Joey to Winwyn: Use your head

Admitting that, yes, he’s a stage father, Joey Marquez revealed to Funfare what his advice is to daughter Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez, where men are concerned. Winwyn has been going steady with Mark Herras long before she won Reina Hispanoamericana last year, the first ever Filipina to bag the crown from the Latina-dominated pageant.

“She has to be wise when it comes to choosing a partner for life,” said Joey, an expert on the subject of, ehem, “womanizing.” “It must be 70 percent using her head and 30 percent her heart. And she should not be too impulsive.”

In Unli Life, Regal Entertainment’s entry in the second Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP, Aug. 15 to 21), father and daughter are starring in a movie for the first time together with Vhong Navarro whom Winwyn remembered as a member of the dance group Streetboys that used to perform during dad Joey’s election campaigns.

“I never imagined that I would be his leading lady,” gushed Winwyn. “I was calling him ‘Kuya’ but he stopped me kasi daw leading lady na niya ako ngayon. In soaps, I played kontrabida, so I welcome the chance of playing a bida and in my first movie pa.”

Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana (whose other PPP entry is Bakwit Boys), Unli Life is about Benedict (Vhong), a celebrity podcast DJ who is an overbearing and controlling boyfriend to Victoria (Winwyn) who breaks up with him on the night he’s set to propose to her. The heartbroken Benedict retreats to a bar called Turning Point where the bartender (Joey) offers him a drink that makes him go back in time with Victoria to correct his present life.

“Winwyn has her own comedic style,” said Vhong, “and she’s always in character.”

Winwyn regrets that she doesn’t have a single scene with her dad but he did give her comedic tips.

“But in the story, our characters are connected,” explained Winwyn. “Our only chance to see each other was during the pictorial. We stay in the same house so when we have dinner, he asks me what scene I have done and to share with him what I did on set, etc. He just reminded me to have fun on set and not to over think. Humor just comes out naturally naman daw sa scene and dapat kausapin mga kasama sa eksena so it will work.”

Like Joey, Winwyn’s mom, Alma Moreno, always reminds her to keep her feet on the ground.

“They always tell me that showbiz requires a lot of patience and understanding but when people tend to cross the line, that I should speak up but with respect pa rin.”

Funfare asked all three what their favorite comedy films and who their favorite comedians are.

• Joey: “Facifica Falayfay by the legendary Dolphy. It’s so entertaining that I can’t stop laughing. My favorite comedian is Dolphy. I look up to him. I’ve seen all his movies.”

• Vhong: “Tito Dolphy and Jim Carrey kasi they are also good dancers and they’re good in drama.”

• Winwyn: “Siempre I look up to my dad. Comedy is hard so you must be good in timing and mabilis ka mag-isip. My dad has this certain charm with people and he has a different kind of humor. Not many actors can do that. He has been in showbiz for years and he has proven his versatility. And I really like his movies with my mom.”

What’s up?

• Jojo Mendrez (photo), the self-styled Revival King, topbills a one-night concert for the benefit of kids with cancer on Oct. 5, 7 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila (RWM). Tickets are now available at RWM and Ticketworld (call 891-9999). Limited seats are available for SVIP, VIP and Gold.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)