Enrique Gil returns to silver screen with hilarious new role

By Angelica Villanueva

AFTER a three-year hiatus from the entertainment industry, actor Enrique Gil is set to make his much-anticipated return. Recently announcing his comeback to the acting scene, fans can expect to see a lot more of him after his last onscreen project, Make

It With You, alongside his former love team partner, Liza Soberano

During the pandemic, Enrique took a break from the limelight, but now he's eager to grace our screens once again with his undeniable charm and acting prowess.

At 31 years old, the singer-dancer is more than ready to showcase his talent and captivate audiences once more.

In his upcoming film, I Am Not Big Bird, Enrique will not only star but also

In

JP Habac’s branded campaign video wins at Tambuli Awards 2023

IKEA Philippines was recently bestowed a humanity award by the prestigious Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards 2023 for a campaign video produced and directed by Secret Menu, the full-service creative agency and production house under KROMA Entertainment.

The three-minute video entitled Hapag was awarded the Champions for Humanity Bronze Award under the Building Character/Digital and Social Media category. It tells the heartwarming, gender role-defying story of a gay son, his drag queen father, and their love-filled home for IKEA Philippines’ Paskong Pinoy series released in December 2022.

“More than the recognition or award, our main goal at IKEA is to create a better everyday life for the many. This includes promoting diversity, inclusion, and equality—making everyone feel welcome. We hope that this campaign inspires even more inclusive stories from more brands in the industry,” shares Patrick Marcelo, IKEA’s Marketing and PR manager.

The video was helmed by JP Habac whose body of work includes the film I’m Drunk, I Love You and LGBTQIA+-themed series such as Gaya sa Pelikula and Drag You & Me. Habac was on hand to receive the award together with representatives from IKEA’s Philippine office and KROMA Entertainment.

Marcelo adds, “It's important for us as a brand to work with partners who share the same values as us. We are glad to have Secret Menu and JP Habac in bringing our campaign to life through a locally relevant and inclusive story.”

Bianca Balbuena, Head of Studios at Secret Menu and production studio ANIMA, celebrates the victory together with IKEA Philippines, a steadfast client of the creative agency since its inception.

“Secret Menu and IKEA share the common vision of putting out engaging content that contributes to the common good of society. This makes the collaboration easy and meaningful,” Balbuena shares days after the awarding ceremony.

Another work by Secret Menu for IKEA, Queens of the House by in-house director Chyna Lo was also shortlisted by Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards 2023 under the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Category.

These recent recognitions shine the light on the dynamic relationship between the creative agency and the shelter megabrand. Balbuena continues, “These recognitions are a testament to Secret Menu’s capability to deliver IKEA’s message of inclusivity effectively in an entertaining way. It is also a validation that Secret Menu is an agency that businesses and brands can trust and work with. We hope to continue working together in producing heartwarming content with a purpose for the Filipino audience.”

The Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards 2023 is an award show that recognizes growing business and brands with purpose. It exists “to recognize the contribution of businesses and brands that effectively create a better world for humanity.” a famous porn star in the country.

"First of all, I'm not Big Bird. But at some point, I will also become Big Bird. Basically, Big Bird is a famous porn star in Thailand. My character, Luis Carpio, travels to Thailand and there, he gets mistaken for Big Bird because they look like identical twins. That's where the adventure begins," said Enrique.

But that's not all. Alongside his return to acting, Enrique has also ventured into a new business endeavor. With his natural entrepreneurial spirit, he has embarked on a new venture and partnered with the digital ticketing and video platform, Ticket2Me, as its newest chief marketing officer. "It started with me wanting to give back to the entertainment industry," he began.

Enrique aims to empower artists, creators, and performers in the entertainment by to their fans through Ticket2Me's direct and convenient platform. "From the screen to the stage, we just want to put creative events and content. Even if we are no longer there and Enrique Gil

I don't have to perform, I'm still giving entertainment to the fans in my own way," he added.

"Even if I'm no longer able to work with my physical body, I'm still providing content. Not only to the fans but also to my colleagues in the industry for future artists as well, for international acts or just to connect the fan with their idols. That's the legacy we want to leave," he stated.

In an interview with Manila Standard Entertainment, the actor said that this new role means everything to him.

"This is the reason why I came back. For three years, I was gone, and I said I would never go back to showbiz or the entertainment industry. My life was quiet, and we were just doing business with my mom. But, you know, deep inside my heart, there was something missing. So, this is it. This is me, finishing my story," answered Enrique.

"It completes my story and the legacy I want to leave behind in the entertainment industry. I said, even if I'm no longer here, it's like I'm still, in a way, giving back, giv-