Few celebs make it to Urian rites

ART Acuña, Best Supporting Actor. Photos by Richard Reyes

“I don’t expect to win any award. I’m proud of how I played my character in ‘Sayaw’ and happy that the critics took notice. It’s enough that I got a nomination.”

Paulo Avelino made this comment shortly before he was declared Best Actor by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino in the 35th Gawad Urian on Wednesday night at the AFP Theater in Quezon City.

Paulo won over four other nominees—Raymond Bagatsing, Tirso Cruz III, Ronnie Lazaro and Martin Escudero— for his portrayal of a college student who falls in love with his literature professor in Alvin Yapan’s “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa.”

The film bagged the most number of awards, including Best Director and Best Screenplay for Yapan and the highly coveted Best Picture.

Paulo added that he has been invited to join the cast of “Bona,” the stage adaptation of the Lino Brocka film, but he had to decline because of conflicts in his schedule. “Who wouldn’t say yes to a project like that? It’s just that I tape for (the ABS-CBN teleserye) ‘Walang Hanggan’ almost every day.”

Edgar Allan Guzman will instead play the role opposite Eugene Domingo in “Bona,” directed by Soxie Topacio.

Meanwhile, Urian Best Actress winner Maja Salvador (“Thelma”) was already crying before she made it to the stage to get her trophy. “So this is how it feels to win,” she said in Filipino. “I’ve been in show biz for 10 years … this is my first Best Actress award, at sa Urian pa nanggaling.”

LAWRENCE Fajardo for Best Editing (“Amok”)

The two-hour awards ceremony inside Camp Aguinaldo started a little past 8 p.m. There were very few celebrities present.

Best Supporting Actress winner Jean Garcia was shooting in Batangas. Actor Alwyn Uytingco, boyfriend of Jean’s daughter Jennica, accepted the award.

Solenn Heussaff, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Jun Lana’s “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” arrived late and left early with Argentinian boyfriend Nico Bolzico.

Among those who made it to the awards show were Best Supporting Actor winner Art Acuña (“Nino”), nominees Alessandra de Rossi, Shamaine Buencamino, Lilia Cuntapay, Kean Cipriano, Ronnie Lazaro and Garry Lim.

The Urian Awards, co-produced by the Film Development Council of the Philippines and Cinema One cable channel, airs June 17, 4 p.m., and June 24, 10 p.m., on Cinema One.