Joyce Ching Fashion

She is the Tricia Roman of this generation. That is, if anyone remembers who Tricia is.

Tricia Roman

The comparison means having lots of show in GMA without star quality. In case of Joyce, she started like that and turned out to be a jewel in the end. For this feature, it seems that she's embracing the star quality in different aspects performing, acting and dressing up.

From the plain poor third to Barbie Forteza and Bea Binene (even fourth, if their level includes Louise Delos Reyes), she is now one of the better-dressed GMA artists. This became more apparent in Dormitoryo series where she matched the taste level of Lauren Young.

With the challenges she lived up being pitted against the more popular contemporaries, she might get that big solo break. She might finally claim her own place - and not the third seat of the tweetum rows. Just hang on, growing followers of Joyce.

Credit of all photos to owners

Joyce deserves an upgrade.

LIST: Top Actresses in Popular Foreign Characters

Top actresses took popular roles in foreign TV series. This is not to say that Philippine TV has run out out good roles, local actresses' versions of foreign well-loved characters is likely a challenge to them. Here's run

down on Filipina actresses who took the challenge.

1. Angelica Panganiban as Rubi. This is one of her Televsion Milestones. She did numerous teleseryes but when you ask any person about her projects, this is definitely at the top of their minds. She did lead and kontrabida roles -in Rubi, she the bidang nontrabida.

2. Bea Alonso as Betty La Fea.You surely opted to see Bea at her best - the Queen or Princess Drama Serye - along side with his King John Lloyd. This famous comedy character is one best breather. It very seldom to see her doing comedy project.

3. Heart Evangelista as Jessie of Full House. Playing Jessie in Pinoy adaptation of Full could have been one great challenge. The Korean star in the original series is just adorable that Heart may have had a hard time exuding the aura. Heart was not-so-young at that time. Still, she and Richard Gutierrez pulled it off. She starred in numerous teleseryes and this one is hard to miss.

4. Angel Locsin as Jillian. Sophomore jinx may or not have been true to Angel in Only You. Despite reports in high rating, the Teleserye had its limited run because of franchise agreements. Such short run was not enough to create buzz for Angel's popularity. With this project, Angel sort of went back to her kilig princess days in GMA before she took on action and heavy drama role. 

5. Anne Curtis as Angela of Green Rose. If you're Anne's fan, this is is not your most favorite role for her. Green Rose is very dark and you're at happiest seeing her character in Maging Sino Ka Man part 1 and 2. The best of it, she was able to do a character of foreign remake - and made it to this list.

  

6. Kim Chiu as Jasmin of My Girl. She fits the role to a tee that you forgot she's not the original. She then had her own My Binondo Girl but Kim fans consider this as one of her most-loved characters. 

7. Regine Velasquez as Kim Samsoon. The songbird was buzzed to have expressed her intent to play the role of betty la fea on the other network. Good thing, her network found equally appropriate role for her, Kim Samsoon. She was well loved in her Romantic Comedy films, this is her answer in TV after appearing in drama projects. 

7. Marian Rivera as Chantal, Jenny and Marimar. She surely starred in millions of teleserye, so should be awarded as Valedictorian in playing the most number of characters in foreign remakes. Marimar is a given, that character made "Marian Rivera". Chantal of Temptation of Wife  character boasts of her maturity as an actress, as they say. Jenny of Endless Love is one of the most kilig DongYan project.

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There are stars who did not make it to the list because of the "top actresses" category.

They starred in international films

Filipino Actors who starred - or shall I say, appeared, in international films. This author is around 30 something, so the feature is limited 80s onwards. Had other actors appeared before that, my apologies.  

1. Cesar Montano. At the peak of his local career, doing award winning and box-office films, he had his shot of international film. The Great Raid required a number of Filipino actors. Among the selected, Montano got the biggest role.

2. Charice Pempengco. Part of her fairy tale career, singing with the top international singer, she appearred at Chipmunks movie on the side. She was a contestant at a school fair where the chipmunks were about to perform.

3. Izza Calzado. When the local Angel Locsin-Richard Gutierrez starrer Sigaw was adapted for international production, Izza Calzado was a package deal. The producers could have been so impressed with the performance that she was asked to do the same role as the haunting murdered policemen's wife

4. Kris Aquino. The queen of all media and now most famous as Bimby's mother, was once part of chinese film Magic to Win 5. It's just a wonder to me that TV station airs that with a different title. I remember that the film started with a very slim Kris and ended with a quite higher-size version of her. As a child, I did not even notice that the English language I hear does not match the Chinese actors' mouth.

5. Kuh Ledesma. Kuh Ledesma appeared in The Year of Living Dangerously in 1982. In search of things to say for this feature, this author tried to see the full movie - youtube generation, everything is possible, but have to settle for trailers. 

6. Bourne Legacy actors. The most recent appearance of Filipino actors in foreign films was when the Hollywood Film shot certain percentage of it in the Philippines. They are John Arcilla and Joel Torre.

7. Alessandra De Rossi. She could have been a hollywood star or Philippine counterpart to Salma Hayek or Penelope Cruz, only she did not want to undergo audition. She was then so hyped as the next international actress after her Azucena fame. Nonetheless, she starred in a Singaporean production, the Maid.

8. Manny Pacquiao. Finally, Pacquiao the Movie is a totally different story. This is all about Manny Pacquaio and he's not taking any role but himself.

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from http://www.mannypacquiaomovie.com

"Manny" is narrated by Academy Award Nominee Liam Neeson and directed by Ryan Moore and Academy Award winner Leon Gast ("When We Were Kings"). “Manny” features original music by Lorne Balfe (Inception, The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes) and ChadHugo (The Neptunes/NERD) and interviews by Mark Wahlberg, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeremy Piven, Oscar De La Hoya, and other notable celebrities.

SXSW Film Festival will host the World Premiere for “Manny” in Austin, Texas (March 7-15). Texas holds special significance to Manny Pacquiao as this is where he Pacquiao accomplished his 8th world title in 8 weight division, a feat unmatched by any boxer in history.

Manny opens in theaters March 12th in the Philippines.

SYNOPSIS:
From abject poverty to becoming a ten time boxing world champion, congressman, and international icon, Manny Pacquiao is the true definition of a Cinderella-man story.

In the Philippines, he first entered the ring as a sixteen year old weighing ninety-eight pounds with the goal of earning money to feed his family. Now, almost twenty-years later, when he fights, the country of 100 million people comes to a complete standstill to watch. The army and the rebels cease-fire. There are no cars in the street. There is zero crime. An entire country becomes united.

Regarded for his ability to bring people together, Pacquiao entered the political arena in 2010. As history’s first boxing congressman, Pacquiao now fights for his people both inside and outside of the ring. Now at the height of his career, he is faced with maneuvering an unscrupulous sport and maintaining his political duties, while still supporting his family and sustaining a personal life. The question now is, what bridge is too far for Manny Pacquiao to cross? 

LIST: Pinay Thalia

Jessy Mendiola. Erich Gonzales. Carla Abellana. Marian Rivera.

Mid 90s, (I mean 1990s not 2090s), when Mexican sensation Thalia was a phenomenon in the Philippines. She hit the Filipino fans via Marimar. It is a timeless rags to riches telenovela with high speed pacing, which is something new to the Philippines where drama series run for years.

Marimar, Maria Mercedes, Maria la del Barrio and Rosalinda peaked their ratings at their times. This prompted Philippine Networks to have those telenovelas as launching and relaunching vehicles for the groomed next-prime stars.

1. Carla Abellana. Right straight from commercial modelling, Carla played title lead Rosalinda. Her popularity did quite take off from there. She went on to appear with lead and shared lead roles to forgettable projects. She does not have super hit movies but got the approval of critics an actress in her performances in My Neighbor's Wife and a Shake Rattle en Roll edition. She got nominated for that latter's one episode for her role as tutor at a funeraria, instead of Jennylyn Mercado in her full length epic drama vehicle, Rosario.

Most people may not likely remember her now as Rosalinda because she'll be most recognized as Lally in her most successful teleserye My Husband's Lover.

2. Erich Gonzales. Already a established loveteam from Katorse, Tanging Yaman and small films, Maria La Del Barrio was assigned to Enchong and Erich as adult project. This also ruled on their signature early primetime slot.

 

3. Jessy Mendiola. After appearing in string of lead roles, her network wished to put her on the next level to skyrocket her as one of the network's queens. They thought Maria Mercedes would. The series was cut short, quite unexpected because of the low ratings. She was also an upset in league of good actresses in the network.

4. Marian Rivera. Wherever the Filipinos put Thalia at Marimar's craze, that's where Marian Rivera's stature was elevated - only longer or even higher. And the rest is history.

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As the next Thalia, lead actresses were required to perform her mexican vibe in dancing.

Show us your smile Alden

He came out as Hero Angeles deadringer. I have another male star in mind and I am saving that idea to the next edition of "Celebrities who look alike".

He rose to fame with "why" in everyone's minds. His network had tons of winners from its talent searches but opted Alden as next important actor. It is not an excuse that he was eliminated in the first cut of a Starstruck's edition. Do you think he deserves the breaks? Talent wise, not bad. His acting is passable in "The Road" and few stints in drama anthologies. I think GMA might find in Alden their longest search for Dennis Trillo's match in terms of acting.

With the projects he's getting, there are lots of chances to get there. He's gone a long way from being talent search and male pageant contestant.

Actresses who could've been Beauty Queens

Pia Wurtzbach who? That's Pia Moreno's pageant name which I assume her real. If Pia Moreno does not still ring a bell, I don't blame you. There was not much she has done as an artista. That's why "member of star magic" was an appropriate description during the Binibining Pilipinas 2013 edition - no reference on being a star nor a good actress. Being Bb. Pilipinas 1st runner up could have been her most successful endeavor in the entertainment industry.

In line with it, I list down stars/actresses who could have joined the prestigious beauty contest.

1. Aiko Melendez. At young age, she was groomed to be next beauty queen primarily because of the arresting beauty. Pageant gurus thought she was too young then and had to get rid of the baby fat. She went on to become box office star and award winning actress. At the appropriate age, she was not able to get away with the fats and did not join any of the contests.

2. Assunta De Rossi. As I remember, she was already 5'9 plus when she was 14. Everyone was rooting for her to be the next showbiz beauty queen. Speculation of her joining the pageant intensified when she became identified being friends with Ruffa Gutierrez. With the height and looks, she could fit best as Ms. World representative. The downside is the doubt in her communication skills and what's between her ears. She then took the bold route which automatically discarded all her chances to join the pageant.

3. Alessandra De Rossi. The petite sister was never groom to be one. The aura is just fiecre and worthy of the list. Underwear model was the farthest that her height can get. 

4. G. Toengi. At 17, she was tasked to host that year's pageant. She was asked if she intend to join the pageant herself. She responded in the affirmative the she's just waiting to get taller. That never happened.

5. Izza Calzado. The face and the taste level put her to the next-beauty-queen portal. The problem is the body. The closest realization of that is taking the lead role in "Beauty Queen" TV series.

6. Juliana Palermo. She actually filed her application at 17 but was turned down by the organizers because she already did frontal nudity in her starring role. Bernadette Alyson also filed hers  but backed out later. She shared that she wanted to be more prepared. She started a family the year after.

7. When Ruffa Gutierrez won 1993, It was expected that other youngstars would take the same route. The frequent names mentioned are Aiko Melendez, Gelli De Belen and Carmina Villaroel.  The other names are cousins Sheryl Cruz and Sunshine Cruz. 

8. Daughters of beauty queens are also perrenial subject of next beauty queen materials such as Isabelle Daza, Nichole Andreson, Pia Pilapil. They are daughters of beauty queen Gloria Diaz, Jean Saburit and Pilar Pilapil, respectivedly. Too bad, Mara Lopez did not take the same path because of height. I assume her wit and intelligence could have gone far in Q & A.

9. Today, I can't think of possible showbiz bets to beauty pageant. It took sometime before Megan Young join but came victorious. She is a tough act to follow. Everyone is talking about the not-so-tall Wynwyn Marquez - Miss International Melanie Marquez's niece. Let see how far can she get.

If Dingdong is, who is the other King?

I"m talking about GMA's Primetime King.

For some reasons we know how to categorize Richard Gutierrez, Dennis Trillo and Dingdong Dantes, being lead artist of GMA. The second tier of leading men is not yet defined.

Aljur Abrenica. Rocco Nacino. Alden Richards. far fourth is Mark Herras.

The breaks given to these four male artist could not define who really the frontrunner is - just that Alden has taken a quite edge.