Month: July 2024

14 Aug – Fans of Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera have recently slammed Coco Martin’s “Ang Probinsyano” for using the couple’s photos in their drama.

As reported on Inquirer, a fan recently posted a screenshot from the drama’s latest episode (which was later reposted on Thedongyanatics Instagram account), in which Alice Dixson’s character in the drama was seen crying next to a framed wedding photo of her and Edu Manzano.

The fan pointed out that the photo was actually from Rivera and Dantes’ wedding and that the studio had edited the faces from the Kapuso couple into Dixson and Manzano.

The fan also stated that this is not the first time that the show has used the couple’s photo as their prop, as they previously imposed Mickey Ferriols and Joko Diaz on Dantes and Rivera’s faces in a family photo taken at the couple’s daughter Zia’s baptism. However, Zia’s face was not changed in the photo.

“Were the photos of Dingdong, Marian and Zia used [and] edited without permission? Dear Ang Probinsyano, [you’re on strike two now],” read the caption.

Dantes had since responded to the post, asking them to send him the clip and saying that he will take it from there.

Both Dantes and Rivera, as well as “Ang Probinsyano” team have yet to address the matter for now.

16 Nov – Although they are only going to be welcoming their second child, Kapuso star Dingdong Dantes recently admitted that he and wife Marian Rivera are planning to have more children in the future.

As reported on Inquirer, the actor, who was asked about his wife’s second pregnancy recently, shared that the two of them will not stop at two.

“It’s our desire to have a third or fourth baby. That’s something we’ve been thinking about since Marian and I got married,” he said.

However, Dantes stressed that he is also very happy about having another child three years after the birth of daughter Zia.

“It’s a blessing and another reason to be thankful to be alive,” he added.

And even though he has cancelled plans to run for office next year because of his wife’s pregnancy, Dantes said that he will continue to give back to society.

“You can help, whether you have a government position or not. You can’t say that you’re just a student or an ordinary citizen. We can all help each other and work together,” he added.

16 Nov – Marian Rivera recently admitted that despite already having been pregnant and given birth to daughter Zia, it didn’t prepare her for the challenges of her current pregnancy.

As reported on PEP, the actress, who spoke about her second pregnancy recently, shared that she has developed quite a big appetite and cravings compared to when she was carrying Zia.

“When I was with Zia, I didn’t have that much appetite. It’s different now. I felt like eating all the time,” she said.

Rivera also said that while she used to crave sweets in her past pregnancy, she now has a newfound love for anything tart and tangy, especially for bilimbi, also known as kamia.

“It’s really weird. I would dip it in salt and eat it raw. That’s pretty much what I want,” she said

She also admitted to be suffering from dizziness, unlike her smooth-sailing first pregnancy.

“It’s tough to travel because I get dizzy easily,” she said, adding that she is thankful that her home network GMA has been very helpful and understanding throughout the pregnancy.

As for the gender of the baby, Rivera shared that they will be holding their gender reveal party soon.

The retired NFL star looked back at the recent highlight while at the 35th Annual American Century Championship (ACC) presented by American Century

Jason Kelce is reliving his run-in with royalty.

While tuning up at the 35th Annual American Century Championship (ACC) presented by American Century this weekend, the 13-year NFL veteran looked back and shared his perspective about meeting Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show at London’s Wembley Stadium last month.

“It was a nice interaction,” Kelce, 36, tells PEOPLE. “They were lovely, and it was surreal to even be in their presence.”

The meet-and-greet, which happened on Friday, June 21, was memorable for the former Philadelphia Eagles center, and his brother, Travis, who shared that they were duly impressed by the family, Prince William’s parenting and Princess Charlotte’s personality.

In an episode of their podcast New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, the brothers looked back on the special memory, which happened when William took his eldest two children to the concert on his 42nd birthday and they snapped a selfie with Travis and Swift.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I have three girls now. She had fire to her,” Jason said of Princess Charlotte, 9.

“She was asking questions. That was the most electric part,” said the Monday Night Countdown star, who shares daughters Wyatt, 4, Elliotte, 3, and Bennett, 1, with wife Kylie Kelce.

Travis concurred, adding that he appreciated how the Prince of Wales interacted with his young dates for the evening.

“I love it when parents ask their kids to be present, be vocal,” Travis revealed.

“They encourage them to take the lead in a conversation,” added Jason, which the Kansas City Chiefs star called “such a good parent move.”

Travis further praised the royal’s parenting, saying, “If anyone’s doing it right, Prince William’s doing it right. So thank you, Your Royal Highness. It was awesome meeting you, and Charlotte and George.”

THE Kardashians seem to be boring fans on social media, as their brands’ accounts are shelling out low-performing engagement levels with followers.

Kim and Co.’s online popularity is rarely questioned, but an analysis of their clothing and beauty brands reveals a remarkably low connection with fans.

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The Kardashians appear to be losing their social media interest with fansCredit: Hulu

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Kim’s Skims and SKKN brands have dismal engagement levels despite having millions of followers on InstagramCredit: Getty

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Khloe’s Good American clothing brand has the worst engagement numbers from the family’s businesses, according to a new analysisCredit: Getty

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Kylie’s clothing line, Khy, is performing at the highest level, but the same can’t be said for her toddler clothing brand, KyliebabyCredit: Instagram/kyliejenner
Celebrities with over 1 million Instagram followers are expected to have engagement levels between one and five percent, according to an analysis conducted by The U.S. Sun and Phalanx Analytics.

However, virtually all of the Kardashians’ brands are way off the mark.

Khloe’s Good American clothing range has an engagement level of just 0.02% from 2.4 million followers.

More than a few hundred people rarely like the profile’s posts.

Kim’s Skims clothing range and her SKKN cosmetics line don’t fare much better, with engagement at 0.09% and 0.05%, respectively.

The company’s posts have been getting a few thousand likes, but when their accounts have 6 million and 5.7 million followers, respectively, that’s a drop in the ocean.

While Kris’ homeware brand Get Safely has 150,000 followers and an engagement rate of only 0.08 percent – the number of likes rarely hits triple figures.

Kourtney’s well-being firm, Poosh, is better than the others but still at a relatively low engagement of 0.15%.

Kylie’s toddler clothing range, Kyliebaby, has an engagement level of just 0.18%.

Only her clothing brand, Khy, performs at a high level of 15% engagement.

Figures compiled by Phalanx Analytics had further bad news for the world’s biggest reality stars, suggesting that their fans aren’t listening online.
Kim Kardashian’s Kimade
Forty-seven percent of Good American followers are not engaging, and only 50% are real, the analysis showed.

Just three-quarters of Kim’s SKKN followers are real, and 22% are considered “non-engaging.”

This lack of engagement has led some leading experts to wonder if they’re even paying for bots to follow them.

The Kardashians use Botox for their bodies and bots for their brands.

Coralee Trigger
Coralee Trigger is an Emmy award-winning digital creator who has worked with TV shows and celebrities on their social media content, such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Team Coco Presents: Conan O’Brien.

Trigger was scathing in her assessment of the Kardashian family, telling The U.S. Sun, “It’s a safe bet that the Kardashians use Botox for their bodies and bots for their brands.

“Believing the Kardashian brands on social media have grown without any help from bots is like believing the Kardashians look the way they do without any help from Botox.

“When celebrities say they’ve never had Botox, what they often mean is, ‘I’ve had work done, but it’s not the brand Botox.’

“The same applies when denying using bots to inflate their social media following.

“If I were a betting person, I’d say the Kardashians use bots for their brand just like they use Botox for their bodies.

“There are so many ways to artificially inflate social media followings, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Kardashians are leveraging any number of those methods to enhance their brands.

“Even though these practices are technically against most social media platform’s terms of use, and I never recommend them to clients, you might be surprised by how many of your favorite brands have employed shady methods to grow large followings.”

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Kim K’s Skims account on Instagram has 6 million followersCredit: Instagram/ Kim Kardashian

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Kylie’s brands have the best engagement numbers out of her family membersCredit: Instagram/Kylie Jenner

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An analysis found that 47% of Khloe’s Good American Instagram followers are not engagingCredit: Instagram/Good American

‘FAKE FOLLOWERS’

Social media consultant Matt Navarra, who has worked with the BBC, ITV, Meta, and Google, also reckons these engagement levels are “disproportionate.”

Navarra added, “At a surface level, it does seem that the accounts highlighted have disproportionately low engagement for the number of followers they have.

“But there could be a number of factors at play here – fake followers or a high proportion of spam/bot accounts could be one of them.

“As to whether they have paid for them would be pure guesswork without further investigation.

“It may also simply be that the brand appeal and content from these accounts is not as strong as it once was, and rival brands are doing a much better job at engaging with their audiences and customers.”

The U.S. Sun has reached out to representatives of the Kardashians for comment.

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Kourtney runs a well-being brand, PooshCredit: TikTok/@poosh

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The posts on Kris’ homeware brand, Get Safely, rarely hit triple figures likesCredit: Instagram/getsafely

A film about the impact of divine intervention on a failing relationship has become the first Filipino title to surpass $16M at the global box office.

Rewind crossed the the 900M Philippine pesos worldwide gross mark this week, a huge return for the local box office. The local record was previously held by Hello, Love, Goodbye (2019), which grossed 691M pesos.

Anchored by the star power of real-life husband-and-wife Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, as well as buzz generated by word-of-mouth, the time-traveling romance film also broke the domestic box office record after grossing 848M pesos.

Directed by Mae Cruz Alviar, Rewind tells the story of the deteriorating relationship between married couple John (Dantes) and Mary (Rivera). After a divine intervention, John receives an opportunity to go back in time and make amends.

“We at Star Cinema knew that there was no other option but the two of them, because we couldn’t see how other actors could pull off the script,” said Kriz Gazmen, Head of Star Cinema, the film division of ABS-CBN Corporation.

The film’s international box office currently stands at 54M pesos, with the U.S., Canada and Australia as the top markets outside the Philippines, Gazmen told Deadline.

Rewind premiered on Dec. 25 during the Metro Manila Film Festival 2023. Gazmen said the film’s release at the festival was one of the key reasons for Rewind’s box office success, as no foreign films are allowed to be screened in cinemas during the festival’s run.

“Cinema tickets have also been very expensive here, which is why movie-going is now considered a luxury, but during the Christmas season, Filipinos have more disposable income because of the Christmas bonuses.”

He added that the word-of-mouth buzz and TikTok and Facebook contributed to the boom. “We have seen so many people posting videos of them crying after watching the film,” said Gazmen. “This led to a lot of people being so curious about the film, and they’d love to be part of the conversation. We definitely benefited from strong word-of-mouth.

“Who doesn’t want to be given the chance to be able to go back in time and try to rectify their mistakes? It’s a very emotional experience, but it’s introspective at the same time and it makes you question yourself if you’ve been a good person all along. For the Filipino audience, after the stress of the pandemic and the realization that our days on this earth are numbered, the film was a good cry that they might have held back all along.”

Rewind marks the first time in nearly a decade that stars Dantes and Rivera have appeared together in the same film. The project was first pitched to the pair in 2019.

The film lost its leading couple at one point — after Dantes and Rivera pulled out of the film during the pandemic to prioritize their family’s health. However, talks resumed in early-2023 and the Filipino duo came back onboard.

Filipino romance drama film “Rewind” has made history by surpassing $16 million at the global box office, becoming the first Filipino title to achieve the milestone.

About the film: Directed by Mae Cruz Alviar, “Rewind” follows a married couple, John (Dingdong Dantes) and Mary (Marian Rivera), who find themselves in the midst of relationship challenges. After an accident and a divine intervention, John gets a chance to travel back in time to mend their relationship.

The film premiered on Dec. 25 at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival, which restricted foreign films during its run. “Rewind” is currently screening across more than 270 cinemas globally.

Breaking records: “Rewind,” which is now the Philippines’ highest grossing film, made box office records with a worldwide gross of 900 million Philippine pesos ($16 million), surpassing the record previously held by another 2019 romance drama film, “Hello, Love, Goodbye,” which earned around $12 million.

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Behind its success: The movie’s success is attributed to the acting prowess of Dantes and Rivera, who are also a real-life couple. The film also generated positive reviews among viewers, which spread on TikTok and Facebook.

“We have seen so many people posting videos of them crying after watching the film. This led to a lot of people being so curious about the film, and they’d love to be part of the conversation,” Kriz Gazmen, head of Star Cinema, the film division of ABS-CBN Corporation, told Deadline.

“Very emotional experience”: Despite initial challenges during the pandemic, including the temporary withdrawal of the leading couple, the film resumed production in early 2023. This marked the husband-and-wife’s first film collaboration in almost a decade.

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“Who doesn’t want to be given the chance to be able to go back in time and try to rectify their mistakes?” Gazmen said of the film’s plot. “It’s a very emotional experience, but it’s introspective at the same time and it makes you question yourself if you’ve been a good person all along. For the Filipino audience, after the stress of the pandemic and the realization that our days on this earth are numbered, the film was a good cry that they might have held back all along.”

Welcome to Global Breakouts, Deadline’s fortnightly strand in which we shine a spotlight on the TV shows and films killing it in their local territories. The industry is as globalized as it’s ever been, but breakout hits are appearing in pockets of the world all the time and it can be hard to keep track. So we’re going to do the hard work for you.

This week, we go to the Philippines and take a look at a time-traveling romance film. Rewind has has become the highest-grossing Filipino film in history, with audiences lapping up the fantasy and mystical elements of a failing marriage given a second chance by divine intervention.

In Rewind, a divine intervention gives a second chance to a failing marriage between John (played by Dingdong Dantes) and Mary (Marian Rivera). Amid rising ticket prices, falling cinema-going numbers and the expansion of streaming in the Philippines, the romantic drama’s record-breaking success at the box office feels like an equally supernatural intervention.

At the end of January, we reported Rewind had become the first Filipino movie to cross $16M at the global box office, and the numbers keep growing. At last count this week, it had added another $500,000 to the bank. It has also broken local box office records and led to TikTok videos of fans weeping uncontrollably after viewing the movie. “I’m still trying to understand how that magic happened,” leading actor and executive producer Dantes tells Deadline.

Produced with a budget over $1M, the Mae Cruz Alviar-directed film is now more than two months into its theatrical run in the Philippines, was released in Hong Kong on February 18 and debuts in Cambodia this Friday (March 8). Rewind has a limited theatrical release in the U.S. and has already opened in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Guam.

Kriz Gazmen, Managing Director of Philippines-based production and distribution outfit Star Cinema, says a wider theatrical release in the U.S. could follow.

Rewind marks the first project in nearly a decade where real-life powerhouse couple Dantes and Rivera have acted together onscreen. They play a couple whose marriage is in tatters, only for the husband, John, to be given, through divine intervention, the chance to go back in time and make amends.

Dantes recalls how the pair met with the film’s screenwriter, Enrico Santos, at a Chinese restaurant in 2019 to hear about the project. Both immediately expressed excitement. “It was the perfect project for us because I really miss working with Marian, especially on the big screen,” says Dantes. “Performing with her was a treat. It was like going on dates for all those shooting days.”

Partnering ABS-CBN’s film arm Star Cinema and APT Entertainment, the couple also invested their own money in the film through AgostoDos Pictures, which Dantes founded in 2011. “Marian and I really put all our talent and products into projects that we believe in,” says Dantes, who is an executive producer on the film, on his financial decision. “We told ourselves that it would be nice to be part of something like this that will outlive us, so it wasn’t a very difficult decision for us to make.”

Gazmen says the film’s premise is key to the success “Who doesn’t want to be given the chance to be able to go back in time and try to rectify their mistakes,” he asks. “It’s a very emotional experience, but it’s introspective at the same time and it makes you question yourself if you’ve been a good person all along. For the Filipino audience, after the stress of the pandemic and the realization that our days on this earth are numbered, the film was a good cry that they might have held back all along.”

However, while Star Cinema is enjoying a remarkable success with Rewind, Gazmen admits that it is getting increasingly difficult to predict audiences and come up with box office winners in the Philippines. “We haven’t reached the level yet where box office results are more stable and it’s easier to at least break even on your investment,” he says.

ROI challenge

The return on investment for producers remains a significant challenge because inflation is making it more expensive now to produce films, Gazmen adds. Revenue streams are generally limited to box office takings and streaming, with box office sales still far from pre-pandemic numbers in the Philippines.

“We know that film has always been a hit or miss business,” he says. “But we take so many chances, hoping that we stumble upon that one hit. Once you do, it’s very rewarding — not just financially, but to our souls as creators, and that gets us going for the next chances we’re going to take.”

Dantes points out the importance of an event like the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) in providing a protected window for the screening of domestic films. In the 2023 edition of the festival, where Rewind premiered, the festival expanded to showcase 10 domestic films, up from its usual eight.

During the festival’s run from December 25 to January 14, 2024, no non-festival film, whether local or foreign, are allowed to be screened in theaters across Manila (with the exception of IMAX and 4D theaters). Higher cinema-going rates can also be attributed to the festival beginning on Christmas Day and running through the new year, where people have more time during the holidays and spending power from end-of-year bonuses.

Elaborating about the importance of MMFF to Rewind‘s momentum, Dantes says: “The whole industry was just really excited to come together to promote all the films and uplift each other, so it was really more of an industry movement. Then the viewers just took their chance in whatever they’re interested in terms of genre and we’re just grateful that they picked our movie and really supported us.”

Gazmen says: “We have a healthy film community in the Philippines, with big studios and smaller production houses collaborating on a lot of films. With the demand for films by streaming platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video, there is a considerable number of films being produced at any given time.

“However, local box office results are still erratic, so there aren’t many big movies, in terms of budget and casting, that are being produced. Right now, there seems to be more confidence to show movies in theaters when they are part of the Metro Manila Film Festival.”

Dantes emphasizes the need to create a “cinematic experience” to attract people to theaters. “Because of the current ticket prices, sometimes even traffic, when you spend time to go out and exert effort to watch a film, it really has to be worth it. That’s really a challenge for us because we always have to make sure that our movies are worth it.”

Luckily for him, audiences have agreed Rewind provides that experience in spades.

Russell Westbrook (Image Source: Getty Images, X/NikkiKaySN1)
In his 16-year career, Russell Westbrook had numerous talents playing by his side but never won the big one. With his best days behind him, fans almost forgot how peak Russell Westbrook was. But after the scene at the WNBA game between the Sparks and Aces, many had flashbacks of Westbrook’s best as he rolled back the year with his courtside link-up.

During the game at Crypto.com Arena, Russell Westbrook was seen alongside former OKC Thunder teammate, Victor Oladipo. The pair hugged each other and exchanged some words, giving many Oklahoma fans memories from the 2016/17 season.

Thunder teammates Victor Oladipo and Russell Westbrook showing some love at a Sparks game pic.twitter.com/BCYPLDpPnR

— Nikki Kay (@NikkiKaySN1) July 6, 2024

Oladipo was traded to the OKC in the summer of 2016. But just after a season, he was traded to the Pacers, ending his short-lived stint alongside Westbrook.

Now a free agent, Oladipo is yet to find a team since the Grizzlies waived him last year. That puts him in a situation akin to that of Westbrook. While Westbrook opted for his player option with the Clippers, his chances of returning to the franchise looked slim.

With interest remaining low on the 35-year-old, not many teams are willing to get the guard on board.

Russell Westbrook Attracting Minimum Attention in Trade Market

After parting ways with Paul George, the Clippers are in a position to reconsider their roster going into next season. A part of that reconsideration is Westbrook’s future. Westbrook opted for his $4 million player option, but as things are looking, he will be playing somewhere else next season.

One potential landing spot for him is the Nuggets. According to Marc Stein, the Denver side is interested in Westbrook.

Like this post if you want Russell Westbrook on the Nuggets next season pic.twitter.com/o8Gw0znT2Z

— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) July 5, 2024

With Jokic as the hub of the team, the only option for Westbrook is playing off the bench, given the system Michael Malone operates. Westbrook, who averaged 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, can be a lethal sixth-man option, and his move to the Nuggets will surely improve the title-contending team even further.