MANILA, Philippines -- Regal Films matriarch Lily Monteverde is blaming the alleged solo-billing demand of actress Marian Rivera for the film outfit's failure to submit an exclusive entry to 39th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
This year, Regal Films will be co-producing with Star Cinema and Skylight Films a horror movie starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla.
The film outfit's annual "Shake, Rattle & Roll" installment, which has been part of the MMFF since 2005, is notably absent from the eight competing entries this year.
Monteverde had originally planned to submit a film co-starring Rivera and Kapamilya actress Judy Ann Santos as Regal Films' entry to this year's film festival, according to a report published on the entertainment news site Philippine Entertainment Portal on Wednesday.
However, Monteverde said Rivera, who is a contract artist of Regal Films, demanded that she be given a solo-starrer.
"Ayaw niya gawin kasi gusto raw niya, solo siya. You know, malungkot din ako kasi wala ako entry. Pero ayaw gawin ni Marian, e," Monteverde was quoted as saying in the report.
Responding to Monteverde's statement, Rivera said she has no knowledge of the supposed big-screen team-up with Santos.
"Hindi ko alam, e. Si Tatay [Mr. Tony Tuviera], si Ateng [Rams David] na lang ang tanungin mo. Hindi naman ako lang ang nagdi-decide," Rivera was quoted as saying in the same report.
"Narinig ko nga 'yan na parang tinanggihan ko raw si Judy Ann. Wala akong alam diyan. Ako na naman ang masisisi diyan," she said.
Monteverde maintained, however, that Rivera turned down the project, even recalling it happened during a meeting at a coffee shop.
"I don't lie. Sa Starbucks kami, nandiyan si Roselle [Monteverde-Teo], kaharap namin. Siya (Rivera) ang nagsabi na ayaw niya na may kasama. Gusto niya, solo," the veteran film producer said.
She added: "How many years na ako sa showbiz, I’m not lying. I’m a cancer patient, and I don’t want to lie. Siya talaga ang tumatanggi."
Rivera, the report said, has yet to respond to Monteverde's latest statments.
