Dennis Trillo, from gay lover to stern healer

THE ACTOR understands the struggles that doctors go through thanks to the new role.

In the eyes of fans, Gilas Pilipinas did not exactly lose—the team will always be a winner. Bravo for giving it their all!

During Gilas’ match versus Puerto Rico, James Yap and I were chatting through Viber. He was in Italy, and since he wasn’t watching the game, he asked me to give updates. It was fun to act like a Fiba commentator as I kept James posted about the score, the fouls, the ball possession, the turnovers,  etc.

When the game was tied during the last two minutes, I teased James that he should be fielded in because it’s crunch time. When I told him that Gilas lost, he replied, “Sayang!” But he believes that Gilas has a big chance of winning in the Asian Games in Korea. So do I.

Gilas is just warming up. Watch out, world!

Dennis: Dad and doc

After making us marvel at the power of gay love in  “My Husband’s Lover (MHL),” Dennis Trillo is out to show us a different kind of affection in “Sa Puso ni Dok.” (Sundays on GMA 7 after “Kapuso Mo, Jessica”). He portrays a stern but heroic doctor in a remote barrio.

Many women (and gays) have an acute case of “Denstrillonitis.” Let Doc Dennis work wonders!

After MHL, do you feel pressured to outdo yourself?

Of course, the pressure is always there. We may not surpass the popularity of MHL, but having this in mind, I always think of pressure as a challenge. It serves as a reminder to always improve myself.

If you were a doctor, what would you specialize in?

Maybe a pediatrician.

Tell us about your son.

Calix is turning 7 this month. He is now in Grade 2 and is in section A.

What has your show taught you about  doctors?

Being a doctor is not easy nor is it a glamorous job. It opened my eyes to the different problems rural doctors are dealing with.

What state is your heart in right now?

No time for dating. So I guess my heart is on “pause” mode.

Grateful Piolo

What a pleasant surprise it was to receive a text message from Piolo Pascual. He thanked me for  featuring him in this column. I found this part of his message so cute: “I hope you don’t mind that I got your number from Miss Pat-P (Daza).”

It’s not every day that stars of Piolo’s stature would find time in their frenzied schedule to say thank you for a writeup. There’s still room for gratitude in Papa P’s heart.

A ‘B’ for ‘Gifted’

We gave Viva Films’ “The Gifted” a grade of B at the Cinema Evaluation Board. Anne Curtis and Cristine Reyes’ lines  are powerful, “Facebook status” material. The transformations of Anne’s character from an obese nerd to a femme fatale, and Cristine’s character from a pimply geek to a drop-dead gorgeous teacher, are fine examples of women empowerment.

Director Chris Martinez talks about the movie:

Why should we watch “The Gifted”?

It’s a fun, wicked and sexy movie!

Share some interesting sidelights during the shoot.

It took us a long time to finish because all my actors are so in demand. They all have TV shows. I was able to finish two films between shoots. It was also a good thing that we didn’t rush and made sure it came  out polished.

How did Anne adjust to the fat suit?

Anne had to endure five hours of prosthetics work. The prosthetics can only be worn for two hours since it will sag because of the sweat and heat. So we really had to act fast and plan the shots properly.

What are the strengths of Anne, Sam and Cristine as actors?

Anne has amazing chemistry with Sam. I have not seen their past movies so the first time I shot them in a scene together I told myself, “’Yun pala ang magic nila kapag magkasama.” Anne and Cristine naman, tried and tested na ’yan kasi I watched “No Other Woman” and saw how they ignited the screen when they’re in a scene together. Overall, I am thankful that I worked with the hottest, most cooperative actors today.