'Vampire' Rob coming next year?

BREAKING NEWS: Robert Pattinson (RPattz for short), who plays vampire Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga, might come next year for the promo of Breaking Dawn, the fourth in the series of the best-selling four-part novel by Stephenie Meyer.

I did an exclusive interview with RPattz and co-stars Taylor Lautner (as werewolf Jacob Black) and Kristen Stewart (KStew for short, the human torn between the vampire and the werewolf)) last week in Beverly Hills during the international junket for Eclipse, released by Pioneer Films and showing nationwide starting on June 30, the third and so far most breath-taking chapter in the Saga. Also present were about a dozen of the trio’s co-stars who play the other vampires and werewolves.

As I do in such events, I gave RPattz, Taylor and KStew copies of The STAR which carried the interviews I did with them late last year, also at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, for New Moon. He blushed when he read the title of my Conversations piece: The Dreamboat Who Bites.

He browsed through it and said, “Hmmmm, The Dreamboat Who Bites. It’s nice.” Then he blushed some more, “Is this for me?” I said, “Yes, it’s yours.” He folded the paper, put it on his side and said, “Thank you!”

For tape identification, every journalist introduces himself before the cameras start rolling and where he/she is from.

When I mentioned the Philippines as I sat before RPattz, the painfully shy Briton smiled and said, “Oh, I’d love to go to the Philippines.” When I asked when, he replied, “Next year, I hope, maybe during the promo for Breaking Dawn,” adding, “I’ve been busy working; I’d love to travel somewhere.”

Actually, GMA-7, which sponsors the Eclipse premiere (set for Tuesday, June 29, in several Metro theaters), almost brought the trio here for the Twilight promo last year but the plan was scrapped at the last minute, so Pioneer Films (which is releasing three of The Twilight Saga movies; the first, Twilight, was released by Viva Films) sent me to Beverly Hills to interview the three stars for this paper and Startalk.

I told RPattz after our interview, “I hope you and Kristen and Taylor will go. You have millions of fans in the Philippines and they will be very happy to meet you. You are welcome anytime.”

As usual, RPattz’s hair was tousled (part of his “trademark”) and he still wore that charming has-just-gotten-out-of-bed look which spawned the urban legend that he doesn’t take a bath (vampires don’t take a bath, do they?), a “strategy” said to have been inspired by Brad Pitt so as to keep the media away. The yarn is ridiculous and is, of course, not true.

(Note: For the full story about Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, read Conversations with Ricky Lo tomorrow. TV interviews with the three and the other stars of Eclipse will be aired in this afternoon’s edition of Startalk TX, immediately after Eat, Bulaga! on GMA, which also features Claudine Barretto and husband Raymart Santiago [headed for splitsville?], Dennis Trillo [mad at Rocco Nacino who is “eyeing” Dennis’ girlfriend Jennylyn Mercado?], Marian Rivera [taking the cudgels for boyfriend Dingdong Dantes?], Kris Bernal [does she “begrudge” loveteam-mate Aljur Abrenica?], and newly-elected star-politicians taking a crash course in Public Administration.)

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Within just one week, Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde received two prestigious awards, Saturday last week from The Manila Times and Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran’s 7th Dr. Jose P. Rizal Awards For Excellence a special award “for her leadership role in the movie industry” and last night a “lifetime achievement” award from the first MTRCB Awards spearheaded by its chairman, Consoliza Laguardia.

Here’s the piece about Mother Lily in Tulay, The Chinese-Filipino Digest, titled Lily Yu Monteverde: ‘Making the impossible possible’:

At 72, Lily Yu Monteverde — “Mother Lily” to everyone — has cemented her leadership role in the movie industry.

Her flagship film outfit, Regal Films, and its sister companies, MAQ and Good Harvest, have produced over 600 films and won more than 50 Best Picture trophies over the past 30 years.

Monterverde has given some of our country‘s best directors their first directorial break and shaped the careers of many cinematic and television stars.

Although she has criticized for producing blockbusters short on artistic merit, she has nevertheless made some landmark films such as Sister Stella L, Relasyon, Yamashita, Sana Pag-ibig Na and Tuhog.

Monteverde started out as an entrepreneur. At 22, she sold popcorn and ice cream in Good Earth Emporium and Cherry Foodarama. She also worked as a clerk earning P600 a month at Montemar Department Store, which her in-laws owned.

With her savings, she acquired the reels of the Hollywood tearjerker All Mine to Give and re-released it in theaters. It was a huge success, which paved the way for her eventual role as a movie producer more than a decade later.

Monteverde has always loved Philippine movies, and her favorite star was Nida Blanca.

During the martial law years, she took a bold step and produced the controversial movie on labor unrest, Sister Stella L, starring Vilma Santos.

Monteverde admits she thought she would be arrested when the film, which won critical acclaim here and abroad, was smuggled out of the country and screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Many say she is partly responsible for the success television network ABS-CBN enjoys today.

When the station was returned to the Lopezes after the EDSA People Power Revolt of 1986, she lent all of her stars to the then cellar-dwelling station, and even produced 11 shows for ABS-CBN. She was also one of the partners who created Star Cinema in 1993.

She eventually left ABS-CBN and Star Cinema and with her earnings, Monteverde built the Century Imperial Hotel along Timog and Tomas Morato streets. She has other real state holdings, as well as ventures in retail trade and other lines of business in the Philippines, the US and China.

While she continues to produce films, she also puts up tiangge or flea markets.

She says, “I personally supervise them. By putting up tiangges, I am able to feel the pulse of the ordinary people. I am able to experience and remain sensitive to their needs and wishes. In doing so, I am able to enrich and sharpen my instinct for my choices of the kind of films that will make money.”

The youngest of 12 children of copra trader Domingo and homemaker Profetisa Yu, Monteverde married Remy Monteverde, at the time a dashing star player of the San Beda basketball team.

They have five children and seven grand children. She takes particular pride in her award as Outstanding Mother of the Year.

Her advice for budding entrepreneurs? “You must be in business not only for the money but also for the fulfillment that it brings. If you have passion, you can make the impossible possible.”

What’s up?

• Vice Pres. Noli “Kabayan” de Castro woll read three love poems on the program The Law of the Heart is Love, hosted by election lawyer Romy Macalintal over DWBR 104.3FM, 8 to 9 tonight (with a replay tomorrow night, June 27, from 9 to 10).

• Aiza Seguerra will promote her Asian Edition Album Perhaps Love in today at SM Baguio and at SM Rosales (Pangasinan) tomorrow, June 27. Shows start at 5 p.m. The album was released simultaneously in nine countries last May 19.

• The CompanY’s promo mall tour for its new album Lighthearted continues today at Glorietta and on tomorrow, June 27, at SM Cagayan de Oro.

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