Sharon & Ai-Ai: That's what friends are for

MANILA, Philippines – Put the one and only Megastar and the one and only Comedy Queen in a movie and what do you get? Riot, of course!

Sides are expected to be split and tummies to ache when Sharon Cuneta and Ai-Ai delas Alas star together in a movie for the first time, a casting coup which only Star Cinema can possibly score.

In BFF (Best Friends Forever), Sharon and Ai-Ai play buddy-buddies who stick to each other through thick and thin in a rare kind of deep friendship not even their rivalry for the same man, played by John Estrada, can break.

Directed by Wenn Deramas, BFF is Sharon’s first comedy after a long time, the last having been Jack en Jill in which he played tomboy Jack to Herbert Bautista’s sissy Jill.

“It’s a good breather for me,” admitted Sharon whose last starrer, also for Star Cinema, was the heavy-drama Caregiver where she played a caregiver working in London. “I’ve really been looking forward to working with Ai-Ai. Most of the Filipino movies in my iPod are those of Ai-Ai’s. They are really very entertaining. Kakatuwa panoorin.”

Ai-Ai’s last movie, also from Star Cinema, was Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat which was the top-grosser in last year’s Metro Manila Filmfest, directed by Wenn who is today’s unchallenged Box-Office Comedy Director credited for most of the company’s comedy hits.

“From way back,” said Ai-Ai, “I’ve been saying that I would be honored to do a movie with Mega. Maski noong ‘80s, talagang pinanonood ko na ang mga pelikula niya.”

Judging from the way Sharon and Ai-Ai rib each other in the trailer and in interviews, touching on the very physical, you can see what a riotous two-hour belly-aching experience is in store for moviegoers.

Sharon pokes fun at Ai-Ai’s prominent chin and Ai-Ai retaliates by doing the same at Sharon’s excess poundage. Walang pikunan, trabaho lang.

From the story by Mel del Rosario, BFF also stars Chokoleit, Joy Viado, Empress Schuck, Enchong Dee, Miles Ocampo, DJ Durano and Gina Pareño.

It opens May 13 nationwide as Star Cinema’s Mother’s Day offering.