Pops when she sizzles — and how!

Pops Fernandez is everywhere, literally and figuratively. Even a prist had something to say about her. During a recent Sunday-Mass sermon, the priest wondered why a decent actress like Pops agreed to go bold in Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya. Of course the good priest hasn’t seen the movie, but he based his judgment on the newspaper ad that came out that Sunday, showing Pops in rather romantic poses with Albert Martinez, Anton Bernardo, and Diether Ocampo. The priest waved the ad to the churchgoes, wondering if the breakup of her marriage to Martin Nievera had something to do with her shift from sweet to sexy.

Needless to say, the marital separation happened long before Pops turned into a serious actress–and that her marriage to Martin was recently annulled. But that is neither here nor there. What matters most to Pops now is she’s happy and fulfileld personally and professionally.

At the risk of being misunderstood and misjudged, Pops talks about her daring and baring scenes in Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya, directed by her favorite Maryo J de los Reyes and written by feminist Lualhati Bautista.

There’s a bedroom scene where her vicious husband, Albert, virtually rapes her, treating her like a whore. Pops cries out in desperation.

Pops takes a shower–in the nude. Albert enters and starts kissing her savagely. She resists and Albert rapes her from the back.

Anton seduces a tipsy Pops in the locker room, where they make love in a standing position.

Shocking? Yes, indeed.

Pops pleads for understanding, "Watch the picture in the entirety and then judge."

Last year, also under the direction of Maryo J, Pops topbilled Linlang with Richard Gomez and Joyce Jimenez. Linlang was sold as a sexy film, Pops going bold for the first time. It’s true she showed some skin and had a romp in the sand with Richard, but in the end it was Pops’ performance that was noticed, meriting her a best actress nomination. Linlang and Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya were produced by Viva.

With Diether, Pops’ romantic scenes were tender, tame.

Patricia Javier plays Albert’s mistress, the object of his lust and cruelty. They have a motel sex scene in bed and in the bathtub, showing Patricia in all her naked glory.

Matinee idol-turned-character actor Bojo Molina also has his share of bold scenes in Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya doing it with a macho dancer (Allyson Vll) and his girlfriend (Jackie de Guzman). Yes, Bojo swings both ways.

But back to Pops, the liberated woman and actress. She repeats her plea to the priest and to her bans, friends, and relatives–the moviegoing public: Watch first Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya and then, but only then, judge her.

Fair enough.