‘Faith is only 21 years old while Albert is 60 years old, but looking younger than his age as he’s quite well preserved.’
ALBERT Martinez transferred to GMA-7 but, strangely, the much awarded actor was not given any kind of grand welcome like what Pokwang, Beauty Gonzales and Bea Alonzo got when they became a Kapuso.
Albert has already finished the first leg of his taping for the new soap, “Las Hermanas”, and is now going through its second leg of lock in taping. He has also finished taping an episode for the 19th anniversary of “Wish Ko Lang.” The latest buzz about Albert is that he is having an off-camera May-December romance with his leading lady in “Las Hermanas,” Faith Da Silva.
This started as a blind item, alleging that romance bloomed between Albert and Faith while they’re taping out of town. The grapevine says Faith, the daughter of imprisoned actor Dennis Da Silva, is really looking for a father figure since she grew up with her father in jail.
She and Albert are also paired as lovers in the series where they co-star with Yasmien Kurdi, Jason Abalos and Thea Tolentino. Both Albert and Faith have yet to confirm the rumor, but no less than the staff of the show say their closeness and sweetness to each other cannot be denied, as Albert is always seen “making tambay” in the room of Faith in the hotel where they are staying.
Faith is only 21 years old while Albert is 60 years old, but looking younger than his age as he’s quite well preserved. He has been a widower since his wife Liesl Sumilang succumbed to the big C in 2015. Their three kids, Alyana, Alfonso and Alessandra, are all older than Faith.
Faith was discovered when she joined “Starstruck” and “Las Hermanas” is her biggest break so far as she plays one of the title roles alongside with Yasmien and Thea. There are those who doubt the veracity of the stories linking Albert and Faith since they say Albert is now contented living by himself and just visiting his grandchildren. “Siguro, part lang ‘yan ng early promotion for their show,” someone said.
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Lovi Poe and her manager, Leo Dominguez, hosted their own Zoom press con for her new movie with Vivamax, “The Other Wife,” as many writers chose not to go to their face-to-face meet held in Botejyu in Pasig.
Lovi is in Ilocos doing a new movie with Carlo Aquino for Regal Entertainment when she appeared in the press con. In “The Other Wife,” she plays the wronged wife of Joem Bascon who is so brazen that he even brought his paramour, Ren Escano, to live with Lovi in the same house.
Lovi has done several films about infidelity like “The Annulment” and “The Significant Other.” So how is this different from those?
“This is very different kasi it’s not really just about infidelity, it’s a psycho thriller. Actually, when I first got the script, sabi ko, if it’s another illicit affair movie, ayoko kasi ang dami ko ng nagawang ganyan. Tapos with Joem Bascon pa, na siya ring kapareha ko sa ‘The Annulment’. Hesitant talaga ako noong una, but after reading the script, ibang-iba siya, it’s an acting piece, so I said I’d do it. It’s not just another affair movie and I gave my all in my role.”
In the trailer, she is shown stabbing someone with a pair of scissors. So is this a violent film? “You know, what I love about the trailer is it didn’t give away the whole story. Sa iba kasi, trailers pa lang, alam mo na ang buong nangyari. Here, it just whets the viewer’s appetite for them to feel curious as to what really transpired in the film.”
How does her boyfriend Montgromery Blencowe react when he’s watching her sexy films?
“He’s very understanding naman, but actually, he has never seen my films, except ‘Woke Up Like This’, kasi comedy naman ‘yun. I don’t want him to see me kissing someone else kasi I myself, I find it awkward while I dub my movies with kissing scenes. I close my eyes.”
So what’s her next project with GMA-7 after “Owe My Love”? “Nothing has been ironed out yet. As of now, I’m just busy doing movies, then I have to go back to the US where I just recorded a new song, ‘Lost’.”
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Max Collins has just renewed her contract as a Kapuso and she had a Zoom press con for this. But writers invited to the affair were quickly warned not to ask any personal questions about the reported break up of her marriage to actor Pancho Magno.
The same thing happened in the Zoom presscon for “Nerisa” as writers were warned beforehand not to ask questions about Aljur Abrenica’s separation from wife Kylie Padilla as revealed by his own father-in-law, Robin Padilla.
But in fairness to Max, even without anyone asking it (although Rose Garcia asked her again about it later), she explained why their son, Skye, had separated first birthday parties, which is the reason why everyone suspected that she and Pancho are now separated.
“Magkaiba ang parties because I have my friends who hosted the party for our baby and Pancho wasn’t there kasi he’s busy at may taping siya,” she explained. “So Pancho held another party for him sa birthday mismo ni Skye, held naman sa bahay namin. Kaso may endorsement shoot naman ako that time, so ako naman ang wala roon.”
Max and Pancho faced the altar on December 11, 2017 at Marriott Hotel. Max’s first project in her new contract with GMA is a new drama series titled “To Love and to Hold” where she shares topbilling with Rocco Nacino and Carla Abellana. How is it renewing her contract with GMA?
“I’m so happy to renew my contract as I wouldn’t be where I am now without GMA,” she said. “It’s been a decade and I’ve been so blessed in my career because of GMA as it always gives me good projects even when I didn’t believe in myself. I feel that this is the best time in my career and I’m really in my prime.”
The story of “To Love and to Hold” is about infidelity. What’s her role?
“My role is Dominic and she is a very brave character. May mga ginawa siya na akala mo mali, so I have to humanize the character para naman viewers will have to understand her.
Actually all the characters are victims of circumstances. We’re all flawed characters, lahat may issues, nobody is perfect. But there are a lot of layers sa kuwento, you will also see the good side of each of us. The show is actually about how to forgive and how to love each other again. Medyo sexy ang show, daring even for Rocco, but kailangan talaga dahil sa concept ng show, but it’s backed up by great writing.”
They have finished the first leg of their taping and it was difficult for her because of Skye.
“It’s hard to leave my son when I’m working away from him sa first lock-in taping ng ‘To Have and to Hold’, but I always think I’m doing this for him. It’s good na baby pa lang siya at hindi pa marunong humabol. But before the end of the month, we’ll go back to lock-in taping, so I’ll have to be away from him again. Ang kagandahan lang ng lock-in taping is we have more time to prepare, so I was able to prepare well for my role in ‘To Love and to Hold’, more than any other role I’ve done before.”
