Chizmizan with Chuva

Bernard Palanca talks about “Hush Hush” and doing a commercial with son Elijah

Bernard Palanca plays a young director in the edgy TV5 drama Hush Hush. The show features the lives of several young celebrities as they experience the exhilarating highs and the disheartening lows of the entertainment business. And since the show is about how it is living and struggling in the “make or break” world of show business, PEP asked Bernard if the characters in the show are based on existing celebrities.

“No one in particular,” begins Bernard as he sits for an interview with PEP during the TV5 presscon for their primetime shows at Mario’s Restaurant in Tomas Morato, Quezon City, yesterday, August 15. “All of our characters, there’s no one in particular that we’re trying to show the public, like this is who this person is, this is how this person is.

“What we want to show…the idea of the whole show is just to show the public, that this can happen to anybody. And if it does happen to you, these are also the consequences that come along with it, at the same time these are the perks. In other words we’re showing the life of an artista—has been or new, sikat or not—how is the life of show business behind the camera, and not only in front where all we see really is the glitz and glamour of show business. But what we don’t see is what’s really going on.”

Bernard says being an artista is more than just walking around, smiling, and looking pretty. “You have to do certain things in it. So many factors involved into becoming a superstar, so to speak.”

So does this mean Hush Hush is also going to show the ugly and dirty side of show business?

“We’re definitely going to show some ‘dirt,’ in terms of what goes on, like kunyari… artistas getting involved with producers, like in my [character's] case, a director, I end up with an artista. We’ll show that side that it does happen. But not naman detailed to a point na it comes off as bastos or wrong…you know what I mean? Parang, we just want to show the truth, that it really happens.

“You don’t have to be an artista to fall in love with another artista. I mean, you know, you can be an artista and fall in love with a director, for example, and because you just do, and not because for any other reason.

“So we will show these little sides that people really don’t see or normally speculate about. So we’re going to try and and clear up a lot of speculation, and also we’re going to try and clear up a lot of truths, I guess. And show a little bit of dirt, parang gano’n.

“Basta, there’s going to be a lot of diferrent issues within different characters. And these are issues that people really deal with behind the camera. So, I would say so far and by far, it is the closest thing to reality that I’ve read and I’m doing at the moment.”

LITTLE ELIJAH. Afterwards, PEP asked Bernard how his relationship with wife Meryll Soriano has been doing?

“Oh, we’re friends. Not close friends, but friends. In fact, I just talked to her this morning because we’re already planning our son’s first birthday party. We’re finalizing it already. That’s gonna be at the 27^th of this month.”

PEP asked for the photo of his son and Bernard proudly showed his cell phone where little Elijah, his son, is the wallpaper. We asked him to send the photo through Bluetooth to our own cell phone. Elijah’s photo will be seen on the Babies section of PEP.

Bernard says he’s not going to say no if Elijah wants to be in showbiz when he grows up.

“Definitely, I’m not going to tell him no. I’m going to encourage him to go into show business. In fact, I was already offered to do a commercial with him supposedly, and I said, let’s do it. I’m still waiting for the client.

“They said, ‘Hey, your son is so guwapo, maybe you guys want to do something together,’ and I said, I would love to, just let me know and tell me, I will do it. So… hopefully, soon.”

Source: PEP