"I believe in giving newcomers a chance," said Regal Matriarch Mother Lily who used to launch new discoveries by batches known as the Regal Babies.
The movie, Happily Ever After, is a trilogy directed by Maryo J. delos Reyes. Rainier and Yasmien are cast in the episode titled I Love You Babe which is a Romeo and Juliet kind of story about two teenagers from feuding families in a loud barangay full of colorful characters.
"So different from real life," said Yasmien who’s part-French, part-Lebanese, part-Chinese and part-Filipino. "Rainier’s mother and my mother were friends; they were classmates at the Sienna College."
Since they finished as 2004 StarStruck runners-up, Rainier and Yasmien’s lives (they both come from broken families) have changed dramatically. With legions of fans rooting for them, Rainier and Yasmien can’t anymore do the same things as before, such as strolling or window-shopping in the mall withiut attracting attention.
They are a loveteam, like Mark and Jennylyn. But asked if they’re going steady off camera, Rainier and Yasmien gave the same answer: "We are just MUs (as in Mutual Understanding)."
The two other episodes of Happily Ever After are Multong Bakla, starring Keempee de Leon as a swishy character, StarStruck Avengers Nadine Samonte and Tyrone Perez, and child actor Nash Aguas (of Star Circle Quest Kids); and Playboy Kuba, a story about karma and consequence starring John Prats and Maxene Magalona.
To find out if Rainier and Yasmien are compatible, Funfare is putting them to the "If He Were/If She Were" test. Check out if their answers jibe.
• Flower
Rainier: A rose. "Sweet pero matinik."
Yasmien: Jasmine. "I was named after that flower; iba nga lang ang spelling ng name ko."
• Tree
Rainier: Coconut Tree. "It’s the tree of life, isn’t it? Every part of it is useful, from the trunk to the leaves to the milk to the juice..."
Yasmien: Narra Tree. "It’s sturdy."
• Animal
Rainier: Dog. "It’s loyal; it’s man’s best friend."
Yasmien: Dolphin. "Dolphins are kind and lively."
• Perfume
Rainier: Echo. "It has a gentle scent."
Yasmien: Kenzo. "It makes me feel always bathroom-fresh."
• Food
Rainier: Pizza. "It looks and does taste delicious!"
Yasmien: Japanese food. "Not much calories."
• Fruit
Rainier: Mango. "Sweet and juicy."
Yasmien: Langka. "It’s fleshy. Boil the seeds and see how delicious they are."
• Drink
Rainier: Tequilla – "And water!"
Yasmien: Mango juice. "It’s filling."
• Book
Rainier: "I’m not a book reader, sorry!"
Yasmien: The Harry Potter series.
• Movie
Rainier: Action-comedy. "Like Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Twelve."
Yasmien: All kinds but I prefer action and comedy. "The last movie I saw was Kingdom of Heaven. I’m a fan of Orlando Bloom."
• Song
Rainier: A love song – "Definitely!"
Yasmien: All kinds. "In my car, I have all kinds of CDs by various singers."
• Car
Rainier: Jaguar. "My dream car. But it’s very expensive so it will just remain a dream."
Yasmien: None. "I’m happy with my car, a CR-V."
• City
Rainier: Las Vegas. "I’ve never been abroad and if I have the chance, I’d visit Las Vegas. From what I read, it’s a colorful and fascinating city."
Yasmien: Switzerland. "It’s peaceful; there’s no war there." (Yasmien grew up in Kuwait where her parents worked. She has been to several countries, including Italy, Greece and Lebanon where her father comes from.)
• Comics Character
Rainier: The Fantastic Four.
Yasmien: Wonder Woman. "She has big boobs."
• Hero
Rainier: Dr. Jose Rizal. "If ever another movie would be made about him, I wish I’d be in it."
Yasmien: Mahatma Gandhi. "He was not violent."
• Beach
Rainier: El Nido (in Palawan). "It’s quiet, relaxing."
Yasmien: El Nido (in Palawan). "It’s peaceful; wala masyadong tao."
• Foreign Actor/Actress
Rainier: Brad Pitt. "Tahimik ngunit mukhang mapanganib."
Yasmien: Angelina Jolie. "She’s my crush!"
• Local Actor/Actress
Rainier: Cesar Montano. "My idol."
Yasmien: Lea Salonga. "Galing niya...sobra!"
• A President
Rainier: President Fidel Ramos. "From what I remember, I’ve heard many good things about him. Am I of voting age? Yes. I’m 19."
Yasmien: President Ferdinand Marcos. "My elders told me our country was okay when he was the President. I did a project in school and I researched on him. Disiplinado ang mga tao during his time."
• Saint
Rainier: St. Michael the Archangel
Yasmien: I’m with Iglesia ni Kristo. We don’t believe in saints.
• A Girl/A Boy
Rainier: Lindsay Lohan (star of Herbie Fully Loaded). "Very pretty!"
Yasmien: Brad Pitt. "Para girlfriend ko si Angelina."
• If He Were Yasmien Kurdi and Rainier Castillo Would Court You, Would You Say ‘Yes’?
Rainier: Oo naman! Rainier may be makulit but he’s a nice guy.
• If You Were Rainier Castillo And You Courted Yasmien Kurdi, Do You Think She’d Say ‘Yes’?
Yasmien: She should! Yasmien is very jolly, easy to get along with.