Philippine Showbiz Today
May 22 - June 8 , 2017
Jan. 22-Feb.7, 2015
7
Mikael Daez renews
contract with GMA
GMA Artist Centre AVP & Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit
Semoun Ferrer, GMA SVP for ETV Lilybeth G. Rasonable, Mikael ,
Betchay Vidanes, GMA SAVP for Alternative Productions Gigi
Santiago-Lara
One of GMA Network’s top
leading men Mikael Daez remains
a loyal Kapuso as he renewed his
contract with GMA Network last
May 11.
Mikael said he is very excited
about this new milestone in his
career as a Kapuso, “I love it here.
I think a big factor for that is I’ve
grown here. Dito na ako lumaki.
Going on my seventh year in
showbiz in GMA, ang dami ko ng
friends. It feels good kasi when
you mix your work and personal
life, it feels fun. Your work is your
life already. Nag-e-enjoy talaga
ako.”
Present in the contract
signing were GMA Entertainment
TV’s Senior Vice President Lilybeth
G. Rasonable; Senior Assistant
Vice President for Alternative
Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara
and GMA Artist Center Assistant
Vice President and Head for
Talent Imaging and Marketing
Unit Simoun Ferrer.
Also in attendance was
Mikael’s co-manager, Betchay
Vidanes. Mikael is co-managed
by GMA Artist Center.
Presently, Mikael is one of the
lead stars of Legally Blind which
airs worldwide via GMA’s flagship
international channel, GMA Pinoy
TV. He said that he really enjoys
working with everyone on set
and he feels challenged with
his character’s transformation
as the story progresses. From
being Grace’s (Janine Gutierrez)
knight-in-shining armour, Edward
became drug-dependent because
of his brother William’s (Marc
Abaya) manipulative ways.
“Actually, hindi ko alam
na mangyayari ito sa character
ni Edward. I am super thankful
because they gave me an
opportunity to do something
challenging. I am even more
thankful dahil Direk Ricky (Davao)
and the whole cast, they’ve been
supporting me, at ang laking
bagay nun. So I think we’ve
enjoyed and we’ve done our
best to portray our characters in
their truest sense, so we are very
happy.”●
Filmmaker Gil Portes, 71
Award-winning
director
Gil Portes was found dead on
Wednesday. He was 71.
The news was confirmed by
ABS-CBN News’ Mario Dumaual,
quoting Portes’ niece, Ming Ti-
ñana.
In a text message, Tiñana
wrote: “It is with deep sadness
that we announce the passing
of our beloved Direk Gil Merluza
Portes.”
“As we thank your prayers
and expression of sympathy, we
also request for privacy for our
family at our time of grief.”
Portes leaves behind wife Tel-
ly and sons Carlo and Justin, who
are currently based in the US.
According to Tiñana, Portes’
family is set to arrive in Manila
to oversee the funeral arrange-
ments. They will be announcing
them soon, she added.
Considered the country’s
“original indie director,” Portes
directed several award-winning
films, such as “Saranggola,” “Ga-
tas sa Dibdib ng Kaaway,” and
“Mga Munting Tinig,” which were
all submitted as official Philippine
entries for best foreign language
film in the US Academy Awards.
Portes also worked with some
of the country’s biggest stars
including Dolphy in “Markova:
Comfort Gay” and veteran actress
Nora Aunor in “Merika.”
Portes graduated with a Jour-
nalism degree at University of
Santo Tomas but his first job was
in advertising. At 23, he joined
ABS-CBN as a production assis-
tant.
He later on received a schol-
arship grant at the City University
of New York, where he studied
television and film production.
He made his directorial de-
but in 1976 with the film “Tiket
Mama! Tiket Ale! Sa Linggo ang
Bola.”
One of his last films was the
historical drama “Ang Hapis at
Himagsik ni Hermano Puli,” which
was chosen as the closing film of
last year’s Cinemalaya Philippine
Independent Film Festival.
Most recently, he directed
“Moonlight Over Baler.”●
- ABS-CBN