Julia Montes topbills thriller ‘Halik sa Hangin’

Star Cinema has entrusted Julia Montes to be the lead actress of their latest offering “Halik sa Hangin,” a suspense thriller written by Enrico Santos and directed by Emmanuel “Manny” Palo. This is Julia’s biggest movie since her team-up with Coco Martin, and is said to be her most daring role to date.

She is paired with Gerald Anderson and JC De Vera in this new dramatic opus. Many were surprised after viewing the trailer of “Halik sa Hangin” because of Julia’s bed scene with Gerald. She didn’t want to give details on how daring she was in that scene, but admitted to getting nervous it was being shot. But she is thankful to Gerald who made her feel at ease.

Her director was impressed with Julia’s performance. “She really gave her all and exceeded my expectations. She proved to us that we did the right thing in giving her the role,” said the director.

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Award-winning actor Edgar Allan Guzman is now a Kapamilya. While he has yet to sign a contract to formalize his being a true-blue ABS-CBN talent, the two-time best actor awardee (Cinemalaya and Golden Screen Awards for “Ligo na U, Lapit Na Me”) is very pleased of his transfer to after the expiration of his contract with TV5.

According to Edgar, it was a mutual decision between him and his manager to transfer to ABS-CBN. “I want to try my luck in another network. I believe better opportunities will open for me here in ABS-CBN,” said Edgar at the presscon of the new series “Oh My G!” “I don’t mind starting again from scratch. It’s but normal to feel nervous if you are trying something new, but you won’t know if you did the right thing if you won’t give it a try.”

He said he wants to fulfill his dream of buying his mom a house that’s why he opted to be a part of ABS-CBN. “I feel that with ABS-CBN, I can show my talent which I was not able to put to good use since for a year I didn’t have a drama show for TV5. All I did was a gag show. I am hoping to be a part of a teleserye and I would also like to do an episode for ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya,’” he said.

Right after he transferred to ABS-CBN last year, he was given a guest role in the series “Hawak Kamay.” Currently, he is doing a movie titled “Papa’s Boys” under a new film arm of Star Cinema where he co-stars with JM de Guzman. In the movie, which also stars Benjie Paras, Edgar plays a closet gay and JM is his lover who is an out-and-out gay.

“I hope to do more challenging roles in movies and TV. I’m really focused on my career now because I want to provide for my family’s needs. More than ever, I’ve realized how important my family is to me. I am willing to work hard for them.”

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We are happy for newcomer Sandino Martin, a stage actor, who was handpicked by TV5 to be part of “Wattpad Presents: A House Full of Hunks” where he shares stellar billing with model-turned-actor John Spainhour, award-winning Kapatid actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Albie Casiño, Charlie Sutcliffe, and “Artista Academy” grand winner Vin Abrenica.

This is the first major TV show of Sandino and he is flattered to have been chosen. “This is a big break for me and I am really overwhelmed for the trust that they gave me. It is not often that a newcomer gets a chance to be handpicked by a major network and I really feel blessed.”

Sandino won best actor at the Cinema One Originals last year for his work in the indie film “Esprit de Corps.” He had a number of daring scenes in the movie, but he had no qualms doing them.

“The role asked for it. Besides, I believe in the project. It has a good story and we have a good director,” said the stage actor who also did excellent acting jobs in “Unfriend” (a film of Joselito Altarejos) and “Dagitab.” For sure, he will be a strong contender in the forthcoming awards season for his three movies last year.

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Nico Antonio is no longer interested to take the bar exam even if he had finished Law at San Sebastian College. He said he is feeling pressure because his two siblings both passed the bar on their first take. Besides, his mom, film producer and lawyer Joji Alonso, also passed the bar on her first try so Nico joked that he is somewhat afraid that he might flunk.

He is playing the son of Zsa Zsa Padilla in the movie “M (A Mother’s Maiden Name)” which won the Special Jury Prize at the New Wave Section of the 2014 Metro Manila Film Festival. The movie also won best actress award for Zsa Zsa and the best supporting actress trophy for Gloria Sevilla.

He got good reviews for his performance as a gay wedding host in the 2013 Cinemalaya entry “Sana Dati” directed by Jerrold Tarog. He is playing another gay character in “M” where he has a lover (played by newcomer Mark Topacio). “I play the role of Zsa Zsa’s son. She is a top lawyer who was diagnosed with cancer. We were not close but because of her illness, it became a way for us to communicate well with each other. I admire Ms. Zsa Zsa as an actress.”

“Even if it was our first time to work together, she did not act like a diva on the set. She is very down-to-earth and fun to be with,” said Nico. “M,” which got an A-rating from the Cinema Evaluation Board, opens today in select theaters nationwide.

He said he is planning to take a film course so he can work not only in front of the camera, but behind it as well. Nico added that it will come in handy since he can help her mom manage Quantum Films, producer of the 2014 MMFF sleeper hit “English Only, Please.”