Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards, two of the most popular names in Philippine entertainment today, will reunite on the big screen in 2018, following the box-office success of their 2016 romantic comedy <em>Imagine You and Me</em>. Last month, Mendoza made headlines after venting on social media that she wanted “freedom to feel what I want to feel, be what I want to be, and do what I want to do” — leading to speculation that she was taking a break from showbiz or quitting the industry altogether. But on Tuesday, her manager Rams David quashed the rumours, telling a reporter from Bandera that Mendoza and Richards’s next film project is pushing through. “Maine got so tired from working so she asked for a break. And we understand that — imagine she hasn’t taken a break in two years. She was thrust into the showbiz industry without knowing anything,” David said. Mendoza, 22, is reportedly taking a vacation in the United States with her family. She is set to return on December 31 and will make an appearance on the musical variety programme <em>Eat Bulaga</em> on January 1. In the weeks after, she is expected to meet with the new film's producers, director, and co-star Richards to decide on a shooting schedule. Mendoza ranked as the fifth most tweeted celebrity in the world in 2017, according to a list recently published by Twitter. She currently has 4.6 million followers on the social media website. <strong>Nadine Lustre directs James Reid in new music video</strong> Filipino star Nadine Lustre has directed the latest music video of her on-screen and real-life partner James Reid. The track, <em>The Life</em>, is part of Reid's third studio album <em>Palm Dreams</em>, which features nine songs that the singer-actor wrote and produced. The music video, which was co-directed by independent filmmaker Petersen Vargas, features clips from the couple’s travels around the world, including a sequence filmed in Jumeirah Beach. Lustre and Reid are seen walking on the sand during sunset, with the Burj Al Arab in the background. The video is Lustre’s directorial debut. It was produced under Reid’s music label Careless Music Manila. Last month, Reid won the Best Southeast Asia Act trophy at the MTV Europe Music Awards. In his acceptance speech, he said: “It is such an honour to be representing the Philippines. And with this recognition, I will keep on making music and bring the Philippines to the world stage.” <strong>Piolo Pascual receives international award in Macau</strong> Filipino actor Piolo Pascual flew to China last week to attend the International Film Festival and Awards Macau, which recognised him as one of 10 talents to watch from the Asian region. The award was selected by representatives from the festival and the American entertainment trade magazine Variety. “This is the best way to represent the country in the region,” said Pascual. “It’s great that at age 40, I’m still considered a rising star. Not bad, right?” Pascual has appeared in over 50 films and television series in the Philippines. He will next be seen headlining the drama programme <em>To Love Somebody</em>, co-starring with actors Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez. In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Pascual said he also plans to produce feature films in the coming new year, including a yet-to-be-titled romantic drama starring Bela Padilla and Carlo Aquino. “There are many good concepts, projects, and films that I want to work on,” Pascual said. “We’ll see what happens. What I hope to get is the support of audiences.” <strong>That’s Entertainment stars to reunite for 31st anniversary</strong> The youth-orientated talent programme <em>That's Entertainment</em> aired from 1986 to 1996 and launched the careers of over a hundred teenage actors and musicians in the Philippines. In time for the show's 31st anniversary on January 6, 2018, its former stars are planning to reunite at a special event in Manila to celebrate the occasion and commemorate <em>That's Entertainment</em>'s host and producer, German "Kuya Germs" Moreno. Moreno passed away last year at age 82. About 60 of the show's former stars came together last weekend at a restaurant in Manila owned by celebrity couple Harlene Bautista and Romnick Sarmenta, whose showbiz careers started on <em>That's Entertainment</em>. The large group — which included actors Ruffa Gutierrez, Piolo Pascual, Vina Morales, Tina Paner, and Jean Garcia — discussed plans for their anniversary celebration. Bautista told the <em>Philippine Daily Inquirer</em> they are keen to organise an event that will feature performances by the alumni, with proceeds going to charity. “We would like to honour the memory of Kuya Germs,” she said. ___________________________ <strong>Read more: </strong> ___________________________
