New stars added to Manila's Walk of Fame

Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes will soon have their stars embossed on the Eastwood Walk of Fame, Manila's
version of Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame.

The announcement was made by German Moreno (aka Kuya Germs) who is the main proponent and caretaker of the project.

Many people have questioned the early inclusion of Marian and Dingdong. Kuya Germs, however, quickly pointed out that having a star on the famed celebrity strip is not so much about age or longevity in the business, but about
impact.

He says both Dingdong and Marian's success has been unprecedented and deserves being immortalised on the Walk of Fame.

Marian and Dingdong's Dyesebel continues to dominate Philippine primetime TV. In particular, Marian has become so popular, she has been the subject of nasty intrigues and a set-up which prompted the popular actress to get into a
shouting match with a fan on the set of her popular show.

Back in the spotlight

Albert Martinez is back on TV, and he's doing it in a big way. Albert, one of the country's better actors, just came back from a month-long stay in Malaysia, where he taped
a soon-to-be-shown soap, A Time for Us, starring Jericho Rosales and Malaysian actress Carmen Soo.

The good-looking actor is also in the thick of preparations for a film, tentatively titled Rosario, which will chronicle the Philippines' glory days in the early 1900s when it was
one of the richest nations in Asia, second only to Japan.

He has tapped a group of investors for the multi-million dirham film project which is still casting for a female lead.

Many names have been thrown into the ring, but the identities of the short-listed candidates are still being kept under wraps. Albert promised our Manila mole that Showbiz
Tsismis will be among the first to know.

Dennis takes plum role

Dennis Trillo has been chosen to play the lead role in Gagambino, the new action-fantasy series based on a popular comics character created by noted director Carlo
Caparas.

There were rumours that the role was reserved initially for Richard Gutierrez, but the story soon fizzled out after Gutierrez announced he is doing Codename: Asero, of which the pilot episode was shot in Dubai.

Both Asero and Gagambino are part of GMA-7's 58th anniversary TV presentation, which includes My Name Is Kim Sam Soon starring Regine Velasquez and Mark Anthony
Fernandez as well as La Lola featuring Rhian Ramos and JC de Vera.

A versatile actor, Dennis is seen as one of the younger actors expected to shine the brightest and follow in the footsteps of Richard Gomez and Aga Muhlach.

Rudy Fernandez dead

Philippine action star Rudy Fernandez died of cancer on Saturday. He was 56.

Fernandez has been battling periampullary cancer for more than two years and was brought home from hospital on Monday after being confined there for a month.

Fernandez and his wife, actress Lorna Tolentino, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Sunday.

A wake is open to the public at the Heritage Park in Taguig City. A funeral will be held on Thursday.

Fernandez's friend, Ramon “Bong"Revilla, told the Inquirer newspaper that the actor had suffered from internal bleeding for days and had difficulty recognising people.

Fernandez and his wife had spent most of the past few months travelling between the United States and the Philippines for treatment of Fernandez's cancer.

Periampullary cancer occurs when a tumour grows in the ampulla, a passage of bile duct in the intestines. This type of cancer is rare and only 100 out of every 100,000 people develop the illness.

Fernandez was born on March 3, 1952 in Manila. He starred in 65 films throughout his career and won three best actor awards.