Laging nag-o-offer ng food. Si Thea, very caring din. First project ko ito na may sisters ako and I’m happy na naging maganda talaga bonding namin kasi wala akong sister in real life.”
Her character is paired with Albert Martinez in a May-December romance. “As the bunso, si Scarlet is always very determined to get what she wants. Kapag hindi ko makuha ang gusto ko, nakakagawa ako ng mga bagay na very questionable, like having an affair with Sir Albert kahit tutol ang lahat sa amin.”
She said before she has not gotten in touch with her dad. How are they now? “Masaya kami ng pamilya ko ngayon, even with my dad, okay na kami. Mas open na ang communication now between us, siguro dahil mas nag-mature na ako, happy na ako kahit may ibang pamilya na siya.”
So how true is the rumored romance between her and Albert? “Well, if it helps the show, okay lang. But I told myself to just focus on my work muna kasi biggest break ko ito and 6 years kong hinintay ito, so I’m really excited for viewers to watch our show. Marami pa akong gustong gawin sa buhay ko kasi I’m only 20. I still want to join a beauty pageant later.”
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Albert Martinez is asked about his alleged affair with Faith da Silva and he says he’s not really affected by it.
“Alam naman natin, ang tagal ko na rito sa showbiz,” he says. “I’ve been in this business since 1981, or exactly 40 years ago. So I’ve been there, done that and we all know it’s part of showbusiness, which is about art and entertainment. And such kind of stories, that’s part of entertainment, so it doesn’t bother me at all.”
He says being linked with Faith can only mean that their on-screen chemistry is working.
“Actually, it worked for both of us. I mean, the chemistry is there and perhaps, I’d feel bad if our chemistry didn’t work because that’s really my intention. To make sure that our romance would really be believable in the eyes of the public and help make the narrative also believable. And as far as that is concerned, I could say that it did work. Ang sideline na pinag-uusapan kami, it’s just part of the whole thing. But it’s okay for me. If it helps the project, and I believe it does, then it’s not bad at all.”
His wife Liezl passed in 2015. Is he open to have a new romance in real life, now that his three kids are all married?
“As of now, I’m just happy with my grandchildren. Kumbaga, every morning, ‘yan na lang ang kaligayahan ko. Kaya hindi ako nahihirapan kahit nasa lock-in taping or shoot ako, kasi every morning, ka-Face Time ko sila. At my age now, I’m still going through the process of losing a loved one. I’m still mourning. But in the future, if I’d meet someone who will make my heart beat again, why not? But as of now, let’s focus on ‘Las Hermanas’ where I play Lorenzo Ilustre, the mysterious rich man na gugulo sa buhay ng three sisters in the story.
This will start airing right after ‘Eat Bulaga’ on GMA this Monday at 2:30 p.m.”
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Ali Sotto resigned from GMA-DZBB last November, but now, she’s back in a new show, “Ano Sa Palagay Nyo” or ASPN, with Pat-P Daza that started last Monday, October 18, on NET25 TV.
“After I resigned from GMA last November, my husband and I decided that we were just going to travel na lang and enjoy a more relaxed pace of life,” Ali tells us. “So I settled into exactly just that -waking up at 8 a.m. instead of the usual 4, and really relishing the joy of a life without the dictates of a stressful job.”
But her plans changed when she got an unexpected call. “Yes, it all changed when I got a call from Wilma Galvante. Remember that I was an actress, a singer and an Imeldific impersonator, and she was the one who offered me to be a talk show host too. She was SVP of GMA 7 then and she’s the first one to believe in my potential to be what I am now.’’
She was informed her partner will be Pat-P Daza who used to be with ABS-CBN. “When I was thinking about whether or not I should accept the offer, napag-isip-isip ko na just the fact that this primetime morning news commentary is going to be anchored by two women is already a very powerful statement. This time slot has always been male-dominated.
Think Ted Failon, Kabayan, Mike Enriquez, Deo Macalma, etc. So expect a different take and approach on issues.”
They will be gentle but full of wit and substance. “The news by itself is already agitating, so why be bombastic and maligalig pa in its delivery, ‘di ba? Makikilinya na rin kami in debunking once and for all that we were are the weaker sex. After all, the country’s first Olympic medalist and first Nobel Prize winner are both women, Hidilyn Diaz and Maria Ressa. So, bring it on!”
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Joel Torre plays an aging fashion designer named Mother Jewel or Joy in “Barumbadings” to be shown on Vivamax starting November 5.
“I’ve played gay roles before, but [they were] closet queens,” he said. “This is the first time I’m playing the role of a tranny, a crossdresser. It’s actually in my bucket list, to play a flamboyant gay and heto, pinagbigyan ako as Mother Jewel na nag-alaga ng tatlong batang bading who grow up to be Mark Anthony Fernandez, Jeric Raval and Baron Geisler.”
What’s the reaction of his family when they learned he’s playing a swishy gay? “Natuwa sila. Ang mga daughters ko, they even taught me how to be more feminine. They can’t wait to see the completed movie.”
He says doing the film is some sort of an eye-opener for him. “First time ko sa buong buhay ko na nagsuot ako ng bra and I found out it’s so uncomfortable pala, so I sympathize with all the women out there. Tapos, nalaman ko, may hierarchy din among gays. Like my character, old school gay siya. Makikita nyo yun dito as it’s a part of the story, the difference between old gays and the millennial ones now. May generation gap sila. Direk says ‘Barumbadings’ is a trilogy, so maybe he will expound about it more in the sequels. I was also excited by the novelty na ang gaganap sa roles ng mga bading, mga tunay na machong lalaki.’’
