Did one award turn indie actor into ingrate?

“Somebody to Love” is the first movie of Matteo Guidicelli under Regal Entertainment and he is happy with the trust given him by producer Mother Lily Monteverde and writer and director Jose “Joey” Javier Reyes.

The movie is a timely tale of love and Direk Joey was given a free hand by his producers in developing the story. It offers fresh, new twists, texture and treatment, which made use of several split screens to present different characters involved in such a complex tale of love and romance.

“The movie features nine characters with various stories that intersect with each other because of their lives. The situations happened in a week to people who don’t know each other but whose lives are somehow connected with each other,” said Direk Joey. “I am using a lot of split screens this time. I want to divert to the template used in romantic comedies. I really played with it and you can only do that in Regal because they trust you in any kind of style that you do.”

The seasoned director admits he had difficulty shooting the film and editing the scenes. “But that is the challenge of it all. It’s a risk. It is a gamble if the public will like this kind of style of telling a story. But it has a new look. And it’s very brave. The language is brave, it is not the language of tweetums. Our trailer got an X-rating because of the language.”

Aside from Matteo, the movie also stars Iza Calzado, Jason Abalos, Carla Abellana, Maricar Reyes, Isabelle Daza, Albie Casino, Nathalie Hart (formerly Princess Snell), and Kiray Celis. “Somebody to Love” opens today in theaters nationwide.

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After just one award, success has gone into Nicco Manalo’s head — enough to give him the courage to junk his manager Ferdy Lapuz and hitch his star to the company which manages Sam Milby.

If not for Ferdy, who took care of him and offered Nicco’ services as an actor to directors and indie film producers whom Ferdy does movies with, no one would have probably given Nicco the break, even if he is a very good actor.

But after winning an award, Nicco had the gall to ask Ferdy what is his career plan for him. This was after Cornerstone Management, the one handling Sam Milby’s career, allegedly offered to manage the character actor. But when Ferdy asked for a meeting with him, Nicco refused to answer his calls. He also turned down two guest appearances that Ferdy was able to get for him in GMA-7.

To make matters worse, after refusing to answer his calls, Ferdy received an email from Nicco saying that he wants to transfer to another management outfit (presumably Cornerstone who probably pursued him like a madman).

It was a shocking blow for Ferdy who worked hard to get Nicco to where he is right now. But he has decided to keep quiet and move on. “I don’t want to get stressed,” the embattled talent manager told a friend who got wind of what happened to him and his ingrate of a talent. It was only last Monday when we saw Ferdy and Nicco at the premiere night of “The Barber’s Tales.” That was probably the last we saw them in happier times.

Talking about Cornerstone Management, is it really their practice to “pirate” talents of other managers? Is this their new reputation? Did they really offer to manage Nicco even if they knew he has a manager? It doesn’t matter if Nicco doesn’t have a contract in paper, but has a verbal understanding with Ferdy as far as his career is concerned.

A management worth its salt would not go to the extent of offering a contract to an artist without knowing if said artist has an existing contract, verbal or otherwise with another manager. That is simple courtesy and respect. Unless, of course, their real agenda is to “pirate” artists of other managers which is not a good reputation, although we are inclined to give them benefit of the doubt. They probably promised Nicco heaven and earth just to sign up with Cornerstone, if he hasn’t done yet.

Nicco is also at fault. No matter his strong desire to be popular and advance his career, dumping the manager who worked hard to give him even a specter of popularity is a colossal blunder, an epic fail. He was consumed by his belief that he is already famous, just because of his one award. Ingrates should have no room in showbiz, same thing with “pirates” masquerading as legitimate management outfits.

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The fans of James Reid and Nadine Lustre were all agog with excitement when the two teen idols appeared as guest stars in last Sunday’s “Gandang Gabi Vice” episode.

The studio was filled with shrieks of the fans of James and Nadine who came to watch at the studio to see their idols in person. James heightened up the kilig factor by letting a fan remove his shirt, at the prodding of Vice Ganda, sending more fans delirious with excitement.

The first movie of James and Nadine titled “Diary ng Panget” did very well at the box-office, prompting Viva Films and Skylight Films to come up with a new movie titled “Talk Back and You’re Dead” which is also based on a best-selling book. Also in the cast is Joseph Marco who is getting noticed because of the red hair he sports in this movie directed by Andoy Ranay.

If  “Talk Back and You’re Dead” becomes another hit, then it means the success of the first movie of James and Nadine was no fluke. The movie opens today in theaters nationwide.

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Child sensation and teen-age sweetheart Sheryl Cruz has time and again proven to have grown into a fine, versatile and professional artist.

In June this year, she released an album aptly titled “Sa Puso Ay Ikaw Pa Rin,” with the carrier single “Mananatili,” which she personally composed. Another track included in the album is another composition titled “Last to Know” sang in duet with biological cousin Sunshine Cruz. Both Sheryl and Sunshine belong to the well-acclaimed musically-inclined Cruz family.

Incidentally, “Mana-natili” has been chosen to be the official soundtrack of a Korean telenovela soon to be shown in GMA-7 titled “May Queen.”   With that, we expect to hear more of this song on a daily basis. And considering its simple words, the melody, as well as the song’s recall factor, it should not take us by surprise when it becomes a household hit.

Last August 16, Sheryl held a Fans Day at the Hotel Rembrandt. In attendance were those who supported her since she was young and up to the present. It was a fun day for everyone! They held games and had the opportunity to have pictures taken with Sheryl. She also signed the CDs bought by fans.

Last July 30, Sheryl signed a distribution agreement with Universal Records. As such, we shall be seeing her doing a lot of mall shows.

“Mananatili” literally means to remain. Thus, according to her own song, we all rejoice knowing that Sheryl is here to stay.