Cherie Gil wants musical to stop using her iconic line

Actress Cherie Gil claims the iconic movie line, “You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!” is her intellectual property. INQUIRER PHOTO

Actress Cherie Gil wants the producers of “Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical” to stop using her iconic line onstage.

Lorna Kapunan, Gil’s counsel, told INQUIRER.net that she sent a cease and desist letter to Viva Films and Resorts World Manila asking the musical to not use the line “You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat.”

The line, Gil claims, is her intellectual property. She uttered the line in the hit 1985 Viva-produced film where she portrayed the role of Lavinia Arguelles alongside Sharon Cuneta as Dorina Pineda.

“We sent the cease and desist letter to protect Cherie’s rights to the iconic ‘copycat’ slogan she claims she created,” Kapunan told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

The lawyer said the letter did not contain instructions to sue Viva Films and Resorts World Manila.

In an interview with BusinessWorld in February, the actress claimed she delivered the line on the spot, adding she did not want to repeat the scene where she would throw wine on Sharon Cuneta’s face. “It wasn’t even in the script,” Gil said.

However, the claim of the actress was discredited by the film’s director Emmanuel Borlaza. The 80-year-old director claimed it was him who came up with the line considered one of the most memorable in Philippine cinema.

“Kahit ilibing nila ako bukas nang buhay, iyon ang katotohanan (Even if they bury me today, that is the truth),” Borlaza was quoted in a Pep.PH report.

‘I would not like to be a copycat’

Cris Villonco, the actress reprising Gil’s role in the musical, said she would still be using the line because there was no court order against it.

“I was told that as long as there is no court order [I can use the line]. I know that it was a cease and desist notice. I will continue to say the famous line on Thursday until Saturday night,” Villonco was quoted in a Pep.PH report released on Tuesday.

She said that while she was going to continue using the iconic movie line, she made sure that she put her spin on it.

“I’ve really decided to do a different take on Lavinia also because I don’t want to imitate the work of others, which is also an iconic role for her (Gil),” the 31-year-old stage and television actress said.

“I would not like to be a copycat. I would like to be original,” she maintained.

“Bituing Walang Ningning” is a popular komiks series penned by Nerissa Cabral which is adapted to a movie; a teleserye starring Sarah Geronimo and Angelika de la Cruz, and now a musical.

The “Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical” features Mark Bautista as Niko Escobar, Villonco as Lavinia Arguelles and Monica Cuenco as Dorina Pineda. Its gala night was held on June 17.

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