Ham actor leaves manager without prior notice

Meryll Soriano is excited to be one of the lead actresses of “Culion,” the historical drama written by Ricky Lee and is intended as an entry to the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Directed by Alvin Yapan, the movie is produced by IOptions Productions with supervision by the controversial Shandii Bacolod. Also in the cast is Ms. Iza Calzado and Jasmine Curtis Smith.

“Hiniling ko talaga sa universe itong ‘Culion’ at ibinigay naman sa akin,” said Meryll when we got to talk to her on location in Culion last month. This is also her first movie that was written by Ricky Lee and that doubles the excitement for her.

It was dinner break when we had that chance to talk with Meryll. She was still wearing her costume and still had her prosthetics on as her character is afflicted with Hansen’s Disease. She said it helped immerse into her character and feel her role.

“I understood my character more. She was leading a normal life before she was taken to the leprosarium because she contacted the disease. She really felt sad about what happened to her. If you can see before, then you become blind, you know what you are missing unlike if you were born blind, you’d wonder what is the color of the sky or what is the shape of a cloud?”

Meryll also went through a lot in her life but she cherishes the memories, good or bad. “Whatever happens, you have to own it because it’s yours for the taking and value it for what it’s worth. There is a bright side and the dark side to everything. You cannot appreciate one without the other.”

Now that they’ve finished with the principal photography of “Culion,” what does she look forward to with the movie?

“This is a story of a people, their struggle, their triumph. That we should not be afraid of them. Thru this film we want to erase the stigma that has been associated with Culion since it became a leper colony many years ago. Mahirap pala ang pinagdaanan nila and even if you are cured from the disease, the scars will remind you of what you’ve been through.”

Meryll is thrilled with the opportunity to work with Iza and Jasmine. “They are two great actresses and I am honored to work with them. We immediately became close probably because we really admire each other and we share common interests. Acting with these two ladies is such a delightful experience and I am looking forward to working with them again.”

Also in the cast of “Culion” are Joem Bascon, Mike Liwag, Joel Saracho, Aaron Concepcion, Rex Lantano, and a lot more.

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Aspiring Actor (AA) should be taught about the values of transparency, goodwill, gratitude and respect. AA had been planning to leave his manager (M1) but didn’t have the courage to tell him. So what AA did was talk to a manager (M2) whom he plans to transfer to know what might be in store for him, under the nose of his manager who was clueless with what AA was doing.

It was AA’s handler who alerted M1 that AA is planning to bolt camp without informing the handler and M1. It was after photos came out in social media that AA has joined M2 that AA had the “decency” to tell M1 that he wants to talk with him, adding that the photos that appeared in social media was nothing.

If AA is a decent person,the first thing he should have done was talk to M1 before even before planning to talk to M2. In showbiz, people still value transparency, goodwill, gratitude and respect, traits that AA disregarded in favor of a possible better future with M2. The photo in social media tells it all and whatever AA will say to dispense himself of the guilt and the pain caused was moot and academic.

What AA should have done first was enroll in an acting class so he will cease to be called a ham actor.

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Mark Herras, Jeric Gonzales and Liezel Lopez are the guests in tonight’s episode of “Bubble Gang.” Among the featured segments are Bakit Nandito ‘Yan Gags, Mumu Challenge, Hapitot Oily Face, Atlit, Istambay, I Labo U (confused love story sketch), Dakilang Extra, Bobong Meeting, Basta ‘Yun, and Alak vs. Kape (a guy tries to explain why liquor is better than coffee).