Showbiz Chika

Isang malungkot na balita para sa showbiz industry dahil sa pagpanaw ng 18-anyos na aktor na si AJ Perez o Antonello Joseph Perez sa totoong buhay, dahil sa isang aksidente na naganap noong gabi ng April 16 dakong alas-11:45 ng gabi. Galing ang batang aktor sa sa Pangasinan para sa Kapamilya Caravan dahil sa Bangus Festival sa nasabing probinsiya. Kasama ng aktor ang kanyang ama, dalawang road managers, isang event marshall at ang driver.

Ayon sa report, binabagtas ng grupo ni AJ na nakasakay sa ABS-CBN van ang national highway sa Rosales, Pangasinan nang mag-overtake ang kanilang van ng isang trak. Subalit pagka-overtake ay may kasalubong palang isang bus at tumama ito sa kaliwang bahagi ng van kung saan nakapuwesto ang aktor. Natutulog daw ang aktor nang maganap ang aksidente. Bukod sa aktor, wala naman ibang nasawi at hindi naman naging matindi ang pinsala ang natamo ng ibang kasamahan niya.

Nang isugod daw sa pinakamalapit na pagamutan ang grupo sa may Paniqui, Tarlac, sinubukan pa raw i-revive si AJ subalit idineklara na siyang dead on arrival dahil sa multiple head injury. Ang mga labi ng aktor ay nasa La Salle Greenhills, San Juan kung saan siya nag-aral. Recently ay naka-graduate na ang binatilyo sa high school at nag-celebrate ng kanyang birthday last February.

Naglabas ng official statement ang ABS-CBN bilang pakikiramay sa pamilya ng aktor at patuloy na tumutulong sa kanila. "Kapamilya talent AJ Perez passed away early this morning after being rushed to a hospital in Tarlac. Together with his father, two road managers, a driver and an event marshal, they met a vehicular accident on their way back to Manila after a provincial show. ABS-CBN symphatizes with AJ's family on his untimely demise and urges everyone to pray for the eternal repose of AJ's soul and for the family and loved ones he left behind."

Nagbigay din ang head ng Star Magic na si Mr. Johnny Manahan ng kanyang pahayag ukol sa trahedya. “AJ’s death comes as a shock to all of us. We are saddened that he was cut down at such a tender age. We share the deep felt sorrow of his family and we will miss him.”

Samantala matapos ang show nina AJ sa Pangasinan ay nagawa pa ng The Buzz na makapanayam ang binata ilang oras bago mangyari ang aksidente. Kuwento pa ng aktor, may upcoming Maalaala Mo Kaya episode siya na ipapalabas sa katapusan ng Abril. “Kuwento (ito) ng dalawang magkapatid and ‘yung bond nila. Kuwento ng pagmamahal sa isat-isa at ‘yung struggle nila from having to move from Manila all the way to Samar,” anang binata sa panayam.

Nagbahagi pa nga ng pasasalamat si AJ sa mga fans na patuloy na sumusuporta sa kanya at sinabing sa pamamagitan ng ilang social networking sites ay nagri-reach out siya sa mga ito. Nang pauwi pa nga si AJ ay nagawa pa niyang mag-tweet ng mensahe sa kanyang Twitter account, na magiging huling mensahe pala niya. “On the way home already from Dagupan. Long drive ahead. Thanks to everybody who watched.”

Sobrang apektado naman si Jessy Mendiola sa pagpanaw ni AJ. Nagkatrabaho ang dalawa sa teleseryeng Sabel at naging close. Sa panayam ni Jessy ay sinabi niyang hindi siya makapaniwala na wala na ang dating leading man niya. “Nakita ko lang siya nung isang araw ang saya-saya namin tapos wala na siya,” ma-emosyunal na  pahayag ng aktres. “Sobrang puro good words lang meron siya para sa akin. Ine-expect namin anytime dadaan siya, maghe-hello, magha-hi, magsi-smile sa amin. Parang ang hirap lang tanggapin na wala siya,” naiiyak na pahayag ni Jessy. “Pare, sana maging masaya ka na d’yan. Mahal na mahal ka namin at mami-miss ka namin sobra.”

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Fresh from the success of the teleserye Sabel, AJ Perez gears up for the launching movie of the stars of the hit primetime drama Mara Clara: Kathryn Bernardo, Julia Montes, and Albie Casiño. The movie will be directed by box office director Cathy Garcia Molina and will start shooting this April.

 Push.com.ph interviewed AJ during the story conference for this new movie, and he shared that he is very excited to be working with Kathryn, Julia, and Albie. “Napapanood ko sila minsan. Hindi ko rin masubaybayan ‘yung show nila as much as I want to kasi busy rin ako sa taping ng Sabel. Nagagalingan ako kina Kathryn at Julia. This will be the launching movie of the three Mara Clara stars and including me. I hope this will be very successful.”

AJ added that he feels honored to have been chosen to be a part of this project given the huge following that the three stars have earned because of the success of Mara Clara. “Alam naman nating lahat na maraming fans ang Mara Clara so I feel honored to be working with them kasi magagaling sila. Sina mag-blend kami ng mabuti. I’ll do my best.”

It turned out that AJ and Albie have been friends for a long time now. The two go to the same school where they have a common circle of friends. “We have our group of friends sa school so we all go out together or sometimes eat together. Matagal ko na ‘yang kilala. Mas nauna lang ako mag-showbiz pero halos magka-age kami. Two years pa lang siya sa showbiz pero nakikita kong ang laki na ng improvement niya.”

AJ also shared his feelings about working with Direk Cathy whom he has worked with on a teleserye. The actor said that he hopes Direk Cathy’s success streak will continue with this movie project. “Alam naman nating lahat ang credentials ni Direk Cathy, lahat ng big stars na nakatrabaho niya. Kami na yata ang youngest na makaka-work niya. Hopefully coming from the recent success of our respective teleseryes, this will be a new experience for all of us. She told us na mahalin ‘yung trabaho namin and she will love us back.”

After graduating from teeny-bopper roles and venturing into more mature portrayals in Sabel, AJ said that he hopes this new film project will enable him to showcase a different side of himself as an actor. “Marami na rin akong experience in the six years that I’ve been in showbiz. Patuloy pa rin ako sa pagre-research every time may bagong role na ibibigay sa akin. I prepare myself. I give my all. I believe in the saying that ‘You’re only as good as your last show.’ So ako I try to make it a point to always bring something new to the table.”

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During the story conference for their upcoming movie with Star Cinema, Julia Montes admitted that she’s thrilled to work with Star Magic cutie AJ Perez together with her Mara Clara co-stars Kathryn Bernardo and Albie Casiño. “Si AJ po kasi from Star Magic so nagkaka-work din po sila ni Albie sa ASAP. So okay naman po na naging part siya ng movie kasi siyempre ito din yung chance para makilala din namin siya kasi ASAP lang kami nagkikita. Kami naman nila Kathryn sobrang nagpapasalamat kasi nagbunga po yung hard work ng buong team ng Mara Clara. Although mas malaki yung expectations ng tao kasi movie na yun, may pressure pero mas nangingibabaw yung gratitude and excitement namin,” said the Fil-German actress in an interview with ABS-CBN reporters last March 9.

When asked if she misses her on screen partner John Manalo who won’t be in the movie, Julia explained that it’s the management’s decision to pair her up with other young actors at this point in her career. “Paano ba? Siguro kasi siyempre hindi naman po natin masasabi na lagi kaming magkasama. Kung ano man yung plans ng management, sinusunod lang naman namin dahil siyempre sila ang mas nakakaalam what’s best for us.” Julia also quipped that at least she’d be able to wear high heels this time around. “Hindi, kasi ‘pag nakita mo naman talaga si AJ, matangkad naman po talaga. Wala naman po ako anything against kay John. And sa Mara Clara flats lang po [talaga ang suot ko] kasi young pa rin ang role.”

Julia further shared that she’s really happy with the success of her current teleserye even though she gets a lot of negative feedback from fans because of her kontrabida role. “I don’t take it in a negative way. Kasi kapag ganon sila, hindi naman sila nananakit. Sinasabi lang nila, ‘Grabe super affected ako sa pagiging kontrabida mo. Naiinis ako sa’ yo. As in gusto ko suntukin yung TV.’ Pero one time, nasa UP kaming magkakaibigan, bumibili kami ng isaw dun, tapos may bata, maliit lang siya, hinila lang niya ng konti yung damit ko, tapos sabi niya, ‘Bakit mo naman inaaway si Mara?’ Tapos parang ako, hala! Bata pa siya ganon na siya mag-react. So sabi ko sa bata, ‘Ay, mabait ako sa totoo! Si ate Julia na ako, hindi na ako si Clara, sa TV lang yun,’” she said in between laughs.

Since she’s also active on Twitter, Julia added that some of Kathryn’s fans would post hate tweets against her, but most of the comments are related to the show and not to her as a person. In fact, Julia has more followers than Kathryn to date, and a lot of them either want to send her gifts or to personally meet her. “Yung ibang supporters ni Mara na nagagalit kay Clara [minsan nang-aaway sa Twitter]. Pero ang advantage naman nun pwede kami mag-thank you sa patuloy nilang pagsuporta sa show. Yun ang way namin na makausap sila kasi hindi naman lahat mae-encounter namin.”

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As the teleserye Sabel ends this week, AJ Perez said he will miss everyone from the show, most especially his leading lady Jessy Mendiola. “Mami-miss ko siya kasi every scene namin sa Sabel was memorable. Masasabi ko na dito ako natuto, nahasa sa pag-arte. Malaking bahagi nun si Jessy at si Joseph (Marco). Itong Sabel parang malaking workshop para sa aming tatlo. I’ll miss the both of them. I’m proud to have worked with them.”

AJ was asked if within the months of taping Sabel he developed special feelings for Jessy, he admitted getting physically attracted to her whom he had know prior to working together in the teleserye. “Siyempre every time I see Jessy, parang…‘Wow! Ang ganda ni Jessy. It’s hard not to like Jessy. She’s a good friend of mine. She’s very beautiful, matalino, napakagaling umarte. It’s an honor to be one of her leading men.”

But when it comes to the possibility of actually falling in love and courting Jessy, AJ explained that he would rather let time decide. “I’m not closing my doors. I just hope if ever liligawan ko si Jessy, sana tanggapin niya ako. Pero nakikita ko ngayon she’s more focused sa work, and ako rin. May studies pa ako. We have priorities. Love life siguro can wait.”

For now AJ said that he is very much proud to see Jessy having been elevated to drama princess status because of the success of Sabel. “Jessy is very professional. Alam niya kung kailangan magtatrabaho, kung anong eksena ang kailangan ng heavy emotions and drama. Kapag malapit na mag-take nagiiba na ‘yung personality niya because she wants to give all of her dun sa eksena. Matagal ko na siyang kilala pero now that because of Sabel I’m seeing her as the next leading lady, the next big thing. Sobrang ang laki ng improvement niya. I’m proud as a friend.”

The actor was very thankful for Sabel for having had the chance to finally play a leading man role. As much as he wanted to still work with Jessy on his next project after Sabel, AJ said he knows he also needs to work with other stars so he can widen his range as an actor. “As artists we have to face the fact that we have to follow our own career paths and we have to grow rin. So we have to work with different actors, different directors para ma-hone ‘yung craft namin as an artista.”

Though because of his youthful and sweet face he usually play “good boy” roles, AJ shared that he is also open to trying out being bad on screen. “As much as possible gusto ko iba ibang roles ang ginagawa ko. Ayokong ma-typecast. Ayoko naman sa next project ko, pari na naman ang role ko, yung sobrang bait na totoy ang dating. I want to experiment, explore.”

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