Hello, Hollywood! (Foreign acts that lit up the scene in 2013)

My 2013 was bookended by two (should I say) nasty ladies, one a Hollywood bright star who darkened the day of the Asian journalists during her movie’s junket in Tokyo by being arrogant, ill-mannered and sharp-tongued, and the other a local Miss Haughty who wrongly believes that fame and fortune are forever (And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? – Matthew 16:26). They will remain nameless in this misty-eyed looking back at the Year of the Snake.

If only they, and other showbiz denizens, would be like Jennifer Lawrence, a Real Superstar described as “Hollywood’s most down-to-earth golden girl.” You know, pliant like the bamboo…the higher you go, the lower you should bend.

Anyway, better late than never. Here are the more than a dozen Hollywood stars and international artists interviewed  by Funfare/Conversations in 2013 (in person, by phone or via e-mail) and quotable-quotes:

• OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (by phone)

On how she beat cancer: I think a positive attitude sustained me through it. Never give in, never give up. I’m lucky that I have a strong character; I am fortunate that up to now, I’m still singing and writing many songs, and doing a lot of other things, especially charity work.

On lesson learned: Gratitude, yes. Gratitude for life and for every day, really. And compassion.

Advice to women in the same situation: Look, I’m still here 20 years after I was diagnosed. You can get through it. Yes, have a mammogram regularly. Better yet, do the checking yourself. That’s how I found mine.

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• DAVID FOSTER (via e-mail)

On what inspires him to write songs: It all comes down to romance. I get accused that most of my romance comes out of my piano playing, none of my actual life. My wife Yolanda is very good in making sure that we stay romantic and stay connected and do great romantic things. I’m very romantically inspired and it’s really when I’m at the piano playing that I feel the most of everything. That’s where I feel women the most, that’s where I feel my children the most…when I’m playing the piano.

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• HUGH JACKMAN (interviewed in Tokyo for Les Miserables in which he plays Jean Valjean)

On how he shed more than 25 lbs. for the role: It was a most difficult kind of body to get. I was in the gym for three hours every day and eating no carbohydrates for months. Thirty-six hours before we shot the first scene (showing me lugging a huge piece of wood), I didn’t drink water so my eyes looked sunken and my cheeks shrunken. When my wife and my good friend Barbra (Streisand) watched the movie, it took them several minutes before they recognized me. My regular diet? Six small meals every day.

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• K-Pop star NICHKUN (as Bench endorser, interviewed in Bangkok)

On how he handles fame and fortune: With my feet firmly on the ground. I grew up in a very good family. My parents taught me well to think about the people I encounter and who have made me who and what I am today. I always think about them and I am forever grateful to all of them. So I think that’s what keeps me grounded, to not float away and not to be full of myself.

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• PATRICK ADAM (interviewed in Manila when he promoted his TV show Suits in which he plays a lawyer)

On being a lawyer (if ever) in real life: I would probably be a civil pro-bono lawyer. I think some people think they can manipulate the law and make money doing it, or pass through legislation that can mean towards helping people with money. So if I were a lawyer, I would stay away from that as a pro-bono lawyer helping people with no money. And if I were a corporate lawyer, I would be chasing after people manipulating the law.

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• JACKIE CHAN (via e-mail, for his movie Chinese Zodiac, noted by Guinness Book of Records for having the most number of stunts)

On retirement: One day I’m gonna retire. Honestly, I don’t have to hide how old I am (turning 60 on April 7). Everybody knows I’m not young anymore. You gotta find some good point to tell the audience that this is the last one, that I should stop. (He has a new movie, Police Story 2013. --- RFL) Sometime, long, long time ago, I did not know when to retire…maybe in 10 or 50 years or five. You should know when to retire. I was just looking for the right time…and BAM!!! Now is the time.

On how and why he continues to attract followers: Because what I do is my passion; my passion is to entertain people, and when you are passionate you work hard and people will see that hard work. Entertaining people is hard work. That is why every time they know a Jackie Chan movie is showing, they are sure that it is entertaining.

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• DWAYNE (ex-The Rock) JOHNSON (interviewed in Seoul for G.I. Joe: Retaliation)

On his visit to the Philippines as a wrestler a few years ago: The people are so warm and so welcoming. I remember the Filipino fans being so passionate about wrestling. The energy was always very, very high. I think I always told you that every time we have an interview. The special bond that I have with Filipino fans is strong, maybe because I look Filipino, too. I could pass for a Filipino.

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• BYUNG-HUN LEE (Korean actor, interviewed also in Seoul for same movie)

On “racism” in Hollywood: You know, there’s one guy…I cannot name him. Every time I saw him, I tried to shake hands with him or just say “Hello!”  to him but he never seemed to see me or try to shake hands with me. Eventually, I stopped trying to shake hands with him or trying to say “Hello!” to him until the end of the shoot.

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• COLTON DIXON (American Idol contestant, Jessica Sanchez’s batchmate, interviewed by phone for his album A Messenger)

On not losing hope after losing in a contest: Don’t give up; never give up. That’s true not only in a competition like American Idol but in life in general. Always remember that God made us all different and unique and we should be proud of that whether or not you have monkey hair like I do or whatever, be proud of it, have fun in life, you know. I think people are too serious and too dramatic about a lot of things. Be smart about life, be proud of who you are.

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• CLIFF RICHARD (by phone)

On being, to quote a title of his song, a bachelor boy: Well, there was a time in my life when I thought I should be married now and maybe have children. But you know, there’s no point in playing games with marriage; it’s a very serious thing to do. And now, I think to myself, “Oh well, I’m happy that I am what I am, who I am, where I am.” About love, well, life without love would be unbearable, I think.

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• WILL SMITH and son JADEN (interviewed in Taipei for their movie After Earth)

Will on Jaden: Jaden is very, very level-headed. Not so many ups and downs --- you know, he’s very respectful and very responsible. He’s a very, very good kid.

Jaden on Will: My dad keeps the justice in the house, or wherever we are. When things go wrong, he makes sure that justice is rendered. He keeps everything balanced, the way it’s supposed to be.

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• VIN DIESEL (interviewed in Manila when he promoted his movie Fast and Furious 6)

On taking risks in real life as he does in his movies: After you do a lot of these movies, you risk so much that in real life you don’t want to take as many risks. I’m a father now so I try not to be as crazy as I used to be.

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In June, I went to Brussels, Belgium, as the Philippine Ambassador in the Smurfs Day celebrating the late well-loved cartoon character’s 100th birthday. Like the hundred other ambassadors from around the world, my face was painted blue and I wore a long-sleeved blue sweater over my white shirt. I wore a pair of white shoes and white pants. From Brussels, we took an hour’s train ride to Paris to cap the big day. It was fun, fun, fun!!!

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• BRUNO MARS (interviewed by phone for his album titled Unorthodox Album)

On what inspires him to write songs: Living life, going through whatever one goes through, whether it’s falling in love, falling out of love, breaking up or wishing that I were a billionaire, hahahaha! Am I a billionaire now? Not yet, hahahahaha!!!

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• HUGH JACKMAN (interviewed in Seoul for his movie Wolverine)

On the possibility of shooting a movie in Manila: Sounds great to me. Ah, yeah, my father has been in Manila a lot of times for work. I love being in Asia; Australians love Asia. We love Asia a lot, so come on, send me an idea and I’ll be in Manila right away.

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• TAYLOR LAUTNER (interviewed in Manila for his being a Bench endorser)

On the worst thing about being Taylor Lautner: It’s the simple loss of privacy…sometimes. How do I deal with it? Ahhh, you kind of just get used to it and kind of adjust to it, you don’t have to let it ruin your life. There are ways around it. You just have to think more and plan a little more.

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• KE$HA (via e-mail)

On why the dollar sign in her name: I was so happy being broke. And I’m happy not being broke. It doesn’t really affect me either way. I care about taking care of people that have taken care of me --- that’s important to me. But to be honest, I’m kind of repulsed by the gluttony and excesses of a lot of people in the limelight.

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• TONY BENNETT (via e-mail)

On turning 85 (last year, 86 on Aug. 3): I’m in good shape. Fortunately, I’m still very healthy. Nothing wrong with me. I could have retired 14 years ago but I like what I’m doing. I love it that I make people feel good when I perform; it makes me feel good, too. I will never retire. I will always try and get better and better.

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• VIN DIESEL (interviewed in Beverly Hills for his movie Riddick)

On his visit to Manila in May: I did have a feel of what Manila was --- the warmth of the Filipino people. They treated me like family when I was there and not just because my sister-in-law is from the Philippines. Every Filipino has a strong sense of family. The theme of the next Triple X is about family and it’s a subject that will resonate with Filipinos because they are family-oriented. Zander Cage, my character, migrated from Bora-Bora to the Philippines so we might shoot some scenes in the Philippines.

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• TONY BUTALA (by phone, vocalist/original member of The Lettermen)

On the secret of the group’s durability: I think the secret is that The Lettermen sing beautiful, romantic ballads. Other groups come in --- pop rock, acid rock, hip-hop, rap, etc. They just come and go. Why do we remain steady? Because we sing of love and anywhere you go people love to fall in love and they enjoy listening to love songs. We sing about positive, beautiful love; we don’t sing about politics, about heartbreak; we don’t sing about drugs, about murder, about weapons. We just sing about rainbows and flowers and love.

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• ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK (by phone)

On how he takes care of his voice: The power of my voice is still there. I’m knocking wood when I say that. One thing I can tell you is that I don’t swallow the microphone; I hold it away from me. Hahahahaha! I use it as a prop. And yes, I still sing in the bathroom. You know, I always take a hot shower before I go onstage. It’s so refreshing. I let the steam into my throat. That’s the way I warm my vocal cords --- in the bathroom. I start humming and then I proceed to sing --- in the bathroom!

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• JENNIFER LAWRENCE (interviewed in Beverly Hills for her movie Hunger Games: Catching Fire)

On how she dealt with overnight success: I just kind of stayed close to my friends and my family, and we just kind of stayed inside the house for a very long time. It took me a while before I could venture outside. Oh, God, it’s going to end, I told myself. I’m not going to be relevant forever.

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