NADINE LUSTRE
A GREATER part of this column ay ipinagpapasalamat namin sa aming dating co-worker in GMA na si Butch Francisco who to say that he is showbiz authority is, in fact, an understatement.
Para sa amin, isang showbiz historian si Butch kundi man isang walking archive.
Aniya, hindi na raw bago ang kinapapaloobang kaso ni Nadine Lustre who, through her lawyer, wants released from Viva Artists Agency.
In showbiz history, ganito rin daw ang nangyari kay (SLN) Amalia Fuentes who began her showbiz career bilang isa sa mga kontratadong artista ng Sampaguita Pictures.
This was when she was in senior high school at 15, taong 1955. Amalia was then the second highest paid actress per movie (P8,000) next to Gloria Romero (P10,000).
After seven years ay may independent film company na nag-alok kay Amalia ng pelikula for a much higher fee, at doon na nag-ugat ang demandahan. But all ended well, nanalo man ang Sampaguita sa kaso ay napagkasunduang tatapusin na lang ni Amalia ang walong buwang nalalabi until her contract expired.
Wala ring iniwan ‘yon in the case of Nora Aunor. Also in Sampaguita, P400 per picture lang ang katumbas niya.
Nagkainteres si (SLN) direk Artemio Marquez to get Nora to appear in “Musical Teenage Idol” under his Tower Productions palibhasa’y nakailang beses na rin siyang naidirek nito. The case, too, eventually led to a court battle, nanaig ang nagdemanda ultimately.
Same with Rosanna Roces na dating nakakontrata sa Seiko Films ni Robbie Tan. Ang bawat pelikula pala ni Osang earned her P60,000.
Istrikto pa ang kumpanya dahil mahigpit na ipinagbawal noon na mag-leak sa press ang pagkakaroon na ni Osang ng dalawang anak (Grace at Onyok) para hindi nga naman ma-turn off ang male audience who worshipped her.
Came Reyna Films and its offer “Ligaya ang Itawag sa Akin” which would elevate Osang to a higher level as an actress. Palibhasa ang asawa ni (SLN) Tita Midz (Armida Siguion-Reyna) ay isang pinagpipitaganang abogado de campanilla, they were able to go around Osang’s contract.
Sa modernong panahon, we see Nadine following in the footsteps of more established stars ahead of her, na bagama’t may sagutan nang namamagitan sa dalawang kampo, the case has yet to find its way to the courtroom.
Without jumping the gun, baka matulad din ito sa Sampaguita versus Amalia case, kung saan maoobligang gawin ni Nadine ang natitira pang seven movies under Viva Films before she can bolt out its doors.
Puwede ring may ibang paraan to reach an amicable settlement kung saan parehong makakahinga nang matiwasay ang dalawang kampo nang wala ni katiting na sumbatan in the end.
After all, lagi nating naririnig ang linyang “Nagkatulungan naman pareho.” This should appease hard feelings on either side.
But if we were Nadine, we would fulfill our contractual obligations first, at saka na kami magdedesisyon kung mag-aalsa-balutan kami.