Cesar confesses: I dreamed of Ate Guy

MANILA, Philippines - Cesar Montano had to dig into his childhood memories to express how he feels to be working with Nora Aunor on TV5’s upcoming teleserye Never Say Goodbye. He wanted to show the press he was authentically mesmerized by the fact that he is living a dream he never even dreamt of happening.

In a chat with the critically-acclaimed actor partly known for his portrayal of historical figures on the big screen, he recalled how Ate Guy, as Nora is also called in showbiz, made an impact on his life at an early age. “My mother is Noranian and the first film I saw was Erap Is My Guy. I remember when I was a nine-year-old kid, napanaginipan ko na kaeksena ko si Nora Aunor!”

Well, such a dream seemed just a strange forgettable thing for a youngster unaware he would become a showbiz star himself. Yet in connection to his co-starring with La Aunor, that “dream moment” certainly makes sense. He has yet to do a scene with Nora at the time of this conversation.

“This is the first time we’re working together on a TV project as big as this and it’s a great honor. I can’t wait to share the screen with her,” Cesar told the press during a dinner break from a taping set last Sunday in Baguio’s Manor Hotel. Baguio was chosen as venue because the project’s director Mac Alejandre likes Benguet’s Rose Farm as setting.

Cesar, who was part of Artista Academy, is also busy working on a new biopic of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim to be released next month. Being a history buff, he is thinking of directing films paying tribute to heroes Andres Bonifacio and Francisco Dagohoy whose revolt against the Spaniards lasted the longest.

“This series is kinda new to me. It has a strong cast,” he described of the new TV5 soap, reflecting direk Mac’s claim that he got attracted to the script of because of its premise that real love is worth never having to say a formal goodbye.

Cesar and Nora, as Javier Montevastro and Maritha Carpio, respectively, lead the interesting cast of characters in the series that also stars Alice Dixson and Gardo Versoza. The veterans are complemented with a pool of young acting talents pulled from the network’s Artista Academy. The likes of Sophie Albert and Brent Manzano have attested to the priceless moments of getting words of encouragement from the experts, even from a godly-treated persona like Ate Guy.

“They never made me feel that I’m a newcomer. Sobrang bait nila kahit ang gagaling nila at tinulungan pa po ako ni Ate Guy when I needed to cry,” noted Sophie, whose rookie jitters get naturally exposed when acting opposite the more experienced ones, as witnessed by The STAR during a scene take when the director had to say cut after she caused improper blocking.

When asked what exactly she said to the promising TV5 actress, the Superstar said, “Magagaling ang mga batang ito. Ang sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Kaya mo ‘yan, maiiyak ka.’ To which Sophie responded to accordingly.”

TV5, which brought entertainment reporters to foggy cold Baguio for a set visit, begins airing Never Say Goodbye on Jan. 28 after Kidlat.