Research Topics: Philippine Entertainment

Career As An Actress

Career As An Actress

At 19 years old and only three years into her career as an actress. Kim Chiu has made her mark in showbusiness by endearing herself to the...

Looking Frail

Looking Frail

While filming the remarks of My Girl (her second teleserye with ABS-CBN), there was much speculation about Kim’s health, especially online...

Kim Doesn’t Suffer From The Disease

Admittedly, Kim can stand to gain a few more pounds (at 5’6, she weighs only 99 pounds), but calling it anorexia is quite a drastic claim. In simpler terms, anorexia is an eating disorder that is manifested by low body weight, a distorted image of one’s self, and fear of gaining weight. Just by this definition, it is obvious that Kim doesn’t suffer from the disease. And despite her initial disappointment by the association of her name to such a rumor, Kim has learned to brush them off. ‘Minsan kasi hindi nila tinatanggap [her explanation]”, she begins. “Pero dahil artista ka,anyone can judge you,” she explains. “Bahala nalang sila”. On Whether she is content with her body. Kim quickly responds, “Oo naman. Hindi nga ako nagkakasakit, eh!” And what’s more, Kim firmly maintains she doesn’t want to change anything about her physique. “Wala talaga,” She says with finality. So whether it be a matter of genetic, the long hours she spends working, or whatever the reason, you can trust that the stellar young lady is taking care of herself the best way she knows how?   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Kim Doesn’t Suffer From The Disease

Admittedly, Kim can stand to gain a few more pounds (at 5’6, she weighs only 99 pounds), but calling it anorexia is quite a drastic claim....

BIG WIN

BIG WIN

Soon after Kim was crowned the Teen Big Winner in 2006, the offers - to do commercials, guestings, TV shows and even movies – began pouri...

SINGING SENSATION

SINGING SENSATION

In 2007, Kim diversified. That is, she officially became a multimedia star when she recorded and released Gwa Ai Di (I Love You), her debu...

FASHIONISTA

When Kim first started out in show business, she was often photographed wearing simple outfits. In fact, for some of her TV guestings and others public appearances, she would hardly wear dresses back then, instead opting for pretty tops, jeans, and sometimes even sneakers. Her crowning fashionista moment came when she started appearing on magazine covers wearing glam outfits – much like she did for this issue of SSM!   It’s undeniable that there are bigger and better and better plans for this primetime princess. According to Direk Ruel, it can also be attributed to her healthy working attitude. “ayaw niyang nawawalan ng trabaho,” her handler, Poria Morales, adds. “Minsan kailangan ko pa siyang sabihan, pwede ba tayong magpahinga?” she laughs. “Nabobore kasi siya kapag walang work.”  Her road manager Maffy Kabigting chimes in. Kim can’t stop ecpressing her gratitude – to the Lord, her family, and her fans – every time a mic is handed to her, which shows just how very little she’s changed since the beginning. We could only imagine what she can achieve in the following years, to think that she’s achieved so much in such  a shore period of time. And we really can’t wait to see. After all, Kim has proven herself worthy of her success at such a young age. What more in the future?   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

FASHIONISTA

When Kim first started out in show business, she was often photographed wearing simple outfits. In fact, for some of her TV guestings and ...

MY LIFE IN PICTURES

All in a matter of three years, Cebu – raised Fil-Chinese teen Kim Chiu did what most novices took longer to accomplish. Adjudged Big Winner of the reality show Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition which served as her ticket to stardom, the 19 year old proved that she was up for the ride by gaining a strong foothold as showbiz’s favorite ingénue (Sana Maulit Muli, I’ve Fallen For You, and the Pinoy remake of My Girl). And the good thing is that she is not about to stop until she adds “respectable actress” t her portfolio.  In tayong Dalawa, Kim displayed a level of maturity that makes one believe that in time she would be reaping acting accolades left and right. It’s nice to note that throughout her journey, Kim has not lost sight of her beginnings. Remembers Gerald Anderson’s reel partner: In the following pictures, Kim traces the start of something enchanted and enchanting, as she most certainly is.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

MY LIFE IN PICTURES

All in a matter of three years, Cebu – raised Fil-Chinese teen Kim Chiu did what most novices took longer to accomplish. Adjudged Big Winn...

My Life In Pictures

My Life In Pictures

All in a matter of three years, Cebu – raised Fil-Chinese teen Kim Chiu did what most novices took longer to accomplish. Adjudged Big Winn...

KC Concepcion

I swear to God, it is so easy to hate someone like KC Concepcion. It doesn’t take much effort –– all I need to do is take five seconds to compare my life to hers, and the red-hot rage stemmed from the ugliest form of envy bubbles to the surface.             And, yet, for some unfathomable reason, I don’t hate her. In fact, KC Concepcion is one actress I admire and respect.             Don’t get me wrong. When I see her . . . the envy? Yeah, it’s still there. (Dear God, I would sell my soul to Satan or Lucifer or Beezlebub or whatever name he goes by these days for a chance to study in Paris.)             Kristina Cassandra Cuneta Concepcion is the only daughter of Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion. Gabby and Sharon were one of the most successful love teams back in the 80s. Their sizzling chemistry wasn’t just onscreen either, as proven in 1985 when they said their “I dos” in a magnificent church wedding, making the dreams of millions of adoring fans all over the Philippines come true. Their marriage was followed closely by the media and fans –– (kind of like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s much-speculated love affair) –– leaving many Gabby-Sharon devotees were devastated when the couple called it quits after four years of marriage. Gabby spent a few years dabbling in the entertainment biz for a while before leaving the Philippines in 1995 to live in sunny California while Sharon, dubbed by the media as a ‘Mega Star,’ went on to become one of the most successful and highest paid actresses in the history of Philippine cinema.             Fans of Gabby and Sharon’s iconic romance turned their love on the couple’s only daughter, KC. She grew up in the spotlight, the princess of show business, beloved by the media, adored by the fans. In 2003, she established herself as a bankable commercial endorser, appearing in both TV and print advertisements as the spokesperson of a number of major products in the Philippines, and a charming MTV Asia VJ.             She was making a name for herself, slowly breaking out of the ‘daughter of Gabby and Sharon’ persona. Many people expected her to follow in her parents’ footsteps and enter show business (ain’t no business like the show business), but instead of accepting her first film or TV role that would cement her status as an actress, KC bought a ticket to France and spent the next four years studying International Corporate Communications with a minor in Theatre Arts at the American University of Paris in, (yeah, you guessed it) Paris, France, the City of Romance, home to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, multiple fashion design houses such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, and Dior (the envy rises to the surface yet again).             After graduating in 2007 ––her mother and stepfather (Sharon Cuneta’s hubby Francisco Pangilinan had legally adopted KC) and sisters Frankie and Miel attended her commencement ceremony –– she finally fulfilled expectations and entered the world of showbiz. In 2008, she starred in a Maalaala Mo Kaya episode entitled Mansyon, marking her debut as an onscreen actress. Since then, she’s been extremely busy: she bagged the Nickelodeon Philippines Kids’ Choice Awards for Pinoy Wannabe; was selected as National Ambassador Against Hunger by the UN World Food Program; made her first movie under Star Cinema, For the First Time, which would go on to be the third highest grossing film in 2008, earning 133,916,349 pesos at the Philippine box office, and would garner her a Best Actress award. This wasn’t the first time she has acted, though. As a teenager she auditioned for many theater roles, and won the lead in an adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.”             In 2009, she starred in the Filipino remake of the Korean telenovela Lovers in Paris opposite one of the country’s most drooled-after studs, Piolo Pascual. In 2010, she released her first ever studio album, KC, which features a cover of Skye Sweetnam’s “Girl Most Likely To.” That same year, she was announced as The Buzz’s new co-host, replacing Ruffa Gutierrez. In late January of 2011, after much speculation, KC and Piolo revealed that they are officially dating. KC landing one of –– if not, some argue, the –– the country’s ultimate heartthrobs further accelerated her momentum, garnering her even more media attention.             KC Concepcion lives the good life. She’s pretty, talented, rich, intelligent, educated, and has managed to steer clear of controversies and high dramas. At a young age, she has already showed us what a mature young woman she is. KC’s a classy woman, and we’ll be seeing more of her in the future.     References: ·         IMDB. (2011). K.C. Concepcion – Biography. Available: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2932786/bio. Last accessed June 7 2011. ·         Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2011). KC Concepcion – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KC_Concepcion. Last accessed June 7 2011. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

KC Concepcion

I swear to God, it is so easy to hate someone like KC Concepcion. It doesn’t take much effort –– all I need to do is take five seconds to ...

Jennylyn Mercado

Spice Girl Strength   Just like everyone else (except for bitter hags and caustic creeps, those “misery loves company” types,  who believe that no one on earth should be happy), I am sucker for underdog stories. I love the rags-to-riches Cinderella-ish stories, or those “I was once abused and now I’m wealthy and glamorous and you’re eating your heart out” stories. Yeah, they make me smile. Like how Oprah Winfrey was born in abject poverty and ended up becoming an extremely successful media mogul, or like J.K. Rowling, who went from being a jobless, separated single mother to multi-millionaire author of arguably one of the most famous book series to date.             The people who have the strength to do something with their lives are the best kind of role models there is.             Okay, truth: There was a time when I thought of Jennylyn Mercado as a replaceable face in the show business industry, never once thinking that inside her is this fierce Spice Girl Strength (Spice Girl Strength: phrase adopted from one of Shia LeBeouf’s interview for Transformers 3, implies the female possesses impressive mental and emotional strength and independence) until I heard news of her past as an abused child. These days, I see her as a prime role model for children who have been battered and beaten and just plain mistreated, for single mothers everywhere, for people who have suffered domestic abuse.             As a child, Jennylyn Mercado (b. 15 May, 1987, Paranaque, Metro Manila) suffered abuse at the hands of her stepfather. Her biological mother was far away in Dubai, where she earned money as a beauty consultant in a Duty Free store. In 1991, the would-be actress appeared in various newspapers across the country as a battered child. Her stepfather had beaten her black and blue, kicked her, and even pushed her down the stairs. If that wasn’t horrifying enough, the man burned Jennylyn’s skin with cigarette butts and even pressed an iron against her back. Her “mother” came home to bail her lover out of jail, instead of doing what a mother should have done like, oh I don’t know, taking care of her daughter?             Jennylyn’s aunt Lydia Mercado adopted the kid and provided her with a loving home. Jennylyn had stated on numerous occasions that she considers Lydia her true mother and had recounted her story as a victim of child abuse in a candid interview with a celebrity mag. Jennylyn’s biological mother, Jinkee, appeared in ABS-CBN talk show The Buzz to reveal her side of the story.             Jinkee denied Jennylyn’s claims. Apparently, there was never an abuse –– there was no abusive stepfather (she says she’s been married only once, to a British man for 17 years now) and she didn’t abandon her child (she sent her kid money –– as if that can compensate for the neglect and hurt Jennylyn had endured for her entire life). I can’t imagine how hurtful it must be to have your mother insinuate that you’re a liar on live national television. Thankfully, Jennylyn had her mommy Lydia and her manager Becky Aguila on her side. “When I deal with my artist, I not only interact with them as a manager but also as a mother, and I felt Jen’s pain, sorrow and disappointment upon learning about her biological mom’s interview in the Buzz. … She doesn’t deserve a daughter like Jennylyn.” –– Becky Aguila             Apart from suffering from child abuse, Jennylyn has also been a victim of domestic abuse. She tells “YES!” magazine about the night she was physically and verbally abused by then-boyfriend Dennis Trillo. The actress and Trillo were embroiled in a heated argument (reportedly about Jennylyn’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her son, actor Patrick Garcia), causing Jennylyn to slap Trillo and Trillo to retaliate by wrapping her in a headlock and throwing her downstairs. After this incident, Jennylyn took up jujitsu (a Japanese martial art) classes –– where she met actor Luis Manzano, who announced on Entertainment Live that he and the actress were dating –– for self-defense.             After finding out these perturbing incidents in her life and seeing how classily she dealt with all of it made me reevaluate Jennylyn Mercado, who I now admire and respect. In spite of her history as a battered child, in spite of all the negative things said about her as a single mother, in spite of her recent brush with domestic violence, Jennylyn showed the public that she remains a strong, smart single mother-slash-actress and singer.     References: ·         Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2011). Jennylyn Mercado – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennylyn_Mercado. Last accessed June 7 2011. ·         Rachel Salinel, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau; with report from The Buzz. (2011). Jennylyn’s mom rebukes daughter’s claims | ABS-CBN News | The Latest Philippine Headlines, Breaking News, Video, Analysis, Features. Available: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/06/06/11/jennylyns-mom-rebukes-daughters-claims. Last accessed June 7 2011. ·         abs-cbnNEWS.com. (2011). Jennylyn accuses Trillo of abuse: report. Available: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/05/30/11/jennylyn-accuses-trillo-abuse-report. Last accessed June 7 2011. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Jennylyn Mercado

Spice Girl Strength Just like everyone else (except for bitter hags and caustic creeps, those “misery loves company” types, who believe...

Arnel Pineda_My Favorite Male Singer (Local)

One Man’s Journey to Success   Local Filipino singers have rarely managed to penetrate the entertainment business outside of the Philippines. The only people who I know have tasted the sweet success abroad I could come up with are: Lea Salonga, who won a Tony Award for her stint on the critically acclaimed Broadway musical Miss Saigon; Billy Crawford, who starred in That’s Entertainment here in the Philippines before moving to US at age 11 and then finding moderate success as a singer/dancer in Europe and Asia (and had, apparently, dated Mandy Moore way back when he was 17 and she was 15 . . . plus, he’s friends with Justin Timberlake); and Charice Pempengco, the YouTube phenomenon dubbed as “The Little Girl with the Big Voice.” After those three, Arnel Pineda’s name popped into my head –– a person who I’ve admired not only for his talent, but also for finding success even when fate threw him every disadvantage in the book.             Now, he’s known as American rock group Journey’s lead singer. Before, he was a struggling musician, trying to break into the country’s music scene.             His love for singing was brought about by his mother, who always encouraged him to sing his favorite songs for her. His parents, aware and was proud of his voice, entered him in various singing competitions.             Unfortunately, his mother –– who had rheumatic heart disease –– passed when Pineda was thirteen years old. Their family was in deep debt, and after trying unsuccessfully to make ends meet, Pineda’s father ultimately decided to ask relatives to take care of Pineda’s siblings. Arnel Pineda then dropped out of school and tried to make it on his own in an attempt to take some of the weight off his father’s shoulders.             Pineda spent about two years of his life homeless and living on the streets. He slept at public parks, benches, outside a friend’s house, etc., and earned money by taking newspapers and glass bottles and selling them to recyclers or cleaning docked ships at the pier.             His becoming the lead singer of the Ijos Band marked the start of his singing career. A number of bands (including Amo, Intensity Five, and New Age, a.k.a. “The Rolling Bones,” Most W@nted, The Visitors, and The Zoo) and a solo album –– Arnel Pineda, featuring radio favorite “Sayang” –– later, Pineda was faced with a dream come true.             On 2008, Journey’s Neal Schon stumbled across videos of The Zoo singing covers of songs by 70s/80s bands such as Journey, Air Supply, and Aerosmith on YouTube (posted by Neal Gomez, a friend of Arnel’s). Neal was impressed with Pineda and asked Gomez for Pineda’s contact information. Schon sent Pineda an e-mail, inviting him to audition for the much-coveted spot of Journey’s lead singer. By December 5th of 2007, Arnel Pineda was debuted as Journey’s new lead singer.             His first show as an official member of the band was their performance in the Viña del Mar International Song Festival at the Quinta Vergara Amphitheatre in Chile was met positively. “[Chile] went crazy, they absolutely went nuts … Arnel’s first show –– talk about a stressful thing –– we had a televised concert for 25 million people … Is the guy a winner? Yeah, he’s a winner. He’s a clutch player.” –– Jonathan Cain, Journey’s keyboardist, on Arnel Pineda’s performance in Chile             Journey’s first album featuring Pineda as lead vocals, entitled Revelation, peaked at No. 5 in the Billboard Top 200 album charts and sold over 336,000 copies in the first few days after its release. “We feel reborn. I think there’s a lot of chemistry among the five of us. At first we were going to go into the studio and just write 4 songs, but now it’s escalated to a lot of great new and diverse material. The stuff sounds tremendous. Everyone’s so stoked about it. We feel very fortunate to have found Arnel.” –– Neal Schon             The guy, who had spent two years of his life living on the streets, substituting Marie biscuits as meals, is now the front man of one of the world’s most prominent soft rock bands. The guy who used to sing at Shakey’s Taft is now singing in front of adoring fans, belting out classic Journey tunes such as “Faithfully” and “Don’t Stop Believing” (which, on a totally unrelated note, was immortalized by hit US TV series Glee). It’s a classic rags-to-riches, male Cinderella story that will inspire more and more aspiring Filipino musicians to follow their dreams.     Reference: ·         Wikipedia. 2011. Arnel Pineda – Wikipedia, the free encycolpedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnel_Pineda. [Accessed 02 June 11]. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Arnel Pineda_My Favorite Male Singer (Local)

One Man’s Journey to Success Local Filipino singers have rarely managed to penetrate the entertainment business outside of the Philippin...

Ang Tanging Ina_My Favorite Movie (Local)

In Her Shoes   There are few local films that had managed to keep my interest for more than an hour. This is probably because I’m into action/sci-fi/fantasy films, which in my opinion need first-rate, big-budget CGI (computer generated imagery) effects to work. But there is a local film that managed to tug at my heartstrings and made me forget all about car chases and robots from outer space.             I remember the first time I saw Ang Tanging Ina. It’s a Filipino film directed by Wenn Deramas, starring Ai-Ai de las Alas as the matriarch of the family. It was released in May of 2003 to wide fan and critical acclaim and was a box office success, grossing up to over 178 million pesos. Anyway, I originally wanted to watch The Matrix Reloaded, but my mother insisted that we watch Ang Tanging Ina, which she had previously watched with her best friend. So, in spite of my protests –– and there were a lot of protests from bratty ol’ me –– we ended up watching Ang Tanging Ina.             I expected to be bored inside the cinema. I expected to spend the entire time envisioning a movie where everyone wore black leather trench coats and dodged bullets effortlessly. I did not expect to be drawn in by the realistic movie, with the outlandish yet totally believable characters. I did not expect to laugh uproariously at many scenes in the movie. And I most certainly expect to find out that this tearjerker of a movie to bring tears to my eyes during that hospital scene near the end. And I honestly did not expect to glance over and see that my mother’s eyes, too, were filled with tears.             Afterwards, there was no denying it: I loved that movie. It was everything a film could aspire to be –– comedic, dramatic, and romantic, all at the same time.             Now, I totally find myself relating to Ai-Ai’s kids in the movie. I do whatever I can to help out with my family, which sometimes frustrates me –– because I do have things I want to do with my life –– but then again, I wouldn’t really have it any other way (like Juan and Tudis). There were times (in the legendarily bratty spells I’ve had in my life), I wanted out of my family, I wanted a new family, I wanted a normal family (like Tri), and not the dysfunctional one I had. There were things I wanted to have in life –– material things like my own car, a new house, a closet full of new clothes –– which I would have gotten if life hadn’t dealt my family a serious blow (like Por). There were times when I thought my family wouldn’t accept and love me for me (like Pip). I have had the misfortune of being embarrassed by my parents (like Six) and after that, I was petrified, living a life conscious of the fact that my parents have the power to further humiliate me (like Seven). I knew how they felt. Dealing with adolescence was hardly easy, and couple that in with a weird family situation. I know what it’s like living in a chaotic home that, even if it’s full of love and affection, can be too much at times.             But the main reason why I liked this movie was probably the fact that it made me view mothers in a totally different perspective. When that movie came out –– even though people kept telling me I was a mature kid –– I was really young (in more ways than one). I saw mothers as homemakers and fathers as providers. I was raised to believe that the mother’s job was to take care of the kids and the father’s job was to give money and food on the table. At that time, I had both parents. We were a happy family. So the concept of a single mother struggling to feed her kids and make them a home was foreign to me.             Around 2005, my parents split up, leaving my mother to assume the roles of both the Provider and the Homemaker. She provided for her three kids while fighting to create a homey and safe atmosphere for us. I saw her move through her pain and put us before everything else.             I guess you could say that every time I watched this film, I saw how things were like for my mom. Every time I watched this film, I saw how hard life was in her shoes.   Reference: ·         Wikipedia. 2011. Ang Tanging Ina – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ang_Tanging_Ina. [Accessed 01 June 11]. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Ang Tanging Ina_My Favorite Movie (Local)

In Her Shoes There are few local films that had managed to keep my interest for more than an hour. This is probably because I’m into ac...

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