Philippine Star article: An Acting Break for Von Arroyo

An article from Philippine Star featuring our lead actor Von. Just to correct the end part of the article, my thesis film's title, the one that won the Kodak Film Award 2003, is "Karsel." I just copied and pasted the exact article from its source. And to add up, filming "Pera-perahang Lata" has been possible through our grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). :D

For the original copy of the article, click here for Philippine Star archive or click here for the same article at Philippine Headline News Online

An acting break for Von Arroyo
FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo
Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Curtain-raisers:

• For a few years, they were a beautiful couple, perfect for each other, until they broke up out of the blue it seemed (because there was not the slightest hint that something was going wrong). The girl is being linked to a dashing, young actor but they seem to be happy just “being friends;” while her “ex” is reported to have gone back to his own “ex.” What a merry-go-round! But how come the girl describes her “ex” as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”?

• A rich man is said to be willing to marry a popular and controversial actress whose relationship with a non-showbiz figure is rumored to be headed for the rocks even if they are putting up a front that nothing’s the matter between them. But here’s the hitch, according to Funfare’s “exclusive village” DPA: Even she’s said to be slowly but surely falling for the alleged “new man” in her life, she isn’t sure and/or convinced that he will (but he surely can) provide her with all the comforts and amenities (complete with bodyguards) her “old man” is giving her. She can’t have her cake and eat it, too, can she?

• A pretty TV host now “on leave” desperately wants to have another child but she just can’t because, as she puts it, “those damn eggs na ayaw mahinog-hinog,” a defect that has been bothering her since she was in high school. “It’s a good thing I was able to have a child,” said the TV host who might resort to taking fertility pills because she wants not just one more child but twins. Oh well, maybe she can also pray to Sta. Clara and dance the pandanggo.

* * *

Congratulations to Von Arroyo who has finally realized his dream of being an actor even only in a short film.

“At least,” said Von with a smile, “even if it’s a short, it’s still a film.”

Oo nga naman , ano!

Titled Pera-perahang Lata (Penny From the Tin Can), the 15-minute narrative, written and directed by Rianne Hill Soriano, is about a young factory worker who struggles with guilt during the Christmas season. In trying to make up for a mistake, he inadvertently leads himself to a tragic and life-changing experience.

It turned out that Rianne was looking for someone who was an “introspective and observant thinking guy” for the role of the factory worker, not hunky yet not frail, not too strong yet not too weak, and sympathetically vulnerable. Von fits the role to a T.

“It’s my first acting experience and I hope to do more acting, maybe in a full-length film,” said Von, keeping his fingers crossed.

A former member of the ’90s teen group 14K (together with Jeffrey Hidalgo, Rhada and the late Tenten Muñoz, sister of Jolina Magdangal’s boyfriend Bebong Muñoz), Von has been concentrating on his singing (with four albums to date, by Viva Records and Prime Music), even if he could have put in harness his four-year theater experience, singing in Ballet Manila’s musical shows.

A cum laude Masscom graduate, Von taught (as instructor/coach) at John Robert Powers. He was hired in the same capacity for the ABS-CBN reality-TV Pinoy Dream Academy (PDA) and had a stint as host of PAGCOR’s Magic5 Draw.

Now on its post-production phase, Pera-perahang Lata is expected to make heads turn in the film-festival circuit like Rianne’s other short films Aninag (shown at the 2005 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival, the 2006 Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival, the 2005 New York Filipino Film Festival, the UNESCO Audio-Visual E-Platform and the 2006 Viva’s PBO Digitales Film Competition where it placed third); and Kanser (Kodak Film Award 2003 and Best Production Thesis 2003 of the UP Film Institute, at the 2006 International Women’s Film Festival and nominee for the Gawad Urian Short Film in 2003).

Britney pays tribute to RP in her new song

Did you know that Britney Spears pays “tribute” to the Philippines in her new song titled Piece of Me?

This was pointed out to Funfare by reader Arman Domingo of Bakersfield, California, who e-mailed the complete lyrics of the song, but I’m printing only the first few stanzas.

Okay, altogether now:

Piece Of Me

I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17

Don’t matter if I step on the scene

Or sneak away to the Philippines

They still gon’ put pictures of my derrière in the magazine

You want a piece of me?

You want a piece of me...



I’m Miss bad media karma

Another day another drama

Guess I can’t see the harm

In working and being a mama

And with a kid on my arm

I’m still an exceptional earner

And you want a piece of me



I’m Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous

(You want a piece of me)

I’m Mrs. Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless

(You want a piece of me)

I’m Mrs. Extra! Extra! This just in

(You want a piece of me)

I’m Mrs. She’s too big now she’s too thin

(You want a piece of me)



I’m Mrs. ‘You want a piece of me?’

Tryin’ and pissin’ me off

Well get in line with the paparazzi

Who’s flippin’ me off

Hopin’ I’ll resort to some havoc

End up settlin’ in court

Now are you sure you want a piece of me?

(You want a piece of me)



I’m Mrs. ‘Most likely to get on the TV for slippin’ on the streets’

When getting the groceries, no, for real..

Are you kidding me?

No wonder there’s panic in the industry

I mean please, do you want a piece of me?

* * *

E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com