Angel Locsin is still Darna

CEBU, Philippines - Other names had been floated around, the most prominent being Jessy Mendiola, but it turns out the iconic two-piece red suit is still being reserved for Angel Locsin.

 According to a Pep.ph article, Star Cinema Managing Director Malou Santos casually revealed to veteran entertainment columnist and talent manager Aster Amoyo (of The Freeman’s sister publication Pilipino Star Ngayon) that the 31-year-old actress is still playing the role of the Pinoy superheroine Darna in a planned Star Cinema film. Angel first played the coveted screen character in a 2005 GMA-7 series before she transferred to the Kapamilya network.

 This, after Angel had tearfully announced that the part was no longer hers since she had a disc bulge and had to undergo two operations. Her health problems would impede her from fulfilling the role’s highly physical requirements, which include fight sequences and constantly being in a harness for the flying scenes.

 Yet while other names of actresses who would possibly replace Angel had been bandied about, Star Cinema has yet to make a formal announcement if indeed a new female lead had been chosen.

 “Very casual lang ang pagtanong ko eh, kaya I wrote about it,” Amoyo told Pep.ph. “The mere fact na hindi nag-a-announce ng ibang pangalan, why do they have to wait this long kung talagang hindi si Angel ang gaganap, diba?”

 Amoyo added that Santos had said: “For now, walang iba, eh.”

 “At the same time, inaaway siya ng mga fans. Natatawa siya pero it’s indirectly saying si Angel talaga,” said Amoyo.

 The conversation was said to have happened during a dinner held at the ABS-CBN executive boardroom hosted by newly installed ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak for the members and officers of the Professional Artists Managers, Inc. (PAMI) that was also graced by other ABS-CBN executives and business unit heads.

Amoyo further revealed to Pep.ph that Angel is seemingly preparing for Darna by being physically active again. In her Instagram account, Angel posted a photo of her completing a climb to the peak of Mt. Pico De Loro and another shot of her scuba diving in Anilao, Batangas.

She had also recently said in an interview that she was still willing to suit up as Darna. “Depende pa rin naman sa ABS-CBN yun and kung babalik yung health ko. Priority ko talaga yung health ko kasi balang araw, gusto ko magkaroon ng baby,” the star had said.

The Darna film is said to start production next year since Angel is still working on another Star Cinema movie with Zanjoe Marudo and Sam Milby titled “The Third Party.”  (FREEMAN)