RICHARD GUTIERREZ (Photo by Teresa G. Martinez)

MANILA, Philippines – “Valentine Box-Office King” Richard Gutierrez described his latest movie “My Valentine Girls” as “nakakaaliw” yet surreal at the same time. It’s because “it’s hard to believe na araw-araw for three days we were shooting kissing scenes, romantic scenes.” But it was with Solenn Heussaff that he did the longest kissing scene in the movie, he revealed during his post-birthday presscon at the Imperial Palace Suites.

Asked why it had to be long, Richard said the director (of the episode “BBFF” or “Best Boyfriend’s Friend”) wanted it to be passionate. And it was a good thing that Richard and Solenn knew each other even before “Survivor Philippines” and so “we were very comfortable with each other,” Richard said.

Richard has probably played all kinds of roles in his Valentine movies. He was an intelligent janitor in “Let the Love Begin,” a cocky playboy in “My BFGF” and a cargo plane pilot in “When I Met U.” All these movies were well-received by moviegoers whomever Richard was paired with. In “My Valentine Girls,” the actor is out to prove his versatility as he plays diverse characters.

His birthday wish is for his latest movie to be another box-office hit.”

In “My Valentine Girls,” Richard plays four roles – a novelist, a taxi driver, a public attorney, and an electronics engineer. The main story introduces Richard as novelist Arvin who struggles to write his next book of three love stories. He seeks for an “inspiration” with the help of his sister Mayi, played by child wonder Jillian Ward.

In “Soulmates,” he is Oslec, a taxi driver who dies and becomes a ghost and lover to Rhian Ramos’ character, Aia. Oslec works too hard to provide for his family that he often forgets what really matters in life – being with loved ones.

As a public attorney named Zach in “BBFF,” he is best friend-lover to Andie (Solenn).

In “Gunaw,” Richard plays Aidan, an electronics engineer who is in search of fellow survivors after a worldwide catastrophe. His serious wanderings and zombie fights turn to crazy arguments and wacky adventures when he met Ivy (Eugene Domingo), the Eve in his Garden of Eden.

“My Valentine Girls” opens Feb. 9.

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PDA graduates define love in Valentine show

Graduates of “Pinoy Dream Academy (PDA) Season 2” will define love through music in “Love Defined,” a one-night-only pre-Valentine show to be held on Feb. 4 at Teatrino in Greenhills.

The PDA graduates who will perform in the show are Miguel Mendoza, Liezel Garcia, Cris Pastor, Sen Nicolas, Bunny Malunda, and Chivas Malunda. Miguel said “love can evolve as time changes. It now comes in different forms depending upon the situation and through ‘Love Defined,’ we hope to mirror what our audience feel towards their special someone using the language that everyone understands – music.”

On the other hand, Cris said “whether you are single, in a relationship, or it’s complicated, you can definitely relate to our songs for as long as you have a heart beating for that special person in your life.” In the show produced by Sideline Productions, the artists picked their own songs based on their real-life experiences. To this, Liezel said: “It’s important to us that we can relate to the songs we are going to sing so that we will be able to share the feelings and emotions to our audience thus, we opted to choose our songs.”

From Sen: “One of the songs that I’m going to sing, for example, is the classic ‘It Might Be You,’ mainly because I’ve been single for quite a while now and I am hopeful that one day I will meet that girl who can possibly be the one for me.”

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings Monday, Jan. 31, go to GMA 7 exec Lilibeth Rasonable, Ronnie Liang, Bong Villafuerte, Larry Esguerra, Manny Pineda, Tere Orendain, Nitz Miralles, Phebe Pilapil Tumampil, Beth Jose’s daughter Kwai-Kwai, Cynthia Sico, UK-based Nicolas Manuel M. Almontero and Michael Jeffrey Marshall, Noel Orlain Lim, Jimmy B. Lazatin, Daniel You T. Dizon, Iraida Tanopo, Richmond S. Lim and my mom, Mrs. Juliana V. Martinez, who turns 91 Monday… Happy wedding anniversary to Ben and Cora Abalos, Mayor Benhur and Menchie Abalos, and Arnold and Yolly Abalos…