"Ang hirap pala maging gay,” this was what Angelica Panganiban said during the recent press conference for Star Cinema’s latest offering, “Here Comes the Bride” which opens on Wednesday in theaters nationwide.

Tackled in the film is a body/soul swap. In the story, the soul of a gay make-up artist (played by John Lapus) gets intoAngelica’s character (who is about to get married) when a freak accident happens during a total solar eclipse. Five cars carrying the bride and the special guests who’re going to the beach wedding take a road that is a highly-magnetic field and in the total darkness, crash. The souls of the five passengers exchange places.

The soul of the bride gets into one of the principal sponsors (Eugene Domingo) whose soul gets into the ring bearer, while the soul of the nanny (Tuesday Vargas) gets into the rich grand patriarch of the groom’s clan (played by Jaime Fabregas). The soul of the groom’s grandfather gets into the gay make-up artist.

With this situation, the movie promises to be real funny, wacky and chaotic. In fact, one of the producers, Atty. Joji Alonso of Quantum Films said “papuputol ko ang leeg ko kung di kayo matatawa ng husto dito sa pelikula namin!”

Co-producing “Here Comes the Bride” with Star Cinema and Quantum Films is Orly Ilacad’s OctoArts Films. It is a one-of-a-kind wedding film, indeed not the typical wedding flick you expect to see on the big screen. And it has the perfect cast. Atty. Alonso (she is the producer of the multi-awarded Gina Pareño-starrer “Kubrador”) said they intended the film to be an entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival in 2008 but it didn’t push through.

The problem was, “ang hirap buuin ang cast. But since the start, I wanted Angelica to play the virginal bride. I knew she would do justice to the role.” It would certainly help the movie that both Angelica and Eugene (now dubbed as the “break-out star of 2009”) came on the heels of their respective hit films: Angelica in “I Love You Goodbye” and Eugene, “Kimmy-Dora” which turned out to be the surprise hit of the season, and “Working Girls 2.”

Also in the cast is Tom Rodriguez (he plays the groom), who impressed Atty. Alonso enough to cast him in the movie. When she saw him inside Pinoy Big Brother’s House, she said there was something in Tom that made her think he could be a big star given the chance.

“Here Comes the Bride” is directed by Chris Martinez (“100”), from his own story and screenplay. He described his film as “how-arious as a comedy can ever be, designed to split sides and eclipse the antics of many candidates on the campaign trail.”

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Marco Sison signs up with Star Records 

Romantic balladeer Marco Sison, who is behind the monster hit “My Love Will See You Through,” just signed up with Star Records for the release of his latest album “Hindi Ko Akalain.” The album was produced and recorded in the US by Bodjie Dasig and his wife Odette Quesada.

The carrier single, “May Iba na Ba?” is a paean to love’s uncertainties. At the contract-signing recently, Ms. Annabelle Regalado, head of Star Records, said “May Iba Na Ba?” will be used as a theme for a TV series.

Other cuts in Marco’s album are “Try My Number,” “Don’t Know How Long I’ll Be Away,” “Baby, Puede Ba?” “Right Beside You,” “Friend Of Mine,” “I Don’t Want To Be Your Friend,” “Huwag Na Lang,” and “Till I Met You.”

May will be a busy month for Marco. Aside from the release of his new album, he is also the featured star of Pagcor Parañaque every Wednesday starting from May 5. On May 28, he will do a show in Subic and on May 29, he joins The Hitmakers (Rico J. Puno, Rey Valera, and Nonoy Zuñiga) for a concert in Davao City.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on May 12 go to QC Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista, Dennis Trillo, Onemig Bondoc, veteran actress Mila del Sol, Florence Defensor, Pin Antonio, May Neri, Marita Nuque, Armi Escolar, Carmen Espino, Mario Joson, Carl Rigg Buenaseda, and LA-based Atty. Francis P. Papica.