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Janella Salvador stars with Thai actor Win Metawin in new movie
Filipina actress Janella Salvador and Thai Actor Win Metawin are joining forces for the upcoming film Under Parallel Skies. In an announcement video posted by production company 28 Squared Studios on 18 July, Salvador and Win confirmed details about their collaboration. “We are so excited to announce to you guys that we will be teaming up for the upcoming movie Under Parallel Skies,” Win said in the announcement video. The production company also released sneak peek photos of Salvador and Win while filming. More details about the movie and its premiere date are yet to be announced. The film, to be shot in Hong Kong, will be directed by Sigrid Bernardo, the director of the 2017 romantic-comedy Kita Kita, the highest-grossing Philippine indie film. Salvador, an award-winning Filipina actress-singer, debuted in the hit morning drama Be Careful with My Heart (2012-2014), eventually bagging lead roles in Oh My G! (2015), Born for You (2016) and The Killer Bride (2019 - 2020). She further cemented her place in the Philippine entertainment scene when she played the supervillain Valentina in ABS-CBN’s latest production of “Mars Ravelo’s Darna.” Meanwhile, Win Metawin rose to fame in 2020 with his acting debut 2gether: The Series alongside Bright Vachirawit. He then joined the main cast of F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers. The Thai star has also made a mark in the fashion industry. He has deals with multiple lifestyle brands and has graced numerous prestigious fashion magazines. He was also appointed Prada’s global brand ambassador. Win has met his Pinoy fans. In November 2022, the actor came to the Philippines for the first time with the cast of F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers for a fan meet. Last June, Metawin returned for a solo fan meet at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City. The post Janella Salvador stars with Thai actor Win Metawin in new movie appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
KaladKaren’s historic feat: First transwoman anchor in local TV news
ABS-CBN takes pride in being the manager of transwoman star KaladKaren, who has been making waves in the TV industry. She is now the first transwoman news anchor in the Philippines, as co-host of TV 5’s Frontline Pilipinas evening newscast. She joined Gretchen Ho, Jes delos Santos, Justin Quirino and Mikee Reyes as news presenters on 12 June. There are gays and transwomen who are hosts of talk shows and variety shows on TV, such as Boy Abunda, Vice Ganda and Allan K, but KaladKaren is really the first to read out showbiz, lifestyle and cultural reports on a straight news program. In April, she emerged as the first transwoman to win best supporting actress at the Metro Manila Film Festival, specifically at the first-ever summer edition of the festival. She won for her hilarious turn in the film Here Comes the Groom. As an anchorwoman, she is billed as KaladKaren, a made-up name close to the Tagalog word “kaladkarin,” which refers to someone who is easy to drag along for any decent or indecent occasion. She started using “KaladKaren” as a performer in UP Mass Communication productions on campus. Her real name is Jervi Li. [caption id="attachment_151722" align="aligncenter" width="446"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF IG/KALaDKAREN | JERVI Li aka KaladKaren.[/caption] At her contract-signing recently at ABS-CBN, the celebrity impersonator was asked by a tabloid editor how exactly her name should be spelled and pronounced. The graduate of the University of the Philippines-Diliman stressed that her professional showbiz name should be spelled as one word, with the second “K” capitalized and the last syllable spelled with an “e”, not “i”, to emphasize “Karen,” the first name of the woman she famously impersonates: ABS-CBN broadcast journo Karen Davila. Corporate and news executives of TV 5 obviously find the pedestrian name “KaladKaren” good enough for a news presenter. On camera, her colleagues address her simply as “Karen.” KaladKaren is directly managed by Star Magic, the division for talent recruitment and development headed by Laurenti Dyogi, who is also ABS-CBN head of Television. Dyogi was present at the contract signing along with other Star Magic executives. KaladKaren said she will also be part of an upcoming series, a reality show and a movie. The country is actually late in giving transwomen a shot at news anchoring. The US and other countries have been doing so as far back as 2015. In February 2015, reporter and former TV news helicopter pilot Zoey Tur joined US television program Inside Edition as a special correspondent, becoming America’s first transgender TV reporter. Tur, formerly known as “Chopper Bob,” rose to fame for the live helicopter coverage of the 1994 police chase on Los Angeles freeways of fugitive American football star O.J. Simpson, who was charged with the murder of his ex-wife and her friend. In March 2018, Marvia Malik became Pakistan’s first transgender news presenter at Kohenoor TV. In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Malik said she had to work hard to break taboos and finally be accepted by a society that discriminates against transgender people. In February this year, Malik survived a gun attack outside her residence in Lahore. According to NDTV, Malik was returning from a pharmacy when two gunmen opened fire on her. Bangladeshi activist Tashnuva Anan likewise broke barriers by becoming the first transgender news anchor in her home country in 2021. Anan moved to New York from Bangladesh about a year and a half ago to pursue her acting career. She made her off-Broadway debut in Public Obscenities at SoHo Rep in May 2023. India Willoughby is the first transgender TV news reporter in the United Kingdom. In 2017, she joined 5News on Channel 5, where she read the lunchtime and evening updates. She was a familiar face to millions of viewers in her former life as Jonathon, a contestant in Celebrity Big Brother. Nora Reichardt, who has worked at Local News 5 in Des Moines since July 2021, said she gradually came into her identity as a transgender woman over the course of several years and began a medical transition process. And Diana Zurco, 40, recalled her youthful rebellion ahead of her debut as the country’s first transgender newscaster in Argentina’s public TV station, a milestone for an excluded community that is often the target of violence and has a life expectancy roughly half that of the rest of the population. The post KaladKaren’s historic feat: First transwoman anchor in local TV news appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wide-ranging partnerships define the new ABS-CBN
Here’s proof that ABS-CBN has been seriously taking itself in its new avowed role as a content supplier to the entertainment industry as well as online media: Since May of last year, the Lopez enterprise has been a major partner of Pinoy Interactive Entertainment, a company that has begun to make its mark on the entertainment scene with its acronym PIE. Billed as the country’s first multiscreen, real-time interactive channel, PIE is a collaborative project of ABS-CBN, BEAM, 917 Ventures and KROMA Entertainment, which boasts of being “tradigital,” meaning engaged in creating traditional and digital outputs. BEAM, KROMA and 917 Ventures are all under Globe Telecom. ABS-CBN’s involvement with PIE is overseen by the towering (as in basketball player-tall) Jamie Lopez, the company’s head of digital business. Ian Monsod, once known as a theater actor and music man, heads BEAM. He is the son of the famous and influential couple Christian Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, and renowned economist Winnie Monsod. [caption id="attachment_137021" align="aligncenter" width="896"] PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY KROMA ENTERTAINMENT | Kroma Entertainment CEO Ian Monsod (second from left) and Kroma head of Broadcasting Jil Go with ABS-CBN chief of staff Connie Lopez and PIE Channel head Alex Asuncion.[/caption] The PIE company was launched last year to media people and to v/bloggers only through a Zoom conference. To mark its first anniversary this year, the company held a face-to-face conference with the media and v/bloggers at Pandan Asian Restaurant in QC, just some blocks away from the ABS-CBN studios. Interaction with the company’s shows is mainly through digital devices. On its second year, the interactive channel promises a platform where people can increase their chances of winning while having fun by simply clicking on their mobile phones or engaging via the website. Or as its tagline puts it: “Pindot PIEnalo ka dahil kada pindot, PIEnalo ka more!” ABS-CBN stars Stars from ABS-CBN topbill many of PIE’s shows. For instance, Sinong Manok Mo? is headlined by momshie and pop-culture icon Jolina Magdangal, joined by It’s Showtime “Ate Girl” Jackie Gonzaga and comedian Eric Nicolas. [caption id="attachment_137022" align="aligncenter" width="525"] JOLINA Magdangal and Eric Nicolas.[/caption] Sino’ng Manok Mo? airs Saturday and Sunday nights, 7 to 8 p.m. A co-host in the show is Paris-born and -raised Ralph Malibunas, a contestant on ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Big Brother, where he revealed that he didn’t mind working as a caregiver and park attendant for some years. The seemingly suddenly famous Jennica Garcia of the ABS-CBN series Dirty Linen cannot be happier that Pie Channel recently also gave her a chance to co-host Ur Da Boss with Melai Cantiveros (Magdangal’s co-host in the morning show Magandang Buhay). [caption id="attachment_137025" align="aligncenter" width="896"] MELAI Cantiveros and Jennica Garcia.[/caption] Garcia said she felt un-ready to be a host as she had not done that kind of job before. Her smart solution: “Iniisip ko na lang na (I just think that) for this show, I’m going to be the Gen Z version of Jean Garcia.” Jean Garcia is her mom, whose showbiz fame began as one of the hosts of the well-loved 80’s and 90’s musical variety youth show on GMA 7, German Moreno’s That’s Entertainment. Even Jennica’s father, then-actor Jigo Garcia, was a That’s Entertainment mainstay. Ur Da Boss airs Monday to Friday, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dramatic actress Charlie Dizon seems to be not getting major follow-up exposures after she made waves as an obsessed fan in the film The Paulo Avelino Story. So let’s all hope her being made a mainstay in the PIE show Mga Kwento ng Dilim can lead to a series on ABS-CBN, PIE or elsewhere. Angeline Quinto, meanwhile, hosts The Chosen One (TCO): Kakatacute an interactive piliserye with comedian Chad Kinis. The show’s weekly elimination show is hosted by actor Jameson Blake and reality show alum Karina Bautista. [caption id="attachment_137023" align="aligncenter" width="896"] KARINA Bautista and Jameson Blake.[/caption] The channel also has a teen narrative offering, Para Sa All, headlined by Mutya Orquia this month. Another teen show, Pak na Pak! is hosted by Vivoree, Aljon Mendoza, Anji Salvacion, Jeremy G., Igi Boy Flores, Sheena Belarmino and Gello Marquez. Then there’s the daily show Matching-Matching Mini Game, which uses customized PIE cards inspired by the classic Filipino card game ungguy-ungguyan. For late sleepers, PIE offers the adult show SPG: Saktong Pang Gabi, a naughty evening talk show topbilled by comedian Negi and supported by MNL48’s Rans Rifol and actor-model Argel Saycon. [caption id="attachment_137024" align="aligncenter" width="896"] RANS Rifol and comedian Negi.[/caption] Expanding content reach ABS-CBN Corp. has declared that it is keen on forging more partnerships to expand content reach in a bid to secure its financial future. “We’re willing to work with any partner, whether in free, pay TV or online streaming,” said Carlo Katigbak, president and CEO of ABS-CBN Corp, during the company’s annual stakeholder meeting. Hence, it’s taken on partnerships here and abroad, such as with Amazon Prime Video to syndicate a TV series, and a distribution deal with India’s MX Player. It also has partnerships with Netflix, Hong Kong-based Viu and Youtube. “We decided to shed off all assets not relevant to storytelling… The new ABS-CBN is learning to partner with other platforms,” Katigbak added. ABS-CBN’s partnerships on the domestic front include a milestone deal with its media rival, GMA Network, Inc. The two signed a deal to produce a teleserye, and the Kapuso network can now use ABS-CBN’s iWantTFC streaming platform to widen its international reach. ABS-CBN has also inked content partnerships with the Pangilinan-owned TV5, PIE Channel, AMBS and the A2Z channel founded by Bro. Eddie Villanueva. The company managed to trim its net losses in 2022, now at P2.63 billion after posting a P5.67-billion loss in the preceding year. The post Wide-ranging partnerships define the new ABS-CBN appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mga beki biglang nagkainteres kay Cedrick Juan matapos manalong best actor
HINDI pa rin makapaniwala ang indie at Vivamax actor na si Cedrick Juan sa pagkapanalo niya bilang Best Actor sa Metro Manila Film Festival 2023. Si Cedrick ang nagwaging pinakamahusay na aktor ngayong taon sa MMFF para sa kanyang pagganap bilang Padre Jose Burgos sa historical film na “GomBurZa.” Tinalbugan niya ang kanyang mga nakalaban.....»»
Don’t dress as Barbie this Halloween, union asks striking actors
Actors: Put away those Barbie and Spider-Man costumes. Hollywood's ongoing actors' strike has already brought the US entertainment industry to a halt -- and now it is coming for the nation's favorite spooky holiday too. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) this week advised its 160,000 members to avoid dressing as characters tied to the studios it is currently striking against. That rules out everything from Warner Bros' "Barbie" to Disney's Marvel superheroes and Netflix's "Stranger Things." A post entitled "Make Halloween a SCREAM with these SAG-AFTRA Strike-Friendly Tips & Tricks" suggested members instead dress as "generalized characters and figures (ghost, zombie, spider, etc)." Alternatively, actors can still create costumes based on characters from animated TV shows, which are not part of the current strike. "Let's use our collective power to send a loud and clear message to our struck employers that we will not promote their content without a fair contract!" said the post. SAG-AFTRA members walked off film and TV sets in July, over terms including pay and the use of artificial intelligence. The strike is now approaching its 100th day, and a series of high-level talks abruptly collapsed in acrimonious fashion last week. Studios only recently resolved a separate strike by Hollywood writers that lasted nearly 150 days. With Halloween seemingly becoming the latest front in the battle between actors and studios, "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds saw the funny side. "I look forward to screaming 'scab' at my 8-year-old all night," he wrote on social media. "She's not in the union but she needs to learn." The post Don’t dress as Barbie this Halloween, union asks striking actors appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘The Eras Tour’ serves up Taylor Swift, larger than life
That Taylor Swift is a great songwriter is no longer in question. What’s up for debate is whether she’s a great concert artist as well. By artist we don’t mean a gifted vocalist. The era of the pop concert as a singing showcase and a straightforward live onstage performance of recorded music ended in 1990 with Madonna’s third concert tour. Called Blond Ambition, the highly theatrical show combined music, spectacle and, most crucially, storytelling with a several-act structure based on themes or narrative arcs, deconstructed songs and elaborate sets to redefine the pop concert as performance art. It has since been the template and gold standard by which all concerts, especially those by female superstars, have been measured. Yes, even Madonna’s own subsequent tours have been assessed through the Ambition lens and, arguably, none of them has quite equaled the one that gave the world the cone bra as an icon of female sexuality and woman power. [caption id="attachment_201371" align="aligncenter" width="1987"] LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: Taylor Swift attends "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" Concert Movie World Premiere at AMC The Grove 14 on October 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)[/caption] Feast for the eyes Swift’s The Eras Tour, as seen in the filmed concert currently showing in cinemas worldwide, certainly serves up a feast for the eyes. Most of it is courtesy of the massive stage consisting of a backdrop that stands several stories high, a huge main platform and a long runway that juts well into the audience floor and features its own diamond-shaped mini-stage with a “hyperactive” central hydraulic platform consisting of several mobile blocks that rise to various heights throughout the almost three-hour show. It’s not only one of the biggest stages ever built for a pop concert, but is also probably the biggest LED installation ever assembled in and outside the music world. And it’s never not in use, lighting up the cavernous 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (where the movie was filmed over three shows) with eye-popping digital images, pre-recorded videos and live footage from the concert itself. The set is so massive that it makes Swift and her troupe of dancers look like ants. But thanks to the big screens, she literally looks larger than life to the live audience at different points in the show. The film does the opposite, and is the better for it: It brings Swift into the intimate space of the cinema and, thus, closer to the audience. Eras further highlights and celebrates the main thing that has helped the 33-year-old singer-songwriter conquer the pop world, the core attribute that makes Taylor Swift Taylor Swift: relatability. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="201372,201370"] It’s all over her music: a repertoire of mostly slow and mid-tempo ballads that tell about the blush, excitement, joy, ecstasy, frustrations, confusion, sadness, heartbreak, anger and regrets of modern-day romantic relationships, in creative confessional journal prose that listeners of all ages, colors and persuasions find no difficulty accessing and plugging into. It’s all over her wholesome, winsome, non-threatening all-American girl-next-door public persona. This is on fuller display in her performance in Eras than even in her 2020 documentary movie, Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince, which chronicled mostly the period between her Reputation Tour in 2018 and the release in 2019 of her seventh studio album, Lover. Between the many floral, even pastoral, and fluid graphic images onscreen and the tasteful, immaculate set pieces, between the squarely schematic album-era sectioning and the billowy ball gowns and sparkly and sexy but modest bodysuits, between the Cheshire-Cat grin Swift wears through most of the show, even during moments in some heartbreak songs, and her dorky cheerleader energy, The Eras Tour plays like Little Miss Sunshine & The Hearty Princess. It’s all what anyone would expect from the reigning America’s Sweetheart. Thoroughly entertaining It’s a great Taylor Swift show, for sure — thoroughly entertaining and one that sends stans to Swift heaven. But it stops at being a Taylor Swift show with a faithful rendition of her songs when, for something called Eras, it should be giving audiences, both fans and casuals alike, more to chew on than what they already know and are familiar with — a recast, a reinterpretation, a recontextualization of her music and impact. [caption id="attachment_201373" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] US singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performs onstage on the first night of her "Eras Tour" at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 31, 2023. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP)[/caption] The show is content to be a pop concert about Taylor Swift. Coming almost 20 years into her career, it should’ve reached for the world outside of Taylor Swift, or even just a small part of it: What do Taylor and her songs, for instance, say about the times we are living in? The Eras Tour could have aspired to life and art, or at least something approaching it, and thereby become a truly era-defining experience. The post ‘The Eras Tour’ serves up Taylor Swift, larger than life appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
More than 75,000 US health care workers begin 3-day strike
Tens of thousands of healthcare workers in the United States walked off the job Wednesday, beginning one of the sector's largest strikes in recent history, as America's year of labor discontent rolled on. The walkout of more than 75,000 workers at Kaiser Permanente, the country's largest non-profit healthcare organization, comes as surging inflation has spurred industrial action across the US, from Hollywood actors to Detroit auto workers. People on the picket lines in Los Angeles on Wednesday said they were underpaid and overworked. "Ever since the pandemic hit, we lost a lot of members and we never recovered them," X-ray technician Armando Velasco told AFP. "And now we're at the brink, we're at the precipice." Nurse Kathy Lozoya said the rocketing cost of living in southern California was making life very difficult. "Kaiser Permanente has reported billions of dollars in profits, so all we're asking from Kaiser CEOs is to share those profits with the frontline workers," she said. "All we're asking is a fair contract so that we can be able to live." Fellow nurse Scarleth Rocha said she feared a staff shortage was not good for patients. "Working 12-hour shifts, working with 26 patients per one nurse is not ideal, and it's not safe for nurses to work with that many patients in one place," she said. Kaiser Permanente locations in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington state were expected to be affected by the three-day strike. A small number of workers in Washington, DC, and Virginia were set to walk out for 24 hours. Kaiser said centers would remain open, but warned there would be "longer-than-usual" wait times. A Kaiser spokesman told journalists on Tuesday that talks were continuing. "Several agreements over specific provisions have been reached" with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, the spokesman said, adding negotiators were prepared to meet around the clock "until we reach a fair and equitable agreement." The union, which says this will be the largest healthcare worker strike in US history, is pushing for pay increases and protections against subcontracting and outsourcing of labor. It has threatened to engage in further strike action in November "if Kaiser continues to commit unfair labor practices." Inflationary pressures Wednesday's strike comes during a year in which the US has seen an unusually high level of industrial action as workers struggle with inflation levels not seen in a generation. Higher prices have reduced the purchasing power of shoppers across the country, while the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has led to concerns about the automation of growing numbers of jobs. Industrial action is ongoing in Detroit, where the United Auto Workers (UAW) union is engaged in its first-ever joint strike action against the "Big Three" automakers -- GM, Ford, and Chrysler maker Stellantis -- in a push for higher pay and better working conditions. More than 25,000 workers are on strike in 21 states -- around 17 percent of UAW's 146,000 members -- as talks continue. In Hollywood, a months-long joint strike by writers and actors brought California's lucrative film industry to a halt, stopping production and broadcast of major movie and TV productions. While the writers have since agreed on a deal to return to work, actors represented by the SAF-AFTRA union were on the picket lines Wednesday, even as their negotiators met with studios for a second full day of talks. The post More than 75,000 US health care workers begin 3-day strike appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Talk shows coming back after Hollywood writers’ strike ends
Late-night talk shows, a mainstay of the US TV schedule, will be back on the air within a week, hosts said Wednesday, after leaders of the Writers Guild of America called off a paralyzing strike. The densely written shows -- fronted by Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Myers and John Oliver -- have been a glaring absence since writers downed pens in May over demands for better pay and guarantees against the threat from artificial intelligence. "Flash! Their mission complete, the founding members of Strike Force 5 will return to their network television shows this Monday 10/2, and one of them to premium cable on 10/1," the @StrikeForceFive handle wrote on social media. The name refers to a podcast the five hosts have put on while they have been off the air. The bulk of film and television production across the United States has been at a standstill since scribes walked out in early May, being joined by actors in July, all seeking a better deal and assurances their jobs won't be lost to artificial intelligence. But a breakthrough was announced Sunday between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the umbrella body representing studios and streamers. WGA leaders voted Tuesday to accept the deal and put it to 11,500 members for ratification next week, while calling off the strike from 12.01 am Wednesday. Details of the deal released by the WGA showed a sizable pay bump for writers, as well as a bonus structure for those working on hit shows. It also limits the role of AI-generated material -- a key sticking point for both sides, who were wary of hemming themselves in, in a rapidly-evolving landscape that is upending the world of work. Writers, who got their first glimpse of the deal on Tuesday said they were pleased with the outcome. "I'm so happy about the gains that we made," Leila Cohan, who wrote on hit series "Bridgerton," told AFP. "I'm so proud that we really went for it. Things got very challenging for many members, and we won." Actors' strike still unresolved Even with the WGA strike almost in the rear-view mirror, Hollywood will remain a long way from normal service, with actors -- represented by the SAG-AFTRA union -- still refusing to work. A resolution to that stoppage is expected to take several more weeks at minimum. Some of SAG-AFTRA's demands go further than those of the WGA. And with hundreds of film and television shoots backed up, it could still then take months for Hollywood to clear the logistical logjam and get fully back to work. The post Talk shows coming back after Hollywood writers’ strike ends appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Strike deal only first step in resolving film industry crisis
A tentative deal to end a long-running writers' strike that has paralyzed Hollywood is only a first step in resolving a film industry crisis, as an equally bitter studio stand-off with the actors' union stretches on. The Writers Guild of America, which walked out back in May over demands including better pay and safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence, finally thrashed out a deal with studios including Netflix and Disney on Sunday night. Ratification of that agreement -- first by the WGA board, then by its 11,500 members -- is widely expected to be waved through without any obstacles in the coming weeks. Picketing for writers has been suspended and the guild has indicated that it could allow members to return to work even before the final vote is counted. Late-night TV shows could return to air "within the next two to three weeks," according to Variety, citing industry insiders. But a far thornier issue is the still ongoing strike by Hollywood actors, represented by the SAG-AFTRA union, which is likely to take weeks to resolve and will prevent any return to production in the immediate future. Even after that, with hundreds of film and television shoots backed up, it could take months for Hollywood to clear the logistical logjam and get fully back to work. "There are presumably upwards of 1,500 productions that all want to start as soon as they can," said entertainment lawyer Jonathan Handel. "And so when SAG gives the word, they're all going to be competing simultaneously... it's absolute chaos. "I don't think we're going to see normalcy in the production process until sometime after January or February." 'Huge roadblock' The WGA's deal with studios achieved compromises on minimum wage increases, bonus payments for writers participating in hit shows, and guarantees that scripts using AI will not undercut human writers and their paychecks. Many of these issues overlap with the actors' demands, and SAG-AFTRA negotiators will be poring over the fine details this week, ahead of their own talks with studios. But, Handel warned, many SAG-AFTRA demands go further than those of the writers. These include steeper pay rises to counter rampant inflation, and an actual share of revenue for hit streaming shows. Studios will be wary that whatever they offer to actors is likely to be demanded by other Hollywood professions such as movie set crews and technicians, who have their own contract renewals due next year. "I think basic wages going are going to be a huge roadblock towards the SAG deal in the next few weeks, because of pattern bargaining," said Handel. SAG-AFTRA also has its own specific demands, such as restrictions on the use of remote, self-taped auditions, which became ubiquitous during the pandemic but are disliked by many actors. 'Fool's assumption' Still, Sunday's deal means SAG-AFTRA negotiators could meet with unions as soon as next week, for the first time since actors went on strike in July. "The end of the WGA strike will hasten the end of SAG-AFTRA's walkout," predicted Variety. But even "if things go smoothly -- which is a fool's assumption -- I still think it would take two to three weeks to get a SAG deal done... which takes you into October," said Handel. "Then there's the ratification process, which takes another month." That means the clock is ticking for actors to be able to promote big year-end movie releases, such as Disney's superhero sequel "The Marvels." And publicists are desperate for their stars to start campaigning for some of the industry's biggest events -- television's Emmy Awards, and the film industry's Oscars, which take place in January and March respectively. The post Strike deal only first step in resolving film industry crisis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hopes rise for end to Hollywood writers’ strike as talks extend
Hollywood writers and studios were due to meet for a third consecutive day of high-level talks Friday, raising the industry's hopes that an end to the costly 144-day Writers Guild of America strike could finally be near. Thousands of film and television scribes downed their pens back in early May over demands including better pay for writers, greater rewards for creating hit shows, and protection from artificial intelligence. They have manned picket lines for months outside offices including Netflix and Disney and -- having been joined by striking actors in mid-July -- bringing the entertainment industry to a highly expensive standstill. After a lengthy negotiating session Thursday, the WGA wrote to members that talks would continue again the next day, and urged "as many of you as possible to come out to the picket lines" Friday, where the usual protest hours were extended into the early afternoon. The heads of Netflix, Disney, Universal and Warner Bros Discovery have personally attended this week's talks, and were expected to return Friday for a third day, according to Deadline. Analysts say that unusual step could indicate that a deal is close -- or simply a renewed sense of urgency to end a walkout that is preventing work from resuming on a wide array of film and TV projects, leaving studios and networks with vast looming gaps in their release schedules. Among their demands, writers say their salaries have not kept up with inflation, and that the rise of streaming has diminished the "residuals" they earn when a show they work on becomes a smash hit. Studios have offered greater transparency in streaming audience numbers, while stopping short of offering to revise the way residual payments are calculated. Writers have also demanded curbs on the use of AI, which they fear could be used to partially replace them in generating future films or show scripts, and therefore further undercut their pay. This remains a key sticking point between the two sides, according to reports in Hollywood trade publications this week. At 144 days and counting, the WGA strike is already significantly longer than the writers' 2007-08 walkout -- which lasted 100 days and cost the California economy $2.1 billion. The Financial Times reported Milken Institute research at the start of September that put the cost of the current Hollywood standstill at $5 billion. It is approaching the union's longest-ever industrial action, which lasted for 154 days in 1988. Even if the writers agree to a new deal, the actors' strike would continue. There have been no known contract talks between the studios and the actors' 160,000-strong SAG-AFTRA guild since that strike began. But the two unions share many similar demands, and insiders say that a WGA deal could help to pave the way for a resolution to the actors' strike. The post Hopes rise for end to Hollywood writers’ strike as talks extend appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Nathan Studios acquires critically acclaimed Japanese film ‘Monster’
Nathan Studios, the brainchild of the Atayde family and helmed by president and chief executive officer Ria Atayde, has once again showcased its commitment to delivering cutting-edge content. Owned by the Atayde family, Nathan Studios is a top-tier production outfit committed to delivering groundbreaking content. With different projects spanning series, movies and live events, the studio has consistently showcased narratives that challenge conventions and resonate deeply with audiences. Under Ria’s leadership, the company has produced notable projects like Cattleya Killer, Misis Piggy and Topakk. During their recent visit to the Cannes Film Festival, the Nathan Studios team, in collaboration with veteran actress Lorna Tolentino and 888 Films International, secured the rights to the critically acclaimed Japanese drama film Monster. Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda and penned by Yuji Sakamoto, Monster bagged the Best Screenplay award at Cannes. Monster marks a significant milestone for director Kore-eda, as it’s the first time he has directed a film he didn’t write himself since Maborosi in 1995. Its score also holds a special place in cinematic history, as the last project by the legendary Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died of cancer two months before its release. The film stands as a tribute to his memory. At its core, Monster is an emotional exploration of adolescence, deceit and the consequences that arise from them. Through the eyes of three different characters, the film demands patience from its viewers, promising a payoff filled with well-earned emotional revelations. The narrative revolves around Minato, his mother Saori and his classmate Eri, each offering a unique viewpoint on the unfolding events, revealing buried truths that trouble all the characters. Kore-eda’s exceptional camera work, combined with Sakamoto’s tender script, creates a cinematic masterpiece. The post Nathan Studios acquires critically acclaimed Japanese film ‘Monster’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Their ‘golden hour’: SB19, JVKE live collab finally happens
P-pop global sensation SB19 finally got to share the stage live with JVKE, at the American singer-songwriter’s What Tour Feels Like finale show at the House of Blues Boston on 2 September. “What an honor sharing the stage with JVKE for his epic ‘What Tour Feels Like’ finale at House of Blues Boston! Thank you all for making it an unforgettable night!,” the quintet wrote on X (formerly Twitter). SB19 members Pablo, Josh, Ken, Stell and Justin released their collab track with JVKE titled “Golden Hour (SB19 remix)” in July. Their own spin on the singer’s hit song featured a Filipino verse after the chorus of the song. The lines read: “Paggising sa umaga, siya agad ang gusto na makita ‘Di ako marunong kumanta pero para sa kaniya harana, harana Teka lang, bakit ba parang ‘la sa tono ‘tong aking gitara? Gusto ko lang naman sabihin na Mala-maharlika ang ‘yong ganda, malaya ‘Di magwawakas tila parirala Oh, Diyos ko (Oh-oh-oh) ‘No pa nga ba’ng masasabi ko? (Oh-oh-oh) Sana ‘di ka mawalay sa’kin, oh, aking sinta.” “SB19 are crazy talented. As an artist, when I open my art to others so they can add their own interpretation, I never know how I’m going to feel about what they contribute. With SB19, I was just blown away. I hope this isn’t the last time we work together,” JVKE said in a statement following the release of the remix. “Golden Hour,” also released in July, debuted in the Top 10 Billboard Hot chart and landed at the top spot on the Global Spotify viral chart. It has an orchestral version by Max Martin as well as remixes by artists Ruel, milee and Fujii Kaze. SB19 recently kicked off its Pagtatag! world tour with shows at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on 24 to 25 June, followed by shows in Chicago, Texas, California, New York, Washington, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Edmonton. In Los Angeles, the group shut down Hollywood Boulevard to film a busking performance of their songs “Bazinga,” “Crimzone” and “Gento”, then gathered another large crowd for a similar act at the New York Times Square on 1 September. SB19’s fierce fandom, A’TIN, won Billboard’s 2023 Fan Army Face-Off against K-pop group Seventeen’s CARATs last August. JVKE, born Jacob Dodge Lawson, was also part of the Fast X soundtrack alongside BTS’ Jimin, NLE Choppa, Kodak Black, Muni Long and Charlie Puth. The post Their ‘golden hour’: SB19, JVKE live collab finally happens appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Emma Stone stars in sex-mad Frankenstein-like tale at Venice
With Emma Stone as a sex-mad reanimated corpse in "Poor Things" and Wes Anderson presenting his take on Roald Dahl, the Venice Film Festival was taken on some wild rides on Friday. "Poor Things" was set to premiere on the Lido without its star to light up the red carpet, due to the ongoing Hollywood strike barring actors from publicity work. Rumors at the festival suggest the horror-comedy, in which Stone plays a woman brought back from the dead by a mad scientist, could be an early awards frontrunner. Its Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos has established himself as one of the most imaginative and daring filmmakers of his generation. His previous film "The Favourite", also starring Stone, won the Jury Prize in Venice in 2018 and best actress for Olivia Colman, paving the way to her Oscar triumph. "Poor Things" is among 23 movies competing for the top prize, the Golden Lion, to be awarded on September 9 by a jury including directors Damien Chazelle, Jane Campion and last year's winner Laura Poitras. Anderson's Dahl Meanwhile, another indie darling, Wes Anderson, was feted in Venice with a lifetime achievement award. He presented "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar", a 40-minute film based on a short story by beloved children's author Roald Dahl. It is one of four Dahl adaptations the whimsical director has made for Netflix featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel and Ralph Fiennes. As always, there is a meticulous, chocolate-box feel to Anderson's film. "It's more like a little theatrical presentation that we found a way to film," Anderson told reporters. The director, who previously adapted Dahl's "Fantastic Mr Fox", said he was strongly against moves to alter the author's books for "sensitivity" reasons. Asked about recent revisions to Dahl's books to remove character descriptions like "fat" and "crazy", Anderson said: "No one who is not an author should be modifying someone's book." He added: "I understand the motivation for it, but I'm in the school where, when the piece is finished... the audience participates in it, we know it, so when it's done, it's done." Strikes and waivers Also premiering on Friday was "The Promised Land" starring Mads Mikkelsen, described by The Hollywood Reporter as a "gripping historical epic" about a low-born soldier seeking to better himself. Mikkelsen was able to attend the festival for the Danish film, but Venice has lost out on several star appearances due to the actor and writer strike in Hollywood, which is primarily over pay and the potential threat of AI. Some independent films have been given a waiver, including Michael Mann's "Ferrari" which premiered on Thursday, allowing lead actor Adam Driver to attend. But others such as Stone and Bradley Cooper (for his Leonard Bernstein biopic "Maestro") are not coming, costing the studios valuable PR shots of their stars arriving by gondola and working the red carpet. Still to come in Venice are new movies by Sofia Coppola ("Priscilla" about Elvis Presley's wife) and David Fincher ("The Killer" starring Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton). There are also out-of-competition premieres for controversial directors Woody Allen ("Coup de Chance") and Roman Polanski ("The Palace"). The post Emma Stone stars in sex-mad Frankenstein-like tale at Venice appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Golden Globes to air January 7 under new ownership
Next year's Golden Globes will take place on 7 January, the organization that bestows the entertainment awards said Thursday, in the wake of intense scrutiny over accusations of corruption and racism in recent years. Nominations are set to be revealed on 11 December, the organization added in a statement. The combined film and television awards have long been considered among the most prestigious in Hollywood after the Oscars. But the Golden Globes have lost their luster among many in the industry after The Los Angeles Times in 2021 revealed the bleak backstage operations of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which made up the contest's jury. In particular, the report said the group did not have a single Black member at the time, and detailed accounts of HFPA voters receiving lavish gifts from entertainment studios whose products they were voting on. In 2022, the historically raucous ceremony was shunned by Hollywood's elite and was not broadcast on television. Since then, the Globes have launched several image reform measures, including involving a more diverse group of voters and instituting a crackdown on ethics violations. The changes brought the ceremony back to live television in January 2023, and despite several notable red-carpet absences, the number of stars in attendance -- including Steven Spielberg, Michelle Yeoh, and Brad Pitt -- suggested that Hollywood was ready to move on from the scandal. Still, the show recorded its worst-ever ratings, with only 6.3 million viewers. As part of its reforms, the Golden Globes have been bought out by private investors, effectively shuttering the 80-year-old HFPA. As part of Thursday's announcement, the Globes said it had formed a new committee that would now be "responsible for selecting, ratifying and accrediting journalists as voting members" of the Globes' jury. The nine-member committee will "uphold and enforce rigorous standards and practices for the voting body," the statement added. The committee will include Tim Gray, veteran entertainment journalist from Variety magazine, who was named vice president of the Golden Globes. The post Golden Globes to air January 7 under new ownership appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Make way for a new Atayde in showbiz: Gela, the younger sibling of Arjo and Ria
There are now five Ataydes in Pinoy showbiz, although two of them do not use the surname for their showbiz work. There used to be only two actor Ataydes: Arjo and Ria. A third one will be introduced on 28 August as an actor in the latest ABS-CBN series Senior High: Gela Atayde, who has just made a name for herself as part of a team that emerged world champion in an international hip-hop dancing competition in the US. So who are the two Ataydes who don’t go by that surname in showbiz? Sylvia Sanchez and Maine Mendoza. The former is the mother of Arjo, Ria and Gela, while Maine is the brand-new Mrs. Arjo Atayde. She married Arjo on 28 July in Baguio City. [caption id="attachment_175680" align="aligncenter" width="893"] Sylvia Sanchez And Maine Mendoza-atayde. | Photograph Courtesy of Ig/sylvia Sanchez[/caption] Businessman Art Atayde is the father of Sanchez’s actor children. They have another son, Xavi, the youngest in the family. There are no talks (yet?) about Xavi wanting to join showbiz. Sanchez having three children active in front of the camera may be matched by Pen Medina, who has four sons who are actors, too, though not as prominently as Sanchez’s children. Medina’s thespian sons are Ping, Karl, Alex and Victor. Ping now appears with his father Pen in ABS-CBN’s Batang Quiapo. Alex, Karl and Victor, meanwhile, have played major roles in indie films. We personally know that Pen also has a lovely grown-up daughter, but she is not interested to become an actor. (Pen and I had theater workshops in our youth conducted by Joonee Gamboa and the late Adul de Leon. It was in those workshops that Pen met the would-be mother of their children.) Further back, it’s actually actor Eddie Gutierrez who used to have three sons and one daughter in showbiz: Tonton Gutierrez, Ramon Christopher (who started in showbiz without using a surname), Ruffa Gutierrez, Richard Gutierrez and his twin Raymond Gutierrez. Just a few years ago, another female Gutierrez — Janine — joined showbiz. She is the daughter of Ramon Christopher, more popularly known as “Monching,” whose mom is the singer Pilita Corrales. Janine’s mother is actor Lotlot de Leon, one of the two adopted daughters of then-couple Nora Aunor and Christopher de Leon. Tonton is Eddie’s oldest child, and his mother is beauty queen-actress Liza Lorena. A few years after he had a son with Corrales, the elder Gutierrez married Annabelle Rama, and Ruffa is their first child and only daughter. They had another son, nicknamed Rocky, before they had the twins Richard and Raymond. World championship Gela Atayde has just gotten back from the World Hiphop Dance Championship in Phoenix, Arizona where her team, Legit Status, won the world championship on 6 August by beating 54 other teams. Gela, 21, speaks with as much overflowing self-confidence as her Kuya Arjo and Ate Ria. At her media launch in Morato, Quezon City a few days ago, Gela declared that she really likes to be recognized as a dancer and to be able to hone her acting career at the same time. “One of the big reasons why I really wanted to enter showbiz was to introduce dance. I guess as a dancer, I realized that it is not as appreciated as we hope it would be. So I guess for me since I was given the opportunity to do it, I want to explore and show everyone what dance is all about — not just hip-hop but maybe other styles so it can be talked about more often,” she said. Her first ABS-CBN project is the series Senior High, which will see her playing a campus dancer and acting alongside her mother Sylvia as well as young stars Andrea Brillantes and Kyle Echarri. The series, produced by Dreamscape Entertainment, replaces Iron Heart, topbilled by Richard Gutierrez. The upcoming show recently trended on social media as it featured SB19’s hit song “Bazinga.” Also in the show’s cast are Juan Karlos, Elijah Canlas, Zaijian Jaranilla, Xyriel Manabat, Daniela Stranner, Miggy Jimenez and Tommy Alejandrino, along with Angel Aquino, Baron Geisler and Mon Confiado. Senior High will be released on 28 August, 9:30 p.m. via the Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, JeepneyTV, A2Z and TV5. It will also stream on iWantTFC and on TFC. It’s a season of “revenge” entertainment at ABS-CBN. The just-concluded series Dirty Linen had a family avenging the death of their loved ones in the hands of a greedy well-off family, while the forthcoming film A Very Good Girl, starring internationally acclaimed actor Dolly de Leon and Kathryn Bernardo, is likewise powered by a revenge yarn. The post Make way for a new Atayde in showbiz: Gela, the younger sibling of Arjo and Ria appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pinoy’s got talent
“That’s cool, Attorney,” said Mr. Arico “Acoy” Matibay, a fictional client of mine from the Philippines. He was sitting in my office along with his long-time sweetheart, Ms. Dinah Sia Maasim, seeking legal advice about their chances of getting a green card in the US. “So, if we have special talents or skills that are way above what ordinary people have, we can apply for a green card?” interjected Ms. Maasim, who could not mask the excitement on her face. “Yes,” I replied. “But there are a number of requirements that need to be met in order to qualify for this type of visa. Number one is that exceptional talent or ability should pertain to the arts, sciences, or business. Number two is there should be an employer willing to sponsor the person.” I explained further that this type of sponsorship was relatively faster because it belonged to the EB-2 immigrant visa category with only a one-to-two-year waiting period for a green card. Also, the application could bypass the labor certification process and be filed directly with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services if accompanied with proof that the person had international acclaim or recognition in his/her field of specialty, that he/she performed or possessed the special skills within the past year, and that the exceptional ability would be put to use in the US immediately. “To prove these things,” I continued, “you can submit evidence of awards or prizes, certificates of membership in international associations, published materials about the work or talent, authorship of scientific or scholarly articles, proof of participation as a judge or panel member, etc.” “In addition,” I went on, “at least three of the following types of documentary evidence must be submitted: an academic record of diploma, award, or certificate, letters showing at least 10 years’ full-time experience in the specialty field, license or certification to practice the profession or occupation, proof of high salary commensurate with the exceptional skill, proof of membership in professional associations, or evidence of special recognition from industry peers or governmental organizations.” After I finished talking, the couple exchanged excited glances and smiled at each other, their faces beaming with satisfaction. Mr. Matibay spoke first: “Thank you for the explanation, Attorney. I think we can meet most of the requirements.” “Our special talents have made us somewhat popular in Asia,” added Ms. Maasim, smiling. “We’ve also received awards from the industry, plus we’ve been very active in performing our special skills this past year. We also intend to use our exceptional talent here in the US. In fact, there’s an employer/producer who’s very much willing to put us to work as soon as possible.” “Not only that,” continued Mr. Matibay, “we’re also members of a professional film group that sometimes act as panel judges for amateur movie contests. We’ve been doing this gig for 15 years now and we’re among the top five percent of high-earners.” “That’s quite impressive,” I said. “May I ask what is it that you guys both do?” “We’re acrobatic porn artists, Attorney,” replied Mr. Matibay proudly. “We do triple-X movies and live shows. Our most popular segments are the Torture Chamber and Banana Split. We also do Jose and the Pussycats. Last year, we did a Covid special called Strep Throat. We actually have a demo tape with us, Attorney. It’s called The Magic of Johnson and Larry’s Bird.” My head started spinning and it took me a while to find the courage to tell them that the US did not consider porn acrobatic talent as a skill of exceptional caliber for EB-2 sponsorship purposes. Sexceptional ability maybe, but exceptional ability certainly wasn’t. I advised them to try their luck in Russia instead. The post Pinoy’s got talent appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Beetle’ beats ‘Barbie’ in N. American theaters
It was a good news/bad news weekend for "Blue Beetle," the latest superhero film to hit North American theaters and the first built around a live-action Latino protagonist. The DC Studios/Warner Bros. production topped the charts for the Friday-through-Sunday period and even dethroned "Barbie," that reigning queen of pinkness, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. But its estimated take of $25.4 million was "the lowest DC superhero debut of this era" other than 2021's money-losing "Wonder Woman 1984." "Beetle" stars 22-year-old American actor Xolo Mariduena -- who is of mixed Mexican, Cuban, and Ecuadoran descent -- as a new college graduate whose body is taken over by the mysterious Scarab, which gives him superhuman powers. Analyst David A. Gross said that while ticket sales for "Beetle" were only a third of the average for new superhero flicks, reviews have been good and overseas prospects are strong. "Barbie," in its fifth week out, scored $21.5 million in ticket sales, "a huge result at this point in its theatrical run," according to Variety. The Warner Bros. fantasy-comedy has now taken in an eye-popping $1.27 billion globally. In third, also in its fifth week out, was Universal's "Oppenheimer," at $10.6 million. The historical drama about the origins of the first atomic bomb has passed the $700 million mark globally. Fourth place went to Paramount's animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," at $8.4 million. Its huge voice cast includes Maya Rudolph, Ayo Edebiri, John Cena, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, and Paul Rudd. And in fifth was Universal's new talking-dog comedy "Strays," at $8.3 million, a concerning start for a movie made on a $46 million budget. Rounding out the top 10 were: "Meg 2: The Trench" ($6.7 million) "Talk to Me" ($3.2 million) "Haunted Mansion" ($3 million) "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" ($2.7 million) "The Last Voyage of the Demeter" ($2.5 million) The post ‘Beetle’ beats ‘Barbie’ in N. American theaters appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How ‘Here Lies Love’ co-producer found his mark on Broadway
When Here Lies Love, the hit musical about former First Lady Imelda Marcos, made history by debuting on Broadway debut with an all-Filipino last July, one of its co-producers, Don Michael H. Mendoza, also reached a career milestone. His goal of putting his name on a Broadway show before turning 40 came true now that he’s 34. [caption id="attachment_172743" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Don Michael Mendoza with Daily Tribune’s (from left) Dinah Ventura, Jojo G. Silvestre, Gigie Arcilla, Vangie Reyes, Marc Reyes, Raffy Ayeng, Gibbs Cadiz and Nick Giongco.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_172742" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Always ask for what you want because the worst that can come back is a no.’ | Photographs Courtesy of Daily Tribune.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_172741" align="aligncenter" width="525"] DON Mike Mendoza with Daily Tribune’s Jojo G. Silvestre and Dinah Ventura.[/caption] It happened, and it’s not just any show. It’s the first Filipino musical on Broadway,” he tells Daily Tribune’s Dinah Ventura and Jojo Silvestre in an interview on their online show Pairfect. “It’s very important to me because a lot of my career is based on the idea of D,E & I — diversity, equity and inclusion — especially in a country like America that’s a melting pot. “It’s very important to make sure that unrepresented voices and communities are brought to the front. To be part of that, for me personally, is an incredible honor because it’s exactly aligned with how I live my professional life every day, every year.” “For the Fil-Am community,” he adds, “I think it’s important for people to see themselves in that arena, whether be as a producer, an actor, or a stagehand, or on the creative team as an assistant director. You know, it says a lot when someone tries to reach that can see themselves in a role that they want to achieve. “Because for a long time, my role models were very few. They’re mostly Americans, they’re white people. And I wanted to be an actor and my only acting influences in the media was Paolo Montalban. He was in Cinderella, American Adobo… He’s now a friend — which is amazing! But I didn’t really have many role models. So, to our community, both Filipino and Fil-Am, they can now look at this production and say, whatever they feel is their career path, ‘I can do it, too.’ So, it’s very powerful.” Beginnings Don Michael Hodreal Mendoza, nicknamed Don Mike, was born in Washington D.C., the capital city of the United States, to immigrant parents. His father Donald Mendoza’s family hails from Cavite and is involved in local politics. His mother Maria Leonila Hodreal has families in Marinduque (maternal side) and Bicol (paternal side). His grandfather Querubin Hodreal created what is now known as the Easy Rock Manila radio station. “My mom, who’s part of that legacy, says even though we’re in the States I somehow ended up doing what our family does, in entertainment and media,” he says, beaming. From Washington D.C., Mendoza’s nuclear family moved to the city of Pittsburgh in the Pennsylvania state, where he grew up. “But I was also raised here in Manila, in Ayala Alabang, for a couple of years,” he points out. He was then between the ages of six and eight, also starting his education at Montessori Manila in BF Homes. “We’re lucky we’re able to come home a lot, so even though I grew up on majority in America, we’d come home every other year.” That explains why he also has exposure and gets inspiration from Filipino movies and entertainment. Mendoza started performing in school plays and high school musicals “for fun.” For college, though, he “needed to study that wasn’t the arts because immigrant families want you to do something that makes money in their eyes.” So he took up broadcast journalism and political science at the American University in D.C. But he didn’t like political science, so he dropped it and added musical theater to his studies without telling his parents until he got into the program. After graduation, he was torn between two goals: becoming a Broadway actor like Jose Llana, who currently plays the late President Ferdinand Marcos in Here Lies Love, and becoming the “Filipino Anderson Cooper.” He ended up staying in D.C with a job in marketing, which eventually became his master’s degree. Mendoza started auditioning and trying to get into shows. “But I wasn’t getting cast the way I wanted to,” he recalls, “because it’s very hard for a Filipino, an Asian male actor to get parts, unless you decided to be in Miss Saigon, which was one of the only very few shows that hire Asian people. So, I kinda fell into producing.” That was when he met a fellow Fil-Am, Regie Cabico, who’s 20 years older than him and became his mentor. He remembers Cabico telling him, “The way to be successful for someone like us in the arts is to start your own opportunities.” Thus, the birth, in 2012, of their company, La Ti Do, which is into production of cabarets and concerts. “I met so many people and worked with so many actors and performers without knowing it’s producing,” he says, smiling at the memory. “I just realized producing means organizing. It means you’re in charge, you’re putting things together and hire people. In those 10 years, I was able to produce small musicals and concerts and special events.” He then put up his own DMH Mendoza Productions, which has La Ti Do as its cabaret-concert arm, to allow him to “produce bigger and more incredible things.” For starters, he produced the off-Broadway play Hazing U that tackles violence in fraternities. Around that time, February 2023, he heard about Here Lies Love being restaged, this time on Broadway. The musical created by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim originally premiered off-Broadway in 2013 at The Public Theater in New York City. A year later, it moved to the Royal National Theater in London, England, and then was restaged at Seattle Repertory Theater in the US in 2017. Mendoza admits with regret that he missed seeing Here Lies Love’s off-Broadway premiere and thought he’d never see it ever again “just because Filipino things don’t usually last very long in America.” So when he heard it was coming to Broadway, he basically called everybody he knew who’s involved in the production to ask how he could help. “I wasn’t really looking for a producer stature,” he says. “I said to many people I’m willing to sell t-shirts in the lobby just to support this show.” It turned out his good friend Lora Nicolas Olaes, who he stayed with in New York, was in the first workshop of the show in 2011, and she personally knows one of the lead producers, Clint Ramos. Olaes then connected Mendoza and Ramos via email, which led to Mendoza joining the Here Lies Love production team. “I’m still having trouble today saying I’m a co-producer. I’m so used to just doing rather than labeling,” he says. “It’s been a wild ride from then till now. I don’t regret any of it. It’s been the best experience so far.” He then shares that having an all-Filipino cast and a predominantly Filipino production team is very important for the lead producers. Two of the five are Filipino: Clint Ramos, a Tony award-winning costume designer, and Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist. This extends to other producers, such as Hal Luftig, Diana DiMenna and Patrick Catullo, as well as to musical writers David Byrne and Fatboy Slim. “They wanted to reach beyond the cast and make sure that the show is escorted into Broadway by Filipinos because it’s a Filipino story,” Mendoza points out. Aside from Llana, the main cast is made up of Arielle Jacobs (as Imelda) and Conrad Ricamora as (Ninoy Aquino), with Lea Salonga (as Ninoy’s mother Aurora) in a limited run until 19 August. “It’s beyond the cast. So our creative team, our production team, our stagehands, everybody. Even our house staff, some of them are Filipinos. We really wanted to make a mark on Broadway. That’s how it came about. So that was an early decision. Because the off-Broadway production was mixed. It was not all-Filipino. It had Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda. She’s not Filipino. It was hard to move from her and bring in Arielle Jacobs, who is just as amazing, but, you know, it was very important for the team to be culturally accurate. Because it’s our story.” “It’s our show,” he reiterates. “Let’s bring it to the world. Our people are playing themselves. I’ve said this in an interview: The general public is trained to love Filipino as other ethnicities. This is the first time we’re training them to love us, Filipinos, as ourselves.” Musical textbook Mendoza’s fellow co-producers include Salonga and Fil-Am celebrities like comedian Jo Koy, musical artist H.E.R. and rapper Apl.de.ap. “Our show is a musical textbook,” he explains. “It’s a musical built around facts, what happened historically during her lifetime. Our whole goal for the show is to present to you what happened with, of course, entertainment attached to it. There’s a misconception that it’s a documentary. It is not. It’s musical theater. It’s supposed to be fun. You see what happened. “We empower our audience to make their own decision. We don’t tell them, ‘This was a bad person. This was a good person.’ Here’s what this person did in their life and how she was affected by her surroundings, and go home and do the research. You figure it out. We liken it to giving someone a Zip file of Philippine history in the 21th century and you go home and unzip the Zip file to get into the details. “But we give you an overview. It’s really up to the audience when they leave the show. I know it’s the goal of our writers and directors to not impose an opinion. We’re just here to entertain and make you learn. When you leave, it’s up to you.” Mendoza happily reports that Here Lies Love is being received “very well.” He adds, “The critics have come and said really wonderful about the show, especially the ones we’re nervous about, like the New York Times, or The Washington Post, or the Wall Street Journal. It trickles down to everyone who’s seen the show. I think we’re so proud and excited that it’s well-received. Audience members love it, they keep coming back.” He also notes that audiences are “pretty diverse. You see Filipinos, you see Americans, you see visitors. It’s really a big hodge-podge of different people. We’re happy about that, too. It’s not biased to just one community.” Indeed, Mendoza is living his dream and he has this piece of audience for the younger generation who also hopes to break into theater or arts in general: “Always ask for what you want because the worst that can come back is a no.” He then shares what she’s picked up from Kris Jenner: “If somebody says no to you, you’re asking the wrong person. Keeping asking for what you want. Not just manifesting, but really it’s just speaking up. Nobody can read your mind. Nobody can see what’s happening in your mind and in your heart. So if you express it, you ask and you’ll get there. It may not happen in the timing that you want, but it will happen if you keep pushing.” The post How ‘Here Lies Love’ co-producer found his mark on Broadway appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Liza, Janine, Iza bring star power to Cinemalaya’s ‘Rookie’ gala screening
Liza Soberano, Janine Gutierrez and Iza Calzado were among the celebrity attendees at the gala screening of "Rookie", an entry in the ongoing Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. The event was held on 6 August at Cinema Rizal of the Philippine International Convention Center. "Rookie" is a coming-of-age queer film about high school volleyball players played by lead stars Aya Fernandez and Pat Tingjuy, who are both making their feature film debut. [caption id="attachment_168526" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Janine Gutierrez (Photo by Jo Valle)[/caption] The film is written by Natts Jadaone ("Lucid") and directed by Samantha Lee ("Baka Bukas", "Billie and Emma"), with Dan Villegas of Project 8 Projects and Bianca Balbuena of ANIMA Studios as executive producers. Project 8 Projects is the film production company founded by Villegas with his fellow filmmaker and fiancée Antoinette Jadaone. Soberano, Gutierrez and Calzado gave support to the movie and the people behind it, especially those they’ve worked with. Soberano starred in Jadaone’s 2019 romantic movie "Alone/Together"; Gutierrez in Lee’s 2022 TV miniseries "Sleep With Me"; and Calzado in Villegas’ 2017 horror flick "Ilawod". [caption id="attachment_168527" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Cast and crew of the Cinemalaya 2023 film "Rookie" (Photo by Jo Valle)[/caption] Catch "Rookie" at Cinemalaya XIX: IlumiNasyon, which runs until 13 August at the PICC’s Cinemas Rizal, Bonifacio, Felipe and Palma. The film festival also has screenings at elect cinemas of Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Glorietta, UP Town Center and Trinoma. The post Liza, Janine, Iza bring star power to Cinemalaya’s ‘Rookie’ gala screening appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
William Friedkin, incendiary director of ‘The Exorcist’
US director William Friedkin, who died Monday, will forever be remembered for his Oscar-winning "The Exorcist" in 1973, one of the most controversial horror films of all time that still chills new generations of moviegoers. The taboo-breaking scene of a 12-year-old girl believed to be possessed by the devil, foul-mouthed and feverishly masturbating with a crucifix on her bed, provoked frenzy in audiences and sparked a global debate about the occult in the Catholic Church. "It was shocking," wrote Rolling Stone in 2018, recalling the first reactions. It "had people lining up at the entrances of movie theatres while the exits were soppy with puke from the previous showing." Remarkably for a horror film, it was nominated for 10 Oscars and took home two. Pact with the devil Friedkin, who passed away in Los Angeles on Monday at the aged of 87, after suffering health issues in recent years, first hit the pinnacle in Hollywood a few years before "The Exorcist" -- with his stomping, stylish 1971 thriller "The French Connection." Starring Gene Hackman as a cop in gritty, corrupt New York City, the film won five Oscars including Best Director and Best Picture. It was a pearl of the "New Hollywood" wave of socially and politically charged filmmaking associated with emerging directors such as Robert Altman, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese. Friedkin was asked to direct "The Exorcist" -- based on a novel inspired by a reported case of possession of a 14-year-old boy -- after other star directors including Stanley Kubrick had turned it down. "I thought it was a film about the mystery of faith... but I didn't set out to make a horror film," Friedkin was quoted saying in The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. "But by now, I have accepted that it is." His film was followed by four sequels, based on the same novel but without Friedkin's participation, together grossing more than $600 million worldwide. A television series began in 2016. Real power Friedkin was born in Chicago in 1935. His mother was a nurse and his father held several jobs, from merchant seaman and semi-professional softball player to discount-clothes salesman. He singled out viewing in his twenties of Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" (1941) as having a radical impact. "It changed my life," he said in a 2014 interview published on the website of respected US critic, Roger Ebert. "It made me understand that film was an art form and a unique way of storytelling that I had never considered". Friedkin started working in television as a runner and then directed TV shows before making his own documentary in 1962, "The People vs Paul Crimp", about a real-life death row prisoner. The film would contribute to Crimp's death sentence being commuted, convincing Friedkin of "the power of cinema", he told AFP in an interview in 2017. In 1967 he made his first feature, "Good Times", a musical starring the popular pop duo Sonny and Cher. Eclipse from the A-List After his heyday in the 1970s, came a spectacular fall from the Hollywood A-List. It was his ambitious "Sorcerer" (1977), that would prove Friedkin's undoing. After a difficult shoot that went wildly over budget to cost $22 million, the film bombed at the US box office, grossing just under $6 million. It was also eclipsed by the first installment of George Lucas's "Star Wars", released at the same time. Amongst his other flops from a total of about 20 features was "Cruising" (1980) with Al Pacino as an undercover cop hunting down a serial killer in New York's S&M scene. But "Killer Joe" in 2011, starring Matthew McConaughey as a man plotting to kill his own mother, brought renewed critical praise. In 2018, decades after his most famous hit, Friedkin revisited the themes of "The Exorcist" with the documentary "The Devil and Father Amorth", about a priest performing an exorcism in Italy. "The life of a filmmaker is one film to another," Friedkin told the LA Times in 1989 about how he picked himself up after his career had taken a tumble. "There's a great reward when you connect with the public and people are lining up around the block to see your film. But the real joy is making the film." Friedkin was married four times, the first time to one of France's top actresses, Jeanne Moreau. The post William Friedkin, incendiary director of ‘The Exorcist’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»