Best actress
Superstar Nora Aunor bagged the Best Actress award at the 6th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) held in Brisbane, Australia. It was a double celebration for the Philippines as director Brillante Mendoza scooped the Best Director honour. Both were honoured for the film Thy Womb, which is also one of the featured films at the forthcoming Dubai International Film Festival (Diff). Aunor and Mendoza are expected to attend Diff. Four years back, the Filipino classic film Himala, directed by Eshmael Bernal and starring Aunor, was voted CNN APSA Viewers’ Choice Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of All Time.
Saigon auditions
GMA artist Rachelle Ann Go is among those who have been called back for another round of screening at the ongoing auditions for the musical Miss Saigon. Another GMA artist, Francheska Farr, also was given a call back. Go and Farr along with the other hopefuls had to go through a gruelling two-round voice auditions. The shortlisted candidates, including Go and Farr, will return for another set of auditions, this time to test their acting and dancing skills. According to insiders, the audition masters from the UK were very impressed with exceptional quality of those who auditioned and were surprised there were too many who could be considered for lead and support roles in the revival of the hit musical.
Quitting showbiz
Many were surprised when TV host Willie Revillame announced last week that his show, Wil Time Big Time, will go off the air in January 2013, prompting speculations he will move to a new network or return to his old studio, ABS CBN. Sounding cryptic at his announcement, Revillame said he will go on a holiday to think through his plans for his show and his career. But the popular TV host could not resist divulging new details of his plans. It turns out, he will stay with TV5 and will be introducing a bigger and better show, which will have a new studio and bigger cash prizes.
More mature
Actress KC Concepcion is in Nepal doing a tour of duty for the UN World Food Programme. Ahead of her trip, Concepcion talked about her going sexy for a print ad campaign. The actress said she’s already done a daring pictorial for a magazine cover before, so it shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s just part of her latest transformation, which will, hopefully, take her career to a new level. When asked if this would in any way conflict with her role as a UN Ambassador, the actress said she had not been asked to quit her post.
