LORNA TOLENTINO IN A GREAT NEW ROLE

MANILA, December 20, 2003  (MALAYA) WITH a grandslam for "Narito ang Puso Ko" and other best actress awards for "Maging Akin Ka Lamang," "Abakada...Ina," and "Luksong Tinik," what more can Lorna Tolentino ask for?

"More challenging roles, be they lead or supporting, bida or kontrabida. The more difficult the better," replies Lorna Tolentino a.k.a. LT. who fought for the scheming third wife (or is it mistress?) role in "Mano Po 2," Regal's entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival.

She portrays Belinda, the Chinese-Filipino mestiza who wants to control the business empire of her husband (Christopher de Leon), to the detriment of the two other wives (Susan Roces and Zsa Zsa Padilla) and their children. Belinda wants to assure the future of her two children, Alessandra de Rossi and Richard Gutierrez, both of whom give her problems.

LT's character in "Mano Po 2" is not out-and-out black, it's more of gray, an insecure woman who loves her children well but not wisely. A character after her own heart.

"Mano Po 2" is directed by Erik Matti based on the script by Roy Iglesias and the producer herself, Mother Lily Y. Monteverde, also starring Judy Ann Santos, Jay Manalo, Cogie Domingo, Carmina Villarroel, Karylle, Chynna Ortaleza, Angel Locsin, Zoren Legaspi, and Kris Aquino as the young Susan Roces.

Lorna's other memorable performances include "Init sa Magdamag," "Moral," "Diyosa," "May Nagmamahal Sa 'Yo," "Kailan Mahuhugasan ang Kasalanan," "Sugatang Puso," "Bayarang Puso," "Sa Ngalan ng Pag-ibig."

A compleat actress, Lorna is also knowledgeable in offcamera work like editing, musical scoring, scriptwriting. Years back, she took time out from showbiz for nearly a year to study film in San Francisco, California. She and husband Rudy Fernandez run Reflections Films, producing very good action and drama pictures.

Rudy and LT have two sons, Ralph and Renz, bright students at Ateneo.

Lately, Lorna has not been doing too many movies-by choice. She opts for quality rather than quantity, tackling only roles which challenge her, like Belinda in "Mano Po 2." In between TV and film assignments, she attends to her numerous business ventures like a water-purifying outlet, a laundry service, and a network of bakeshops.