It’s all systems go for Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos — that is, for her Star Cinema movie titled A Mother’s Story which will pit her with son Luis/Lucky and John Lloyd Cruz who are cast as a gay couple. Vilma will fly to New York in February next year for the start of the shoot and will stay there for one week to catch the snow, but will go back in April for the final three-week shoot.
“The first time I shot a movie in New York was many years ago,” said Vilma, referring to Regal Films’ American Pinay.
In the movie (which marks Vilma’s first time to work in a movie with Olivia Lamasan who directed her in an episode for Maalaala Mo Kaya?), Vilma plays mother to Luis, her real-life son, who is living-in with John Lloyd in the Big Apple.
“I play a librarian na masungit, a role very much unlike the real me,” said Vilma who yesterday signed a one-picture contract with Star Cinema (with an option to do two more films, one of which will co-star Sharon Cuneta; still looking for the right script). “In real life, I’m close to Luis and Ryan (Christian, her other son). In the movie, hindi ako close sa mga anak ko (one of them Carmina Villarroel). Mainisin siyang mother, maski pusa pinapatulan. The gay characters Luis and John Lloyd are playing are not swishy; desente sila, hindi halata.”
Asked how she feels about the lips-to-lips kissing scene between Luis and John Lloyd, Vilma smiled.
“I told Luis, ‘Huwag ka mag-worry, sagot kita!’ Common na naman ngayon dalawang lalaking naghahalikan, di ba?”
According to reports, Luis feels “secure” that it’s John Lloyd he’s kissing, both of them being sure about their manhood.
“I like John Lloyd,” said Vilma who might be given a TV tribute by ABS-CBN before A Mother’s Story is released sometime in September. “Mahusay na aktor. He reminds me of Dindo Fernando” (with whom Vilma co-starred in five Danny Zialcita movies, among them Karma and Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan).
She doesn’t know yet what her and Luis’ first scene will be. Neither does she know how Luis will react especially during their confrontation scene.
“When he interviewed me on Entertainment...Live!,” recalled Vilma, “aba, kinakabahan siya.”
Isn’t she and Luis having a “workshop” at home, just between the two of them?
“I’d rather not. I want to see his natural reaction during the shooting. Mas gusto ko hindi nakikita. It’s better that way kasi may element of surprise.”
The movie might turn out to be a family affair — if, and that’s the Big If, Vilma’s ex-husband and Luis’ dad Edu Manzano agrees to play her husband.
“Lalambingin ko siya,” said Vilma. “One day shoot lang ‘yon. I will tell him, ‘Kay Ai-Ai (de las Alas) nag-guest ka ng one day, why can’t you do it for me?’”
And unlike the distant mother in the movie, in real life Vilma is “very open” with Luis who tells her all about his love life, specifically about Angel Locsin, Luis’ girlfriend.
“I like her. She’s a good influence on Luis. Didn’t you notice, iba ang buhos ng mukha ni Luis these days? Maayos na rin siya sa pag-handle ng pera; he has become responsible because of Angel. She’s very respectful, natural na natural kumilos at hindi nagpapa-impress. What you see is what you get. Because she’s also from showbiz, marami kaming napag-uusapan when we see each other.”
What if, just if, Luis decides to follow in her political footsteps? According to rumors, the Lipeños are urging him to run for mayor, the same position Vilma held for three terms before she ran for governor.
“If he wants to,” assured Vilma, “I will support him. I did ask him and he said that he liked what I did to Lipa and what I’m doing now in the whole province of Batangas.”
But no, for the nth time, Vilma insisted that, even if many people are “provoking” her to, she isn’t running for vice president (with incumbent VP Noli de Castro?) in 2010.
“As I’ve been saying, I’m focused on my duties as Governor of Batangas. In all sincerity, I’m not aspiring for any higher position.”
So far?
“Yes,” she laughed a bit. “So far.”
Tita Midz’s ‘musical’ birthday bash
Because she’s a music-lover, it was inevitable that Armida “Tita Midz” Siguion-Reyna’s birthday dinner among close friends last Nov. 6 (two days after her actual birthday, Nov. 4) at Pilita Corrales’ Tangerine resto-bar (co-owner is Weng Ocampo-Ejercito) would turn into a mini-”concert.”
After the hearty salu-salo, there was singing, led by Tita Midz’s brother Sen. Johnny Ponce Enrile. Ricky Davao also sang a solo and then a duet with Bimbo Cerrudo.
The well-wishers had fun, including Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada, Makati Mayor Jojo Binay and wife Dr. Elenita Binay, Susan Roces, Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde, Grace Poe-Llamanzares and husband Neil, Gloria Romero, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Danny Dolor, Shirley Kuan, Dolor Guevarra and husband direk Boots Plata, Malou Choa-Fagar, Maricel Soriano, Ethel Ramos, Lorna Tolentino, Richard Gomez and wife Lucy Torres, Robert Arevalo and wife Barbara Perez, Pete Lacaba, Emil Jurado, Joanne Maglipon, Manet Dayrit, Bibeth Orteza and husband direk Carlitos Siguion-Reyna (who shares the same birthday with Tita Midz), Lawrence Tan, Mel Chionglo and Tony Tuviera.
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@phil-star.net.phac or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)