Lovi Poe
There are two subjects that GMA 7 actress Lovi Poe would rather not discuss: her father, the late action king Fernando Poe Jr., and politics.
But recently, her dad was in the news again when the move to declare him as the true winner of the 2004 presidential race gained momentum, in light of recent disclosures of alleged electoral cheating.
“I’m not in a position to talk about that. There are people who are infinitely more qualified… but I believe in what is right,” Lovi told Inquirer Entertainment.
She trusts that the truth will prevail in the end. “As his daughter,” she added, “I will always be on his side.”
In the past, Lovi said, she had declined to speak about her relationship with FPJ in deference to his first family. “That was my personal choice,” she said. “I thought a lot of people might get affected. It was best to keep it private.”
But she knew it was just a matter of time before she did. “I am inspired by his legacy,” said Lovi. “I hear only good stories about him. He was well-respected in the movie industry.”
Favorite FPJ film
Her favorite FPJ film, by the way, is “Perlas ng Silangan.” “He was so handsome, and Susan Roces so beautiful, in their prime.”
Although she was abroad for a shoot during his dad’s birthday on Aug. 20, she made it a point upon her return to visit his grave at the North Cemetery.
How she wished he had been around to see that three award-giving bodies had proclaimed her best actress, that she received glowing reviews for her work on “Joey Gosiengfiao’s Temptation Island,” and that she continues to do well in her television work (on GMA 7, with the recently concluded “Captain Barbell” and “Party Pilipinas”).
She would rather not hog all the credit, though she was singled out by critics as the scene-stealer among the “Temptation” girls. “We were all good; I just had the craziest role,” she explained.
Also, she would rather not comment on the controversies that plagued the set of that movie, and the feud that erupted between costars Marian Rivera and Heart Evangelista. “I’d like to think that we’re all friends,” she said. “I don’t listen to intrigues. What’s important is that I know the truth.”
She categorically denied a reported rivalry with her “My Neighbor’s Wife” costar and fellow Kapuso Carla Abellana. “I’m not the type who would compete with others. In any case, I hate drama. It’s enough that I do drama scenes at work,” Lovi said.
Lovi is currently working on a horror flick, Jerrold Tarog’s “Aswang,” with Dingdong Dantes. She is confident that their steamy scenes will not upset Marian, Dingdong’s girlfriend. “She knows it’s just work,” Lovi said.
E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com