Forty six years is a phenomenally-long time to be enjoying a thriving showbusiness career. Whereas actors and actresses these days would rise and fall with the changing tastes of the film-going audiences through the decades, the award-winning Miss Vilma Santos to date, has remained the most accomplished and most prolific star in Philippine showbiz. Come September, a brand new film offering from Star Cinema will topbill Vilma, along with actor son Luis Manzano and box-office king John Lloyd Cruz. And with a 5-weekend ABS-CBN TV reality-documentary on her life, loves and achievements, it’s expected to be an unforgettable month for Vilma fans the world over.
In My Life is the story of a short-tempered librarian who raised her three children in the United States, with their own stories of growing-up conflicts and life’s misadventures. Real-life son Luis plays her gay son attached to his boyfriend, played by John Lloyd – one of the controversial and awaited features in the film. It is amazing how Vilma, the duly-elected Governor of Batangas (one of the country’s major provinces), still managed to give shooting time for this film, her first in a long time since the box-office hit Mano Po 3 in 2004. Even more work from the veteran star poured into a 5-part television special – Vilma: A Woman For All Seasons – that showcased her different facets, as a film and media icon, as a performing artist, as a politician, and as a mother and wife. Airing for five Saturdays at 9:30pm starting August 1st, the last episode on August 29 will feature exciting behind-the-scene takes from their filming in New York.
I chanced upon Vilma sharing a light moment with her guest performers Angelica Panganiban, Iya Villaniya and Shaina Magdayao at ABS-CBN’s studio 10, in between takes for the variety show episode of the TV special. "Pinilit nga nila ako na gumawa ng production number dito, pero sabi ko…ibinigay ko na sa mga bagets…the worst that can happen ay iko-compare pa nila yung dati 'saka yung ngayon (I was forced to perform for a production number but I delegated that to the young stars…they might compare how I was in the past, and how I am now," Vilma confessed. The defunct but long-running TV weekly variety-musical VILMA! always started with a fully-choreographed grand opening number, and this was a routine she left long ago when she decided to run for the post of Mayor of Batangas years ago. But as the days went on, the star expressed how much she missed dancing and performing. For the young stars who took part in this special, it was a once-in-a-lifetime privilege to share the stage and spotlight with the legendary Star For All Seasons, who indeed retained her brilliance as a dancer and performer. The TV special is expected to be an unequalled glittery television event that will feature the brightest stars in Manila showbiz today – Claudine Barretto, Kim Chiu, Angelica Panganiban, and many more. Vilma, as shown in this TV show and upcoming film will again, and always be the season’s best we should all watch for.
(This was first posted in August 2009 for Words For The Would-Be_Famous at stellarmind.wordpress.com)
