How Sharon can 'get back' at Aga

Curtain-raisers:

• The “cold war” between the two members of a quintet is deep-seated, according to a Funfare DPA, “as in “malalim na malalim.” Did they fight over a girl? Did they get onion-skinned (napikon) at their oftentimes below-the-belt poking fun at each other? What could be the reason? “Basta,” insisted the DPA, “talagang malalim.” No wonder the quintet has been reduced to a quartet. 

• Ali Sotto has come back from Madrid (where her diplomat husband Omar Bsaies, also in photo, was posted) for good three weeks ago. Many people (this one included) are wondering when she will, if ever, resume co-hosting her dzBB program with Arnold “Igan” Clavio, formerly called Double A sa Double B for which Lala Roque has replaced Ali. Arnold and Ali are a perfect match (no offense to Lala). When ba, Señor Mike Enriquez (who has the final say)?

• It’s a good thing that an ‘80s actor has stopped talking about and against his actress-daughter. If he didn’t, his ex-wife could have been forced to spill more beans than she already did, such as when she went back to their apartment only a few days after they separated (their actress-daughter was then barely three years old) and found him with another woman in their matrimonial bed. The actor virtually abandoned his wife and daughter.

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When all is said and done, the bone of contention between Sharon Cuneta and her still-friend Aga Muhlach is her being, uhm, healthy, that’s why she and Aga won’t be credible in a romance-drama-comedy as follow-up to Kung Ako Na Lang Sana, their first starrer together.

Sharon has already said more than a mouthful in print and on national television, explaining (in a sense “justifying”) why she snubbed Aga during Ai-Ai delas Alas’ Akin Ang Tronong ‘To concert last week at the Big Dome. Sharon dismissed it as joke (that boomeranged) which the audience took seriously because Sharon didn’t sound like she was joking. It turned out that Sharon was harboring some “tampong kaibigan” against Aga who she felt “rejected” (oops! Sharon found those words hurting and insulting) her in his quiet refusal to do another movie with her.

Aga Muhlach seems to be more preoccupied with his Jollibee Chicken Joy than with the issue between him and Sharon.

Sharon said that that if it were Robin Padilla, he would have gone up the stage and gave her a hug to appease her. But then, Robin Padilla is Robin Padilla and Aga Muhlach is Aga Muhlach. Using Sharon’s logic, if she were Vilma Santos, she should have kept whatever “tampong kaibigan” she had with Aga and not started (maybe unwittingly) unraveling it in such a public occasion. Vilma and Aga ironed out their years-long tampuhan between themselves and now they are even closer than ever.

Aga (bless him!) has breathed not a word about the whole mess and thereby won public admiration and sympathy for being a gentleman.

But the two should make peace pronto. As I’ve been saying, it’s the season to be jolly, tralalalalalala! Make friends, not enemies.

A friendly advice to Sharon: Looking good is the best revenge. Keep your promise to shed some weight and when you do, let Aga “beg” for you to do another movie with him again. But before you say yes, give him the runaround, “reject” him if you may, play hard-to-get and let go of your matamis na oo only if Aga is on bended knee crying like a baby. And seal your reconciliation with the yummy-sweet Sans Rival, the same one you gave this paper’s Entertainment staff the other day.

Believe me, Sharon, it will work!

Albert’s lifetime dream come true

Rosario director Albert Martinez (back, left) with business partner Bong Sta. Maria, and (seated) Niño Lim and wife Krista Ranillo during the contract signing for the sponsorship by the Lims’ Island Pacific of the movie’s premiere in Los Angeles on Jan. 21 next year

These are challenging times for Albert Martinez. His wife Liezl Martinez is in remission from breast cancer and his mother is also battling the Big C. Add to that his younger brother William‘s recent stroke that has rendered him partially paralyzed (which can be checked by therapy, according to his doctors).

All these while Albert is deep into his first directorial job, Cinemabuhay Inc.’s Rosario which is one of the seven official entries in the 2010 Metro Filmfest. Albert has just come back from the US for contract-signing with sponsors and from Bangkok for the movie’s post-production processing. It must be quite a burden to Albert attending to these daunting tasks all at the same time.

A period piece with Jennylyn Mercado and boyfriend Dennis Trillo as leads, the very expensive Rosario is 10 years in the making, said Albert.

“The process is bloody,” he explained. “It took me five years to complete the story after endless revisions on the script, and another five years before we could start shooting but only after endless meetings and consultations. I must admit that there were times when I almost gave up but I’m glad that I did not.”

For the movie, Albert used a new, high-tech camera called Arri Alexa like the one used by Martin Scorsese in his latest movie.

Is Albert over it already?

Not yet.

The “battle” continues as Rosario contends with the six other Metrofest entries for box-office supremacy and the awards.

A reward must be waiting for Albert.

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