A Repost From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

Meryll Soriano says father Willie Revillame is "resting"

PEP - Thursday, July 15

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Meryll Soriano says father Willie Revillame is "resting"

Slideshow: Showbiz Photos

Isa si Meryll Soriano sa masugid na tagasuporta ng indie films. Ilang indie films na rin ang nagawa niya na bawat isa naman ay maipagmamalaki niya.

Last Monday night, July 12, maaga pa lamang ay nasa Cultural Center of the Philippines na si Meryll para sa gala night ng kanyang pelikula na Donor, na in competition sa Cinemalaya film festival this year. Kasama ni Meryll sa pelikulang ito na idinirek ni Mark Meily si Baron Geisler.

When asked about the fulfillment she gets from doing indie films, ang kagustuhang umarte at matuto ang ilan sa mga ibinigay na rason ni Meryll.

"Ako kasi, I really enjoy acting," sambit niya. "At ito talaga ang level na nakaka-act ka. Kumbaga, hindi siya yung parang routine na paggawa ng teleserye. Kumbaga, as an artist, nakaka-experiment ka rin. So, you know, it's a good genre to expose yourself and to discover something. Para rin may balik na may natutunan ka pa. Kasi dito, siyempre medyo may pagka-controversial ang roles, ang mga topic niya. So, mas nakakapag-explore."

Dagdag niya, "Happy ako. Happy ako sa indie."

KIDNEY DONOR. Ginagampanan ni Meryll sa Donor ang papel ng isang kidney donor. Ipinakita sa pelikula ang proseso ng talamak na rin na bentahan ng body organs sa bansa.

Bakit ito ang pinili niyang gawin among other indie films na malamang ay in-offer din sa kanya?

"Well, it's about organ trafficking. Yung proseso no'n dito sa Pilipinas. Parang sa Asia, second or third tayo sa top of organ trafficking. So, it's a process on how people get into it, ano ang mga nangyayari, set-up. So, ako rito, nag-donate kapalit ng pera," saad niya.

Unang offer pa lang daw sa kanya ng movie ay umokey na siya.

"Well, of course, na-starstruck din ako kay Direk Mark Meily. E, fan na fan ako ng Crying Ladies. So, sabi ko, 'Wow, it's a different kind of directing.' Pero sinabi ko rin naman na, Direk, babasahin ko muna ang script. Ganoon naman, di ba?"

My limitasyon din daw siya in terms of exposure. Biro nga niya, yung kidney lang ang kaya niyang ipakita.

"Yun lang ang organ na puwedeng ipakita!" natatawa niyang sabi.

WILLIE & WOWOWEE. Kinumusta rin ng PEP kay Meryll ang kanyang ama na si Willie Revillame at kung babalik pa ba ito sa Wowowee.

"Ayun, I think he's just fixing lang yung mga legalities. Pero ang alam ko, babalik siya, e. Hindi lang ako sure. Hindi naman kasi namin pinag-uusapan yun. Hindi ko rin alam kung ano ang outcome ng first meeting nila ni Sir Gabby [Lopez], so I cannot speak on his behalf," sabi ng aktres.

Open ba ang communication nila ng kanyang ama?

"Oo," sagot ni Meryll. "Dinadalaw namin siya ni Eli [Elijah, Meryll's son with Bernard Palanca]. Nagsu-swimming kami sa bahay. He's okay. He's been resting, golf, yung mga gano'n. Basically, he's resting. Alam n'yo naman ang Wowowee, nakaka-stress 'yan. Siyempre, live, e."

Dagdag niya, "Totoo naman na nagkaroon din siya ng maraming ailments. So, at least, kung babalik din siya, nakapagpahinga rin siya. Siyempre to recharge. Nakaka-burnout yung every day."

Mas gusto ba niya ang nakikita niya sa Papa niya ngayon?

"Oo naman. Siyempre, kapag stress ka, mainitin talaga ang ulo mo and you can't help that."

Marami ang nanghihinayang kung sakaling tuluyan na ngang iwanan ni Willie ang Wowowee. Si Meryll ba ay nanghihinayang din?

"Ako kasi, siyempre biased ako. Tatay ko yun. Health yun. Siyempre, ako iniisip ko rin naman na marami kasi siyang fans. Marami siyang following. Iniisip ko rin yun. But at the same time, he's not getting any younger," sagot niya.

Binanggit namin kay Meryll na may usap-usapan na ibinebenta raw ng ama niya ang kontrata nito sa ABS-CBN sa kung ilang daang milyones. May alam ba siya rito?

"Ay, hindi ko alam...wala akong alam sa mga bagay na 'yan. At saka, ano naman kasi ang magagawa ko sa mga desisyon na 'yan?" natatawa niyang sabi.

BERNARD & JOEM. Tungkol naman sa kanyang dating asawa na si Bernard Palanca, sinabi ni Meryll na okay na sila nito.

"Hindi pa nga lang nakakadalaw si BJ [palayaw ni Bernard] kay Elijah. Maybe he's busy with other things. But we talk," sabi niya.

Natawa naman si Meryll sa bansag sa kanila ng boyfriend niya ngayong si Joem Bascon. Sila na raw ang "Prince and Princess of Indie Films." Kung si Meryll ay nasa Donor, si Joem naman ay may dalawang pelikula sa Cinemalaya: Rekrut at Limbunan.

Kumusta na sila ni Joem?

"Okey naman. More than a year na kami. We're doing good. It's healthy, one day at a time. No pressure."

Si Joem at ang anak niyang si Elijah, kumusta naman?

"He's okay. Magkalaro sila," nakangiti niyang sabi.

Reposted From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

A Repost From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

TV5 executive: No offer was made to Willie Revillame

PEP - Wednesday, May 19

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TV5 executive: No offer was made to Willie Revillame

Slideshow: Showbiz Photos

Controversial TV host Willie Revillame surprised everyone when he agreed to an exclusive taped interview on TV5's Paparazzi aired last Sunday, May 17.

Willie has been on indefinite leave from his noontime show in ABS-CBN, Wowowee, for almost two weeks now. The TV host's decision to take an indefinite leave was caused by Jobert Sucaldito's negative comments about the previous batch of contestants in one of Wowowee segments.

In the TV5 interview, Willie admitted that he has not yet decided on whether or not he will return to Wowowee. He said, "Pinag-aaralan ko lahat, pinag-iisipan ko lahat. Kumbaga, kinakausap ko rin sarili ko. Dapat kausapin mo rin. Ano ba ang gusto mong gawin? Ano pa ba ang gusto mong gawin sa buhay mo?" (CLICK HERE to read related article,)

It may be recalled that during the last sortie of presidential aspirant Manny Villar, Willie was quoted as saying: "Natatakot akong mawalan ng trabaho? Pag magaling ka, may bilib ka sa sarili mo, at mabuti kang tao, 'wag kang matakot. May kukuha sa 'yo. Ba't ako matatakot? Isa lang ba ang channel?" (CLICK HERE to read related article.)

After these statements and his interview with Paparazzi, many observers started speculating that Willie might move to TV5.

WILLIE IS NOT TRANSFERRING. In an exclusive phone interview with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) yesterday afternoon, May 18, TV5 head for Creative and Entertainment Perci Intalan said these talks have reached their office. However, he denied that Willie is transferring to their network.

"Of course, people have been speculating, naririnig din naman namin 'yon," he said. "Pero marami namang nag-i-speculate kung sino-sino ang lilipat sa amin, di ba? Right now, we're very flattered kasi people recognize now that we're a major player. Pero wala rin naman kaming contact kay Will 'til that point, noong interview na 'yon."

Intalan also expressed gratitude to Willie, on behalf of TV5, for giving them the exclusive interview.

"Parang we feel honored that he allowed us to interview him na exclusive, na pinagkatiwalaan niya kami to be the network that airs his first interview after the issue, di ba? But you know, to be fair rin sa kanya, he knows it's a sensitive issue. 'Yong interview lang na 'yon ang contact namin sa kanya."

GETTING THE INTERVIEW. Intalan also clarified that Willie's interview on Paparazzi was not meant to create speculation. It was conducted so they could connect it to the new segment they created for TV5's musical-variety show, P.O.5. (Party On 5).

Intalan explained, "When we were able to get an exclusive interview with Willie, malaking pasalamat namin. From way back, nagko-conceptualize na kami ng bagong segment called 'Musikat' [for P.O.5] kung saan babaliin namin yung arrangement ng mga sikat na songs to get a different version. Kasama dito sina Jay Durias [musical director of P.O.5], Bituin Escalante, Jan Nieto, Apple Chiu [a former contestant of Philippine Idol], among others.

"Naisip namin, okay si Willie kasi sikat nga yung mga songs n'ya. Tapos sabi namin, 'Why don't we try to interview him and do a feature on Willie to set the number up?' Tapos nangyari ang issue na 'yon. So, nagbakasakali kami...since hindi naman siya ganun ka-busy sa election..."

This led to seeking the help of Paparazzi host Cristy Fermin, a close friend of Willie.

Intalan recalled, "Humingi kami ng tulong kay Cristy Fermin and maybe she could do a feature on Paparazzi, di ba? 'Itong P.O.5, may bagong version ng mga kanta ko.' Parang ganun, parang endorsement lang. We were fortunate na close si Cristy at saka si Willie, so pumayag siyang magpa-interview. Doon na 'yon, na-interview namin siya."

Is TV5 planning to meet with Willie in the future?

Intalan said they haven't contacted Willie after the interview. "He went away rin naman kasi...parang pumunta siya ng Macau. And, of course, we can't really do anything unless ma-resolve 'yong situation ni Willie sa ABS-CBN," he added.

The executive added that TV5 is aware that Willie is still with ABS-CBN.

"As far as we understand, he still obviously has a contract with ABC-CBN. So, nirerespeto naman namin 'yon. So, beyond the interview, wala na rin kaming contact," Intalan said.

To clear the issue, Intalan reiterated that TV5 has not made any offer to Willie. He also hopes that the issue between the TV host and his home network would be resolved soon.

"Sa ngayon, wala naman kaming contact with each other. We don't even know kung gusto niyang mangyari 'yon [transfer]. Kami, ang alam namin, may kontrata siya [with ABS-CBN] and alam mo naman sa showbiz, may mga di pagkakaunawaan and after a week of two, mare-resolve rin naman. The point is, we were granted an interview and ang alam ko nag-uusap na sila [Willie and ABS-CBN executives]."

Reposted From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)