Better at preening than performing

Aging Loverboy (LA) got his start in Tinseltown playing consort to pretty young women at show biz functions and rom-com flicks. Sparks don’t always fly between LA and his lovely dates because of his much-speculated sexual preference. Just the same, LA is handsome and hunky enough to generate swoon-generated shrieks from fans.

Unfortunately, LA has another liability: He can’t act to save his life.

Bold Auteur (BA) learned this the hard way when she hired LA to act in her latest high-flying project. But it didn’t take long before BA realized that the things her well-meaning pal, another successful director, forewarned her about were pretty precise. Indeed, LA is better at preening than performing. He’s easy on the easy, but that’s about the extent of what he can offer his avid followers.

To cut her losses and quicken the shoot, BA had to extensively shorten LA’s lines, and the tack did seem to work wonders—for the film and its beleaguered leading man. In fact, LA’s many wordless scenes even made LA seem mysterious, brooding and surprisingly sexy. But the people present at the production’s difficult shoot know better.

BA and LA aren’t on speaking terms these days, often resorting to cryptic messages on social media to vent their frustrations about each other. In their case, talent and beauty make such strange bedfellows.

TOP OF THE TABLOIDS

This week’s top show biz news in the Inquirer tabloid Bandera (and why we are moved, if we are moved):

• #Lagot: Nadine Lustre binantaan ng Viva, kakasuhan kapag lumabag sa kontrata. (The woman thinks she’s always right, anyway. Let’s see who gets the last laugh.)

• Nadine lumayas sa Viva dahil sa komisyon, gustong masolo ang TF. (The more [TF], the merrier.)

• James Reid at Nadine party-party pa rin kahit hiwalay na; niloloko lang ang fans? (They have always enjoyed partying.)

• Dingdong Dantes lieutenant commander na sa Philippine Navy. (Another career for Marian’s hubby?)

• Maine Mendoza pang-special ng GMA 7; bibida naman sa Valentine episode ng #MPK. (She’s further sharpening her dramatic chops.)

• Tanong ng madlang pipol: Buntis na ba si Alex Gonzaga kaya minamadali ang kasal? (Will she also poke fun at her baby?)

• Daniel Padilla ayaw makialam sa love life ng inang si Karla Estrada: Importante masaya ang ermat ko! (Even mommas need some lovin’.)

• Kathryn Bernardo naka-1M agad sa YouTube! (KathNiel fans in action.)

• Issa Pressman sa pagiging ahas: Everything is 100 percent false! (Are the trolls convinced?)

• Barbie Forteza may banta kay Jak Roberto kapag nagpatukso sa ibang babae… (So, OK lang kung sa ibang lalaki nagpatukso?)

• Julia Barretto matindi ang galit kay Joshua Garcia, nagdedmahan sa promo ng “Block Z.” (Looks like there are a lot of people she isn’t very fond of, huh?)

• Khalil Ramos at Gabbi Garcia damay sa galit ni Julia kina Joshua at Janella Salvador; in-unfollow din sa Instagram. (See previous comment.)

• “Cupid Maja (Salvador)” magtagumpay kaya sa plano niya kina Janella at Joshua? (Paging Julia … Lagot.)

• Ariella Arida pumayag maging kabit ni Jinggoy Estrada; game na game sa halikan at love scene! (Occupational hazard?)

• Gerald Anderson hinding-hindi makakalimutan si Carlo Aquino: Sobrang na-touch ako sa ginawa niya. (Si Carlo, na-touch din?)

• Nash Aguas magaling sa pera; swerte sa negosyo at love life. (He’s probably pursuing the wrong profession…)

• Sikreto ng relasyong Xian Lim-Kim Chiu: Hindi namin hawak sa leeg ang isa’t-isa. (Uhm, OK.)

• Megan Young at Mikael Daez pinanindigan ang “intimate-fun” wedding. (Congrats, lovebirds.)

• John Lloyd Cruz ipinagpalit ni Ellen Adarna sa gwapong foreigner? (Not surprised at all. Wait till Lloydie seizes the spotlight again.)

• Payo ni Sue Ramirez: ’Wag ma-pressure magkadyowa kung hindi pa handa… (Good advice.)

• Sharon Cuneta naloko na naman sa pera: Ipagdarasal kong kunin na lang ako ni Lord… (Now even crying isn’t enough for her.)