Feature Article:
JOLINA: JUST WANNA
HAVE FUN
Star Quality
When Jolina Magdangal first broke out
in the local showbiz scene, in Ang TV specifically, you could say it
was an explosion of colors.
The gal had the charming audacity of a
Katy dela Cruz, the diminutive wallop of a Nora Aunor, and the
wickedly retro fashion sense of D'Sensations and the Apat
na Sikat combined.
That the girl, in her rainbow bright
costumes, is a standout, is self-evident.
Aside from being a future answer in a
Pinoy crossword puzzle, her name has also become synonymous with
everything colorful, sprightly and fun.
Claim to Fame
But there is more to Jolina than her
kaleidoscope fashion sense.
You have to admit, beyond the
outré and outrageous costumes is a fiercely disciplined and
abundantly gifted performer.
And she has the gold records on the
mantle to prove our point.
Since her debut outing (A Wish Comes
True), she has notched a handful of industry awards for her
recordings.
Between Wish and her eponymous second
album Jolina, the young gal judiciously honed her pipes and
strengthened her fan base with a slew of soundtrack albums.
The soundtracks of Flames the Movie
(triple platinum), Labs Kita, Okey Ka Lang (double platinum), and
Gimik the Reunion (gold) were all certified chartbusters.
Her latest album, with two hit
siinngles ("Laging Tapat" and "Paper Roses"), is
also zoomiing into the stratosphere, out of double-platinum territory.
Moment of Glory
Aside from gold records, Jolina
also has a string of box-office flicks to her name.
Since her loveteam with Marvin Agustin
was introduced in Flames the Movie, the youthful paiir has made a trio
of hits: Kung Ayaw Mo, Huwag Mo (with Maricel Soriano and William
Martinez), Labs Kita, Okey Ka Lang, and Gimik the Reunion.
Their big project as a tandem, Labs
Kita, was such a blockbuster that when it was reissued recently,
loyal Marvin-Jolina fans still trooped to the moviehouse.
When the same teen flick was premiered
on cable, the Sky's Pinoy channel was reportedly deludged with ads.
No big surprise there. Jolina
alone can assure the beann counters at ABS-CBN at least three ads: for
Avon (Teen Scents), AMA Computer School and Zest-O juice drink.
Heard through the
grapevine
Noticing Jolina's marketability, the
big bosses of ABS-CBN promptly offered her the chance to headline the
network's new soap opera.
With the working title, Labs Ko Si
Babe, the new soap, Star Network insiders assert, will be as sudsy as
Mara Clara, Esperanza, Mula Sa Puso and Saan Ka Man Naroroon.
Jolina, however, will be bringing into the soap her own quirky,
one-of-a-kind charm.
Which could mean almost anything?
Jolina's soap, the network's
drumbeaters claim, is "something different and traditional,
conservative and unique at the same time."
Go figure.
Here and Now
Jolina, as busy as a bee, is also as
frugal and prudent as an ant about career matters.
Because of the daily soap, she is
planning to keep the Sunday noontime musical ASAP and give up the
Sunday night sitcom, Richard Loves Lucy.
"It's advisable for a talent to
have only two shows," Jolina quips, "so as not to get
overexposed."
Good decision because, aside from the
small screen, Jolina can also be seen on the big silver screen.
In the can is the dramedy Hey Babe--her
reunion movie with Marvin, where she plays a lonely, lovelorn
astrology fanatic.
"Hopefully, it will be shown by
August," Jolina crosses her fingers.
Also in the works are possible
pairings with action heroes Robin Padilla and Rudy Fernandez.
Future Perfect
Ably guided by her parents (her father
Jun, a former Coke marketing man, and her mother Paulette, a former
Land Bank exec), Jolina's future seems as rainbow-bright as her
clothes and hair accessories.
Little Miss M., in fact, has parlayed
her showbiz fame into a burgeoning boutique business.
From the main store in Project 6,
Quezon City, Jolina's Fashion Gallery has expanded, with a branch at
the Gaisano Country Mall in Cebu City, and franchise outlets in Los
Banos (Laguna), Meycauayan (Bulacan), Cabanatuan (Nueva Ecija) and
General Sanntos (South Cotobato).
"We're targetting ten outlets by
the end of the year," Jolina states like an astute
businesswoman. There is also an offer to set up shop in San
Francisco, California.
Gasp.
Is Jolina aiming for world domination?
Let a hundred Jolina clones boom in the
Bay not only in Laguna Bay but San Francisco Bay.
1. What was your last birthday
like?
I celebrated it at home (November 6),
I felt bad because I had a concert in Isabela the following day, so
I had to sleep early that night. I just had pansit and
spaghetti with family and friends.
2. Who was your first crush?
First love?
I've already forgotten his name, but
I could still remember his face. He was my classmate in Grade
2 in Sienna. I remember wanting to bring home the apple
ornament he put on the Christmas tree in our classroom. Among
showbiz personalities, it's Aga Muhlach, of course.
3.
Who was the first to make you cry/break your heart?
I think it was my first suitor.
Parang MU-MU na kami. But he suddenly had to leave for the
States. On the day of his flight, he rode a bike to school,
just to say good-bye. But I haven't seen or heard from him
since. Feeling ko nga may anak na siya!
4. What's the most stupid
thing you ever did for love?
Magpakabulag. My friends
were telling me: "You're so stupid, you can't see
what he is doing to you? Kawawa ka naman." Still, I ignored
them. I didn't listen. Fortunately, there was
something inside me that allowed me to hold back.
5.
When was the last time you splurged? What did you buy?
I'm not like that. I find it
hard to spend if the money comes from my pocket. But if it's
from my mom, okay lang! I guess my last shopping spree was in Hong
Kong in '96 or '97. I bought all sorts of stuff: ten pairs of
shoes. Clogs. Printed, hippie, weird shoes.
6.
How do you manage stress?
I just listen to musiic. I find
it soothing. Or I invite my friends for lunch, merienda or
dinner. We just talk. In that way, I am able to release
all my fears and doubts. Or I make telebabad.
7. How do you keep
fit, look beautiful?
I don't diet. Siguro, mabilis
ang metabolism ko. After gaining weight, all I need to do is
stay up late and I start losing weight na naman. I just
exercise regularly. I do crunches, sit-ups every night.
As for my beauty regimen...I don't
sleep with makeup on. Even when I am super tired, I still make
it a point to wash my face. When I notice that my skin is dry, I use
a moisturizer.
8.
What makes you happy?
I am so mababaw. Simple things
make me happy. Like having a good chat, meeting someone who is
sincere, and eating fishballs!
9. What provokes your anger?
Backstabbers. People who are
madaldal, plastic. Manggagamit.
User-friendly. I also hate people who don't
fulfill their promise.
10. What is the one
thing about you that many people do not know
about--but you wish they knew?
Well, one thing that people
don't know is that I cook pasta dishes like puttanesca. I ask
for recipes from my friends or from Sarap TV.
11.
What's on your bedside reading table these days?
Fashion magazines like Seventeen,
Sassy, Teen. Japanese mags like Nono. Pocketbooks like Sidney
Sheldon, Danielle Steel, Christopher Pike, Stephen
King and Anne Rice. The last good book
I read was Sidney Sheldon's Tell Me Your Dreams.
12. In your ref?
Yakult! Oreo! Zest-O! Water!
13.
What's the first thing you do when you wake up in the
morning?
I brush my hair. Wash my
face. Gargle. Eat breakfast.
14. The last thing you do at
night?
I pray. I thank God for
the day that was and I ask Him to protect my family for the days to
come.
15.
What's the first film you ever saw?
Santa Claus the Movie. It's not
really the first, but I remember it vividly because I saw it
in SM City, with my entire family.
16. What's the
best film you've ever been in?
Labs Kita, Okay Ka Lang (directed by
Jerry Sineneng) and Puso ng Pasko (directed by Peque Gallaga and
Lore Reyes).
17. What's the worst?
They might get mad at me.
It was an animated movie where I provided the voice of the
princess. I don't like that! (Laughs) Half of the time, they
didn't even use my voice kasi.
18. Which role do you
wish you'd played?
Something like Hear No Evil.
About a deaf and mute girl who became a witness to a crime, and she
didn't know how to express herself. Or something like Macaulay
Culkin's role in The Good Son. Someone who is really
bad. I always play good-girl, pa-cute roles kasi.
19. Which role do you regret
having played?
'Yon pa lang. 'Yong
cartoon. Hindi ko forte ang voice acting. I
prefer seeing myself acting onscreen.
20. What's the most outrageous
thing you've ever read about yourself?
That all those poison letters about
other artists came from me. And that my parents were mad at
Marvin. Hello?
21. Does any pice of
criticism stick in your mind?
Loka-loka raw ako. Someone
wrote that I was crazy and that if I were his child he'd slap
me because of the things I wear and put in my hair.
I just laughed about
criticisms. When I hear something negative, I don't pity
myself. I don't let them put me down. I feel challenged
pa nga.
22. Which Hollywood or Europeann
film star's image would you like to be associated with?
Winona Ryder, Julia Roberts and
Jennifer Aniston. I like their sense of style.
They're hip and cute. And they're all good actors.
23. What do you do with
your money earned from showbiz?
I invest. Save it in a
bank. And I keep a little something for myself.
24. Who do you think is the
most powerful person in the film industry?
Among the directors, Peque Gallaga
and Lore Reyes, Olivia Lamasan, and Jerry Sineneng. Because
they can do the kind of movies they want.
25.
What goes in your mind when you have to kiss your leading man?
I haven't had a kissing scene yet,
but I've had tender moments. Okay lang. At first, it was
awkward. But since I was friends with my partner, I got
used to it.
26. Can you quote a
(memorable) line or piece of dialogue in one of your past films?
From Labs Kita, Okay Ka Lang: "Kaibigan
mo lang ako! And I made the biggest mistake by falling in love with
my best friend!"
27. If you
were'nt a movie star, what would you rather be doing?
A businesswoman. Like what I am
doing right now with my boutique.
28. If you were to go
tomorrow, what would you like your friends and colleagues to say about
you?
They would all cry because I was
kinnd, helpful and generous. Magaling makisama.
Epitome of goodness. Parang si Princess Diana.
-
end -
[Source: Women's Journal, 073199] by
Bayani San Diego, Jr.]
