Video by Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net
“To each his own. We should just respect other people’s opinions,” said actress-TV host Anne Curtis when asked for her advice on how to handle online bashers. Anne is one of the most “followed” users on the micro-blogging site Twitter, with a little over three million people reading her every post.
“With all that I went through as a show biz personality, I don’t get affected by negative comments anymore. I’ve come to accept that it’s part of my work,” said Anne, also one of the country’s top female product endorsers. “In the beginning, I would feel hurt, then angry, but I just ignore the haters now. There were times when the comments were so far out and silly that I’d just laugh them off.”
Anne’s attention is currently focused on helping her loved ones, “who are new in the industry and who are just starting to learn how to cope with bashers,” she said. “I hope that netizens, especially with what’s happening (to young celebrities) these days, will soon realize that it’s not cool to bash other people.”
Disappointment
At the recent launch of Xeleb, the country’s first celebrity mobile games company, the 30-year-old actress was asked to react to a Twitter comment made by fellow ABS-CBN contract artist Rhap Salazar who expressed disappointment at artists who lip-sync in their performances. The young talent said lip-syncing was an insult to other professional singers who remain true to their craft.
ANNE Curtis (right) and Isabelle Daza are principal shareholders of new company.
“I don’t lip-sync, and people know that,” said the host of the noontime game show “It’s Showtime” on ABS-CBN. “I don’t claim [that] I’m a singer. I do this because I want to entertain people. To others like me, try not to feel hurt or get affected—this is part of your job as an entertainer. It’s different if you proclaim yourself a singer when you know for a fact that you’re not—people will surely get offended by that.”
Anne’s second solo concert last year, “The Forbidden Concert: Annekapal,” was much-hyped. She is currently working on her self-produced album, which is also set for release this year. “The year has been very fruitful,” she said. “I’m also excited about this new company that I’ve put up with my friends and Erwan (Heussaff, her boyfriend).”
Anne and Erwan are principal shareholders of Xeleb, along with TV host Kim Atienza and actress Isabelle Daza. A subsidiary of Xurpas Inc., Xeleb was formed to “create, define and lead celebrity game space in the country.” Raymond Racaza is its president and CEO.
At its grand launch held at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati City, Anne introduced “Anne Galing,” a Match-3 game that she designed herself. Now available on Google Play, the game allows players to shop for digital clothes, build a wardrobe and personalize Anne’s in-game outfits.
Supervisor
THE ACTRESS’ chose her game character’s outfits.
“It’s the first of many branded games for Xeleb,” said Anne. “A lot is being developed right now, even for Erwan, Isabelle and Kuya Kim. We really worked hard on perfecting ‘Anne Galing.’ I would go to our office to supervise the game’s design. I made sure the character really looks like me. I also helped choose the clothes. We made sure the outfits would suit my style. While you’re playing, I will say: ‘Ang galing!’ ‘Malapit na!’ or ‘Hello, madlang people!’”
Erwan was spotted with Anne’s dad, James Ernest Curtis Smith, at the event. Reporters asked the actress about her plans to settle down with the food blogger and restaurateur, whom she has been dating since 2011.
“This is how far our partnership will go, for now,” she quipped. “We both refuse to be pressured to get married just because our friends are doing it. That will eventually come. If we start having wedding gowns as choices for the shopping game in ‘Anne Galing,’ then maybe that’s a sign.”