(From left) Liza Soberano, James Reid, Yassi Pressman. FILE PHOTOS
The month of March is not slowing down with news of James Reid and Issa Pressman’s recent date at the Harry Styles concert rekindling the old, festering issue of suspected infidelity between him and Nadine Lustre. Throw in Pressman’s sister Yassi into the mix saying all is well between her and Lustre and you got one explosive week.
Other news that made the headlines were Liza Soberano apologizing and thanking her former manager Ogie Alcasid, and to ABS-CBN; Lotlot De Leon reuniting with her biological father; and, Garie Concepcion and Michael Pangilinan expecting their first baby.
Take a look at the showbiz news that took over INQUIRER.net’s headlines from the week of March 17 to 23.
Body positivity is a must for Yassi
Screengrab of Yassi’s viral TikTok video
Yassi Pressman drew mixed reactions towards a now-viral Tiktok video of herself dancing in a revealing two-piece bikini, but this did not seem to bother the “Kurdapya” actress. “Whatever shape you may have at the moment, you should be proud of yourself and your body,” she said during a media gathering for her new TV series.
Pressman said that she has always been open about her insecurity with her body’s flaws, as well and her journey towards acceptance of herself. Now, she said that she is embracing these imperfections and she made a case for body positivity.
The actress also noted that being confident about her body is a way of empowering others to be a bit less self-conscious of their own skin.
“I’m 27 years old now, and I’m proud of my body… of what I have been through. I try to make women more aware of our diversity and hopefully make us all a little bit less self-conscious,” she said.
READ: Yassi Pressman on viral bikini video: At least I didn’t take my clothes off
‘Sorry, thank you’
Liza Soberano. Image: screengrab from YouTube/GMA Network
After receiving backlash on her revelations about her career with ABS-CBN, Liza Soberano said sorry to her previous network, her former manager Ogie Diaz, and boyfriend, Enrique Gil. She also thanked Diaz and her former network for “taking a chance” on her, and for guiding her in the early stages of her showbiz career.
Days after her two-part interview with Boy Abunda was aired, Soberano admitted that she may have hurt some people with what she said in her vlog about being typecast and not having a voice in her career. She also recently claimed that she was only receiving 30 percent of her earnings due to commissions.
The “Bagani” star was asked about what she wanted to say to Diaz, who issued various clarifications about their former manager-talent relationship on social media and his official YouTube channel.
“To Tito Ogie [Diaz], I would like to say sorry if I hurt his feelings through my [This is Me] vlog, and I would say thank you for everything that I have, everything that I know, and everything that I achieved [as an actress] through his help,” she replied.
Diaz, in responding to Soberano’s claims, earlier pointed out that the actress was able to get 63 percent of her talent fee because he was only entitled to 20 percent commission, while Star Magic got 10 percent. He said that the actress’ aunt and road manager Jonilyn “Joni” Castillo was receiving seven percent of Soberano’s 70 percent income.
During the interview, Soberano also said that she has always considered ABS-CBN as her “second home” when asked about the reaction of some network executives who were miffed by her controversial vlog, with some calling her out for being “ungrateful.”
“You know ABS-CBN was always my second home. I have devoted so many years to them, and I’m also sorry again to them if there were people that I’ve worked with closely that were offended by some of the things I’ve said in my vlog. It was not my intention,” she said.
“They know this. I’m thankful for them for taking a risk on me when I was a nobody, for investing in me, developing me, and for creating Liza Soberano. Thank you also for being so understanding when I decided to not renew with them,” she added.
The actress also said sorry to her boyfriend, actor Enrique Gil, for “not being able to see his struggle” with her career direction.
Soberano and Gil were known as the popular love team LizQuen before they brought their relationship to a personal level and became real-life sweethearts, which was confirmed at an episode of the now-defunct talk show “Gandang Gabi Vice.”
READ: ‘Sorry, thank you,’ Liza Soberano tells ABS-CBN, Ogie Diaz, Enrique Gil
Nancy McDonie gets dragged into the James-Issa drama
Nancy McDonie of Momoland. Image from Instagram /@nancyjewel_mcdonie_
Eagle-eyed netizens speculated that former Momoland member Nancy McDonie, who was once linked to James Reid, is no longer following him on Instagram, although fans appeared to have pointed out that she unfollowed a lot of people after signing with her new agency Aria Group earlier this month.
“Excuse me, matagal [nang] hindi finafollow ni Nancy si James since [nag-rebranding] siya. You always drag nancy’s name eh wala naman syang kinalaman sa Issa-James issue. FREE NANCY,” one @MerrieSquadPH said on Twitter. (Excuse me, Nancy hasn’t been following James for quite some time since she rebranded. You always drag Nancy’s name even if she has nothing to do with the Issa-James issue. Free Nancy.)
On the other hand, the “u & i” singer is still following the former Momoland member on the social media app, as of this writing.
James Reid and Issa Pressman. Image: Instagram/@pressmanissa
It can be recalled that Reid set the internet ablaze with a seeming confirmation of his relationship with Issa Pressman after posting a series of photos during Harry Styles “Love on Tour” concert at the Philippine Arena.
The rumored couple, who were previously plagued with cheating rumors in 2020 following the “Till I Met You” star’s breakup from his former reel-to-real partner Nadine Lustre, seem to indeed be in a relationship when Issa’s sister, actress Yassi Pressman, admitted that she was taken aback with their confirmation.
READ: Momoland’s Nancy McDonie unfollows James Reid, as old video of Nadine Lustre, Iza Calzado resurfaces
Lotlot reunites with her biological father
Donald Lee Olson and Lotlot de Leon. Image: Instagram/@ms.lotlotdeleon
Days before her 51st birthday, Lotlot de Leon appeared to have had an early celebration as she was able to spend quality time with her biological father, Donald Lee Olson, in Zambales.
Lotlot showed snippets of her reunion with her dad, who is based in the United States, via a series of posts on her Instagram page last March 21. In her caption, the actress recalled how she knew she had been adopted and how she had reached out to Donald to meet him.
“As far back as I can remember, I already knew I was adopted, not because of my parents but because of people around my mama Guy and daddy Boyet,” she said, referring to her adoptive parents, veteran actors Nora Aunor and Christopher de Leon. “Didn’t know what it meant before until my mom sat with me one day and explained.”
“She said the difference between me and Ian was that my brother came from her stomach, I was a gift from above. (Mom pointing at Mama Mary the statue.),” she continued.
Lotlot recalled crying for hours after hearing these, not because she did not know her biological parents, but because she loved Aunor so dearly that the younger actress wanted to be Aunor and Christopher’s real child.
Lotlot said she never felt any ill feelings toward her biological parents and that she was just curious about their identities. She then narrated that she started searching for her dad after an individual, who claimed they knew the actress when she was a baby, approached her while she was in Olongapo.
READ: Lotlot de Leon reunites with biological father: ‘I’m grateful in many ways’
Michael and Garie are now parents
Garie Concepcion and Michael Pangilinan. Image: Instagram/@garie_concepcion
Garie Concepcion, daughter of seasoned actor Gabby Concepcion, announced that she is expecting her first child with partner, singer Michael Pangilinan.
Garie made the announcement through a video on her Instagram page last March 5, as she noted that she is already in her third trimester of pregnancy. She also spoke about the struggles she has been through lately, which she considers as God’s way of redirecting her life for the better.
Garie expressed her excitement for the “biggest role of [her], disclosing that she is expecting to give birth in May 2023.
“An adventure I know will change me and my life forever. Out of all the surprises that life has thrown at me, this by far is the best one yet. You came to us at the most unexpected time but you were the greatest gift that mommy and daddy can ever receive. Thank you for choosing us to be your parents… See you in a few months baby bean! Coming soon this May 2023.” she added. EDV
READ: Garie Concepcion expecting first child with Michael Pangilinan