Comments, suggestions boost stars’ 2018 prospects

Aga Muhlach (left) and Sharon Cuneta

Our recent column on fighting and feuding show biz families got appreciative and empathetic feedback from readers, some of whom said it helped them decide to patch things up with their own families, even if they weren’t in show business.

They agreed that the toughest step of all was to decide to humbly apologize, even if they weren’t the cause of intersibling or intrafamilial rift—but, as promised, they felt really good afterwards.

It’s also heartening to note that one of the family feuds we cited has already been salved and solved.

It’s the rift between Diego Loyzaga and his dad, Cesar Montano, who are now talking to each other and went out of their way to wish one another the best last Yuletide season, and for 2018.

Yes, mutual forgiveness is achievable and deeply beneficial, so let’s do it, even if it hurts. Because, after all is said and done, family is what matters.

‘Feisty’ offerings

Our column on “feisty” 2018 TV-film show biz offerings similarly attracted follow-up comments and suggestions, like new films for the stellar likes of Bea Alonzo and Gerald Anderson, whose “chemistry” is deemed by some fans to “deserve” showcasing.

Another reader notes that Sharon Cuneta’s successful comeback to the big screen should finally include her much-anticipated and delayed reunion flick with ex-hubby Gabby Concepcion.

Given their tumultuous love story, it could become the biggest blockbuster of them all.

As for the “still missing” Aga Muhlach, a reader believes that he’s lost enough weight to be deemed “ready for his close-up” and big comeback showcase.

But, the Aga supporter disagrees that it should be a “reunion” pairing with one of his screen “exes.” Instead, he should topbill a meaningful and highly charged family drama.

Feedback

More feedback: Seeing double, triple or even quintuple onscreen is no big deal, according to a film buff, because many productions have gone the “manyer is merrier” route.

On the global screen, the big, bountiful champion is “The Lavender Hill Mob,” in which Alec Guinness essayed more than 10 different look-alike characters, of both sexes, with great flair and panache.

But, the film buff warns that playing double or multiple roles should be attempted only by topnotch veteran actors, because it takes much more than just radically changing looks and vocal pitch levels.

A negative sample cited is the TV soap, “Impostora,” in which the same actress portrays look-alike personas—but with minimal and insufficient “degree of separation.”

Stars who would do better in multiple-character screen showcases include Zsa Zsa Padilla, Ronaldo Valdez and Denise Laurel, who are versatile, because they implicitly understand that “capturing” and portraying a character lies in understanding what makes him innately and uniquely different from other people, including his look-alikes.

Technical and physical adjustments can be helpful, but the key factor is the actor’s emotional and psychological understanding of what makes his assigned character(s) differingly tick.