Star Magic´s brightest stars in METRO´s august issue!

Metro Magazine paid tribute to the man behind the success of Star Magic, Johnny Manahan, in its August 2010 issue. Some of the biggest names in ABS-CBN also talked about how he made a big difference in their lives. First up was John Lloyd Cruz, three-time Box Office King and one of the most sought-after endorsers in the country today. “Ang masasabi ko lang about Mr. M (as he is fondly called in showbiz circles), parang wala akong maiisip na ibang tao or ibang manager for that matter who can handle stars na ganito karami. I’ve said this before and I want to say it again na I belong to the best talent firm in the country.”

Bea Alonzo and Kristine Hermosa were very grateful to Mr. M for helping them achieve their full potential from the very beginning of their showbiz career. “I was too afraid to leave my comfort zone and to experience anything. It was Mr. M who opened up a new world to me. It was as if there was something he saw that I didn’t and he persevered in developing my talent. He really believed in me more than I believe in myself,” said Kristine. Bea on the other hand fondly recalled the day she sang “I Turn To You” as part of her audition. “Sabi niya sa akin, ‘Alam mo yung Pagdating Ng Panahon?’ Mas nakita niya yung boses ko. Tapos pina-sign niya ako agad ng six-year contract.”

For Maja Salvador, she would always treasure her funny moments with their well-respected mentor. “Dati sa Impostor, meron akong sexy scene. Biniro niya ako. ‘Ikaw ha ‘di ka na nagpapaalam.’ Minsan niloloko din niya ako na kailangan ko magpapayat kasi yung pata ko parang pampalo ng labada,” she exclaimed with a laugh. In a similar vein, Jake Cuenca talked about how much he enjoys working with the Star Magic mentor. “My most fun experience with him was when binuo nila yung Cover Boys. Kapag magkakasama kami sa ASAP tapos lolokohin kami ni Mr. M, paghuhubarin kami lahat for a segment. Yun lagi nakakatawa kasi minsan maaarte kami. Pero ’pag si Mr. M na ang nagsasabi, wala ng question question,” he added.

Other stars who joined Mr. M for the cover story included Kim Chiu, Angelica Panganiban, Shaina Magdayao, Erich Gonzales, Carmen Soo, and Maricar Reyes. For the all-male layouts, Piolo Pascual, Sam Milby, Zanjoe Marudo, Enchong Dee, Gerald Anderson, Coco Martin, Gabby Concepcion, and Diether Ocampo joined Mr. M.

Alongside this spectacular issue, Metro Magazine also launched its iPad application early this month. This groundbreaking venture makes it possible for iPad users to see never-before-published behind-the-scene photos and videos from Metro Magazine’s pictorials. ABS-CBN Publishing Head Ernie Lopez further shared his thoughts on this subject. “We’re very excited because we're the first Philippine magazine on the iPad. We believe that the iPad and other tablets like it is the new frontier for ABS-CBN Publishing. I don’t think it will totally kill print, just like whenever there's a new platform coming along, it doesn’t really kill the old one. But it gives you another option.”