Date: 26 Sept 2000

Source:Source:Banahaw Breeze Online Magazine by Aline Parrone Thanks Jen for the shared info.

Thalia-watching. The Admirable Thalia!

The other day, I watched an interesting television interview by Korina Sanchez (Balitang K, Channel 2) with actress Thalia whose name has become synonymous with Mexican telenovelas. Ms. Sanchez, who flew to New York for this interview, was able to get revealing and juicy details from this fast rising international actress, singer and concert performer.

I do not get to watch Thalia's current hit, telenovela Rosalinda regularly but I have always been fascinated with this girl and interested enough to follow her career every now and then.

Thalia first appeared on Philippine television some years back in a soap opera called "Marimar". One look at her and you could easily understand how she became a hit among Filipinos. With her soft mestiza looks, beautiful eyes and sweet disposition, Filipinos embraced her instantly as if she was one of their own. The fact that she "speaks" Tagalog, thanks to the show's excellent dubbers helped a lot too. From little girls to housewives to men of different ages, Thalia was instantly a star, a household name that doesn't even need a surname!

Lately, she has ventured into singing which she admits she now prefers than acting. Also a great dancer with a sexy body, she is, as host Korina Sanchez says the "envy of women and the fantasy of men".

But inspite all these, it is comforting to note that Thalia remains grounded, and her values and priorities in life unaffected. For instance, I am struck by her loyalty and love for her family. It is so Filipino when she talks about getting upset when nasty articles are written about her, not so much for herself but for her grandmother who gets affected by the intrigues. (Last Sunday, I heard local teen idol Jolina say something to that effect too! LOL)

She is also not embarrassed to admit that it is "lonely at the top". She describes a situation when she comes home after a successful concert performance with screaming fans professing their love and affection for her and yet finds herself alone and lonely at her apartment. But then she adds, she has found somebody special now so take those hankies away, guys. Thalia. What has she really done for this country? And why do the people here love her so? I think she takes away a bit of their problems and the daily grind of life. For 30 minutes a day on weekdays at least, Filipinos cry and laugh their worries and troubles away as they sympathize with the martyr-heroine character of Thalia. Never mind if the plot and the characters are so detached and too fantastic from their own experiences. It doesn't matter. The important thing is, Rosalinda finally reconciles with Fernando Jose and the villains are punished in the end.

Date: 26 Sept 2000

Source:Source: PT Staff

Latest Thalia Interviews

We are here to announce to you all that the Latest Thalia Interviews can be found at Planet Thalia's Interview Section. Check it out and be updated in our current news.

Date: 19 Sept 2000

Source:Source: Manila Standard" major newspaper page 23, under Entertainment section.

THALIA¹S HOLLYWOOD MOVIE DEBUT.


After conquering Mexico, and then the rest of the world, with a string of hit telenovelas and album, Thalia takes a big leap with a starring role in a feature film, marking her debut as a big screen star in "Mambo Café". The movie opens Sept. 27 in Manila.

"Mambo Café" marks many changes for the erstwhile "Reina de las telenovelas". It's a long overdue film debut and in English. Also, "Mambo Café" is Thalia's first effort at comedy (in the movies, I might say).

This, after years in dramatic role in telenovelas "Maria Mercedes" and "Rosalinda", now shown daily at 10:30pm on ABS_CBN.

This time, however, her teary-eyed heroines have to take a back seat in "Mambo Café".

Thalia plays a role even her Rosalinda nemesis Fedra would envy. She's Nydia,a spoiled business student at Boston University who, despite being supported by her Puerto Rican family from the Spanish Harlem, lies about her heritage and her working-class roots to snag a blue blooded Bostonian boyfriend. It all changes once she comes homes for vacation and finds her family and their beloved restaurant on the brink of disaster and bankruptcy because of the neighbourhood gangster played by Academy Award nominated actor Danny Aeillo.

Now it¹s up to Nydia to think of a plan to save everyone and rediscover her pride in her Hispanic heritage in the process. Named after one of the seven muses of the Greek Theater, Thalia began her acting career in her teens in her native Mexico after being cast in the lead role of a touring musical company of Grease in 1984. In 1987 Thalia embarked on her legendary career in telenovelas, making her debut in "La Pobre Senorita Limantour" as Dinah. It was in 1991 that she marked her true ascent into the stratosphere as she appeared in what was referred to later as the Maria trilogy: "Maria Mercedes", "Marimar" and "Maria la del Barrio".

She easily become the star of the highest rated Latin American telenovelas. Enjoying her new found fame, she then embarked on a singing career that would take her all over the world. While shooting "Mambo Café", Thalia enjoyed the experience tremendously, and has accepted the challenges involved in the production- including the language barr

ier. She loves her character and describe her experience with first time director Reuben Gonzales, shooting on location in New York as wonderful. She is looking forward to working with him again in the future.

Date: 17 Sept 2000

Source: Philippine Star Major Daily Newspaper The truth about Thalia - Conversations with Ricky Lo

The truth about Thalia - Conversations with Ricky Lo

The Bright Boys and the Spice Boys of the House of Representatives are scrambling mad over one another for the rare chance to be in the same frame with Fernando Carillo/Jose, male lead of the smash-hit telenovela Rosalinda, who¹s arriving tomorrow for a week-long promo visit for his new soap Siempre te Amare (produced by Viva Television for RPN 9), with a concert at the Araneta Coliseum on Sept. 23 as highlight.

Would you believe the "Young Turks" of Congress, supposedly the "hope of the Fatherland," throwing caution to the wind over a macho showbiz hero, threatening to engage in, heaven forbid, palengkera squabble for the attention of one Fernando Jose!?! What some people will do ­ to the point of brazenly sacrificing their dignity and their own "macho" reputation at the altar of media mileage ­ to get a share of the limelight.Shame, shame, shame!

If the Bright Boys and the Spice Boys would kill one another for Thalia, Fernando Jose¹s sexy and seductive Rosalinda leading lady, it would be understandable and more "heroic," wouldn¹t it be?

In the meantime, while Œem Boys are going gaga over Fernando Jose, let¹s listen to what Thalia has to say about all the rumors spicing up the international media and the Internet concerning her lovelife and her career.

This 30-minute phone Conversation, conducted between thousands of miles (Thalia was in London and I was in Manila), was arranged by EMI-OctoArts Records which is releasing Thalia¹s new album, Arrasando. It was 12 midnight in London and 7 p.m. in Manila, and Thalia was just about to turn in. She said she was talking to Conversations from bed.

As usual, Thalia was sweet as ever, freely talking about her new love, Sony Music boss Tommy Mottola, and new developments in her life and career, wishing to come back for another visit, more memorable perhaps than her twin visits back in 1996.

It¹s okay for the Bright Boys and the Spice Boys to claw their way to the side of Fernando Jose but the rest of the world, I¹m sure, would rather have Thalia.

Hello, Thalia, how are you?

"Good. How are you? I¹m okay. Good, good! Nice to hear you!"

I doubt if you remember but I met you ­ very briefly, from afar ­ at a presscon when you visited Manila a few years ago.

"Oh, yeah! That was a long time ago, huh?"

What are you doing in London? Shooting or what?

"We are doing promotion for my new album, Arrasando (Taken By Storm, released locally by OctoArts-EMI)."

Como estas, Thalia? "Muy bien, gracias? Kumusta, too?" Oh, you still speak Tagalog!

"Yeah. Salamat po!" Do you know that Fernando Carillo/Jose is coming to Manila?

"Oh, good for him! I wish I could be with him in Manila. It¹s amazing!"

When are you coming back? We¹re missing you already.

"I¹m really looking forward to coming back there; I wish I could show Fernando Carillo a little bit of what I knew... the people that I¹ve met there... the places that I¹ve visited there... all the things that I¹ve seen while I was there. I miss Manila very much... really, really miss Manila."

That was about four years ago.

"I miss all the people there who always, always give me the opportunity to be somebody over there."

But you¹re a somebody not only over here but everywhere! All over the world! "Am I?"

What are your fond memories of Manila?

"The people are very kind, very sweet, very friendly. I made many, many friends over there. I also remember so much the music; I remember also the food. I remember everything!"

What food did you like most?

"Oh, my God, everything! Everything was amazing! Especially the breakfast. Never in my whole life have I tasted a breakfast so amazing!"

What kind of breakfast was that?

"It was meat with a sweet juice; it was with eggs, too, and with bacon, and with fried rice, and with potato, and everything! I get hungry just thinking of that breakfast."

Do you know that your telenovela Rosalinda is a big, big hit in the Philippines, like Marimar?

"Yeah. Thanks to God and thanks to all the people of the Philippines. I want to thank the people there for allowing me to be part of their homes (During telecast of Rosalinda and her other telenovela Quinceanera. ­ RFL)."

When did you shoot Rosalinda?

"We did it like approximately two and a half years ago."

Was it after Marimar?

"No, no, no. Not after Marimar. After Marimar came Maria la del Barrio."

How long did you shoot Rosalinda (now being replayed on ABS-CBN, Monday through Friday, 10 to 10:30 p.m.)?

"Approximately one year... about 10 months."

All over Mexico?

"Just in Mexico City."

How did you find your role as Rosalinda (the poor girl who triumphs in the end)?

"Oh, I always love the Cinderella story. It¹s the kind of story that everyone in the family can watch ­ the grandfather, the grandmother, the father, the mother, the children. In my soap operas, there¹s no nudity. It¹s like Cinderella¹s story. Very wholesome. It¹s like a dream. It¹s a story that people like and that gets people involved."

Do you identify yourself with that kind of role?

"My emotions are kind of like Rosalinda. I mean, she¹s such a dreamer; she¹s a romantic; she fights for the future, she fights for love, so I identify so much with her. Rosalinda is one of my favorite roles ever; that one and Marimar."

Speaking of love scenes and kissing scenes... Now that you¹re doing movies in Hollywood (her starrer, Mambo Cafe, is showing soon in Manila), what would you do if you¹re offered a movie that requires a kissing scene or a love scene? Would you accept it?

"You know what... I don¹t like colds. I¹m freezing all the time! I really cannot accept that kind of role. Let me tell you something... I have the approval of many audiences around the world, in different languages, different cultures, without taking off my clothes and just with my performance in the soap operas, and just with my music. So basically, I don¹t need roles like that (with kissing and/or love scenes). I¹ve been doing this since I was 9 and I never took my clothes off, not even a blouse; I never took it off. So I¹ll never gonna do it."

How nice of you! We love you as you are ­ with your clothes on.

"You know, in the future, in the long term I really want to have a family; I¹m really looking forward to that. I can¹t imagine one of my children will come to me and tell me, ŒHey, Mommy, my friend in school showed me this magazine and you¹re naked.¹ You know. I don¹t want my children to suffer."

Is it because of your Catholic upbringing that you don¹t like sexy roles?

"It¹s not because of that; it¹s because of ethics. You know, my family tells me, ŒDo whatever your heart tells you.¹ My heart tells me not to take off my clothes so I¹m not gonna do it. Anyway, Thalia plays two roles; one is the actress and the other is the singer. The actress is more conservative while the singer can be more sexy."

How was it working with Fernando Carillo/Jose? Did you know him before Rosalinda?

"No, never; never before Rosalinda. I just knew him because of his work. The experience of working with him is just amazing. He¹s such a good guy; very, very nice person. We worked together very good. He¹s great. His brothers are amazing, too. Yeah, he¹s such an amazing guy. I¹m sure that we have the best chemistry ever in television. He¹s my best co-star."

Is he romantic also just like you?

"I don¹t know. The only thing I can tell you is that on the set, we laughed all the time. There were occasions when we couldn¹t work because we were just laughing and laughing, playing and playing, jumping all over the set. We were just like two kids playing."

There was a report that Fernando Carillo/Jose courted you during the shooting of Rosalinda. Was it true?

"No, no! You know what, he¹s like that with all the women. Cariñoso. I¹m telling you now... If I am in the Philippines, I should tell the women to be prepared."

Why?

"Because he¹s very sweet with all the girls! But he¹s respectful, too. We talked since the beginning of (Rosalinda) and we told each other, ŒYou know what, let¹s just be friends. Let¹s just be the best friends we can ever be.¹ Even after Rosalinda we¹re still talking; we¹re still in contact with each other."

He¹s still a bachelor, isn¹t he? He¹s still single, isn¹t he?

"Bachelor? Single? I really don¹t know."

There was also a rumor that you¹ve found a new love, none other than Sony Music boss Tommy Mottola. True or not?

"Well, that¹s one of the reasons why Fernando and I didn¹t have any relationship because when I started Rosalinda, I already had a boyfriend. Yes, Tommy!"

Congratulations!

"Thank you! You know, Fernando respects me and he understands that. I¹m happy and I¹m very pleased (with my boyfriend)."

How long have you and Tommy been going steady?

"Oh, well, almost three years and a half. Oh, I think more than two years and a half."

How do you find Tommy?

"I find him amazing. I don¹t really want to go into my personal life. But the only thing I can tell you is that I¹m very happy and I¹m so in love; I¹ve found a soulmate. He¹s a person who really takes care of my soul, of my dreams. HeŒs such a good, good, good person; an amazing person!"

Do you think you¹ll end up at the altar?

"Let¹s wait for the next episode. Let¹s follow the soap opera. Let me tell you... This is the best soap opera that I can ever do in my whole life! A real soap opera."

Do you have new telenovela coming up, aside from Rosalinda and Quinceneara (now being shown on RPN 9)?

"Quinceneara was my first hit soap opera; I did two before that. It was the one that really gave me the opportunity. Right now, I¹m reading several (scripts) but it¹s basically the same story all the time. I really prefer to wait until I find a really amazing project, a great idea and a great story. I¹m willing to wait a little bit."

What role would you like to play next time?

"I¹m telling you... I like the Cinderella story. I really would like to still do that but with a new concept, new setting, new pattern."

Which of your telenovelas is your favorite (also including La Pobre Señorita Limantour and Luz y Sombra)?

"My favorite? Marimar! Why? Because I identified completely with the little, little girl who lives in the beach. Free and wild with her dog. Just running in the beach, just enjoying life. I identified with Marimar when she was a little girl; I felt just like her. I also felt very close to Rosalinda because she was completely romantic and completely, you know, her mind was focused all the time."

You have a movie called Mambo Cafe. Could you tell us more about it?

"Mambo Cafe is such a funny project. I play a completely different character, a new character for me. She¹s arrogant, you know, pretentious; different from my soap opera characters."

Is this your first Hollywood movie?

"Yeah. It¹s more like an independent film; it¹s not like the most amazing production, you know. But the script is so good; it will make the audience laugh too much. It¹s about a Latin family living in New York City and the funny stuff that happens to the family. I had fun making that movie and I hope to do another movie soon."

It¹s showing in Manila very soon.

"Oh, yeah? I wish I was there to promote it."

We wish the same thing, too.

"You know what... I talked with my record company over there and we¹re putting something together, something that will bring me back to Manila with my family. I¹m eager to see how things are over there. I¹m praying that I can go back to the Philippines."

Could you tell us more about Arrasando, your album?

"Arrasando is an album full of life, full of happiness. You listen to the songs of the album and you start to get up from your seat and you start dancing, you start moving your feet and tapping your fingers, you start to forget about all your problems."

How different is it from your other albums, such as Amor a la Mexicana and En Extasis?

"Amor Mexicana reflects more of the Latin rhythm while Arrasando is more of pop music with the flavor of the Latin rhythm."

What¹s your favorite song from Arrasando?

"Oh, I like the title song, Arrasando, definitely. And the romantic song that is named Why Do I Cry. It¹s so beautiful and so tender. I¹m gonna record that in English. I also like Reincarnation. And Rosalinda, of course, which is included in the Arrasando album."

You once recorded a Tagalog song, Nandito Ako. Remember?

(Proceeds to sing) "Mayroon akong gustong malaman... Oh, you know what, I¹ve seen that your (Filipinos¹) side of romanticism is so big. Nandito Ako was the first song that I heard when I arrived in Manila and I fell in love with it. I said, ŒGuys, I don¹t know what you¹re gonna do but I¹m gonna record this song!¹ And I did. It¹s one of my favorite songs ever."

What do you enjoy more, singing or acting?

"Both. I love both, but if you really, really want to know... I prefer the stage. Because in the stage, as a singer, you can also act, you can perform a song, you can act a song. You can be an actress and a singer at the same time."

Do you have any favorite singer?

"I love Celine Dion. I love her voice. Very simple and very dramatic. I love her!"

Any favorite song?

"I have so many, especially also the songs of Tina Turner and Elton John."

So you¹re now in London for your album promo. Where else are you going?

"From here, we¹re going to Budapest, Hungary, Greece, Miami to work again, to New York for more work, and then I¹ll be back in London."

Where are you based?

"I live between Florida and Mexico. My family is now moving to Florida. My Dad is dead. I only have my Mom, Yolanda. We¹re five sisters; some of them are divorced."

When you get married, how many children do you want to have?

"Oh, only three."

What are your immediate plans?

"If I find a new story for a telenovela, I¹ll start work on it as soon as possible." What about for yourself, as a private person? Do you have time to enjoy yourself? You¹re always working.

"Yeah, definitely! I have time to be with my family, with my friends, with my boyfriend. I have time to enjoy life, go out for dinner, go to the movies and live a normal life."

So you still have a normal life in spite of your popularity?

"You know, first, I¹m a person; and second, I¹m an artist. Most of the people in this business want to be the artist first and then the person after. In my case, I prefer to live and enjoy life. After that, I work."

If you had three wishes, what would they be?

"First, eradicate the pain and hunger in the world. Second, find the right government for my country and make my country improve and make my country so beautiful. Third, happiness for everybody, with the blessing of God."

Anything to say to your fans over here?

"Salamat po. Maraming salamat po. I love you all."

Muchas gracias, Thalia.

"Muchas gracias tambien."

Take care, Thalia!

"You, too, take care!"

Date: 16 Sept 2000

Source: ABS-CBN TV 2, Philippine local channel.

Thalia will be shining brightly on
Philippine Movie Screens via "Mambo Café" starting September 27.

Thalia fans around Metro Manila will witness another big screen event of their favourite soap opera superstar since "MariMar" the Movie, this time via "Mambo Café", Thalia's first English spoken motion picture. Folks, be early in the queue to be among the first patrons to enjoy watching Thalia in the big screen. Viva Thalia, rah, rah, rah! Kababayans, who had watched "Mambo Café" on video, kindly still watch the movie in the big screen to experience a different kind of Thalia magic via big screen offering.

Thalia Contest on TV.

In connection with the showing of "Mambo Café" in Philippine cinemas, the ABS-CBN 2 variety show "MTB" "Magandang Tanghali Bayan" which brought to you "Rosalinda" contest is now offering a new Thalia contest entitled "Thaliado", a contest for gays. These gay contestants will dance to the tune of a Thalia song from the said motion picture like "Mujer Latina".

Date: 15 Sept 2000

Source:Source: www.billboard.com/events/mvc/nominees2000.html Thanks Nena for the news.

THALIA¹S song "Entre El Mar Y Una Estrella"
Nominated at the Latin Billboards as Best Music Clip.

Here¹s the list: Best Clip of the Year : Enrique Iglesias: Ritmo Total Luis Miguel: Amarte Es Un Placer Carlos Ponce: Esc¦chame EMI Tito Puente: Mambo Thalia: Entre El Mar Y Una Estrella EMI Latin America Simon Brand.

Date: 15 Sept 2000

Source: TV 2 page www.tv2.com By: Thank you Dorothy of Hungary for sharing the info!

TThe pages are about Thalía's career and about her stay in Budapest.

As concerns her carrier they wrote about her popularity in Mexico, Latin America, about how her singing career started, her first groups, acting in telenovelas, her father's death and how she coped with that. About her love with Alfredo Diaz Ordaz, how she takes her job seriously and about her latest success with "Arrasando".

About Thalía in Budapest:

They wrote some words of her sightseeing. They say she was charming already on the first day when lot of photographers were around her during her walk in the city. But everybody were struck all of a heap as she appeared to the party wearing a low-necked, fit close beautiful dress. Thalía'a face was beaming with joy, she posed kindly for the photographers and gave kisses to the tv2 leaders. Thanks to the votes of the viewers she received a certificate for being the most popular telenovela star in tv2.

Thalía sang in Dáridó (this is the name of that show). She arrived in white, simple, sporty clothes, only her pink shoes showed that this woman is different then the others. After a small make-up and clothes change a real star came on Daridó's stage. Thalía charmed her audience already in the first moment, she waved, blew kisses to the celebrating crowd. But it is also true that she had some star-behavior: she didn't want to practise the choreography for the show so she only watched it on video. But at the shooting she was perfect in doing the steps. She said she felt like home. Thalía received a small black puli (Hungairan dog type). Lajcsi (host of the show) gave the name Rozi for the dog. Because Thalía travelled to Greece she couldn't take the dog with her so she asked them to send her "daughter" to her as she got home. So the dog will soon travel to Mexico where it surely will have good time since Thalía fell in love with it and covered the dog with kisses on the stage.

Date: 13 Sept 2000

Source: Thanks to Dimitris K

THALIA POWER CHARMS THE GREEK FANS!

Today is the day that Thalia is visiting Greece. So I was in a cosmetic store where she signed autographs . She was so beautiful , unfortunately I couldn't and as well as many fans get any autograph.

The store was crowded with so many fans that cheered and screamed all the time. It was impossible to reach her. Only 50 fans had the chance to get an autograph some on their blouse , hands, her school books. Some fans had a painting of Thalia. It was a crazy thing I couldn't move my feet everyone push forward backward it was a mad situation but I loved it. More details about her stay in Greece her interview in Greek TV soon.