e-talk
Beth Gelena

LIKE mother, like daughter. ‘Yan ang impression namin sa 15- year-old na anak ng former beauty queen-turned-sexy actress na si Ma. Isabel Lopez nang makausap namin sa birthday presscon ng Star Magic for May celebrators.

Maganda at sexy din si Mara Lopez tulad ni Isabel. Wala sa hitsura ng teener na may dugong banyaga kahit pa ang ama’y isang Japanese.

Nakuha nito ang halos lahat ng feature ng ina at kung mabibigyan ng pagkakatao’y nais ding sumali sa isang beauty pageant.

Hindi itinatanggi ni Mara na hiwalay ang parents niya. Pero nananatiling friends ang dating mag-asawa.

Naiintindihan ni Mara kung bakit sila nagkaganu’n at masaya silang magkakapatid dahil hindi pinababayaan ng ama.

“Malimit po si daddy dito. Narito sa Philippines ang ibang business niya. Sa bahay din siya natutulog, pero hindi na tulad ng dati. Best of friends sila ni mommy at kahit ako’y best friend ko si daddy,” ani Mara.

Nakagawa na ng ilang movie si Mara. Ang latest niyang assignment ay isang independent film, Following Rosa. Isasali ito sa Sundance Film Festival.

Isang Amerikano named Jacob ang kapareha ni Mara sa digi-movie. “He’s only 11 years old at may kissing scene kami sa Following Rosa. Battered child ang role ko sa movie.”

Si John Prats ang dating crush ng bagets sa showbiz.

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?page=n...date=2006-06-08

MARA WON’T GO BOLD LIKE MOM
A LITTLE BIT
by : Remy Umerez


MARA Isabella Lopez is a 4th year high school student of OB Montessori Center Inc.


The daughter of former sexpot and beauty queen Maria Isabel Lopez is the youngest Filipina surfer (1997) and youngest champion in surfing (2000), and youngest winner in Game KNB? (2004)


Yes, Mara is aware of the bold films Maribel did and understands why her mom did them. Now, she is following the footsteps of her mom, but with a big difference — she won’t go bold.


She has appeared in an indie movie (not yet shown) entitled Following Rosa, playing the principal character of Sel, a sampaguita vendor and battered child exposed to the evils of society at a young age. It is being eyed as an entry to the Sundance Film Festival 2007.

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?page=n...date=2006-06-11

Theme for a dream
APRYLLE LIABRES (Contributor)

30 August 2007

BEFORE, SHE was just one among a handful of talents of Star Magic waiting for her big break. The fact that her mother was a former actress and beauty queen helped her get one foot in the door; but the rest was up to her.

Today, 16-year-old Mara Isabella Lopez is on her way to fulfilling her dreams of stardom with a role in an ABS-CBN primetime series, no less. The daughter and elder of two children of former actress and Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Maria Isabel Lopez, Mara decided to follow her mother’s footsteps into showbiz. A fourth year high school student at OB Montessori in Greenhills, Mara is currently essaying a cameo role as the daughter of Rosanna Roces and Ronnie Lazaro in Sineserye Presents: Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos, topbilled by the trio of Roxanne Guinoo, Joross Gamboa and Jake Cuenca.

Before that, Mara played the lead role in the independent film Following Rosa. The movie was directed by Ron Morales, who had meant to enter it in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. Mara starred in the movie as Sel, a sampaguita vendor who was also a battered child. She won the role after a series of auditions.

But it is her work in Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos that is winning Mara the notice of critics these days. Not a few have marvelled at how the Filipino-Japanese teenager (her father is a Japanese businessman) can hold her own, acting-wise, against tested thespians like character actor Ronnie Lazaro, who plays her father on the show. A viewer, on seeing Mara’s performance in a recent episode, commented on what a promising actress the 16-year-old was. “If she can just make the right career choices, there’s no doubt that she’ll go far in this business.”

Mara thinks the acting genes that she inherited from her mother are largely responsible for the success she's now enjoying. “She's done a lot of things that I don't think I could do, but a lot of people believe in me, and I hate to disappoint them,” says Mara. “Besides, it's always been my dream to become an actress like my mom.”

Needless to say, adjusting to showbiz isn't all that easy, even for the daughter of Maria Isabel Lopez. Mara confesses that sometimes, she has anxious moments on the set of Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos, especially when she has to act opposite veteran actors. “I guess I'm just good at hiding how nervous I am,” laughs Mara. “Who wouldn't be nervous working with all these veterans? I just try to concentrate and do my best so I won't embarrass myself or my mom. I want to do my best for myself and also for her.”

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/CityHome.asp?xfile=data/citytimes/2007/August/citytimes_August327.xml&section=citytimes&col=

September 30, 2007 06:53 PM Sunday

By: Nel Alejandrino

TATTLE

NAKU, Ian F., very effective in her role as kontrabida itong unica hija ni Maria Isabel Lopez na si Mara.

Tuwing nagmamaldita siya bilang anak nina Rosanna Roces at Ronnie Lazaro at nakababatang kapatid ni Roxanne Guinoo sa teleseryeng Natutulog ba ang Diyos ng Dos, gusto namin siyang hilahin (from the boob tube, ha) at sampal-sampalin.

Nakaiinis talaga siya.

Si Mara ay anak ni Maribel (pet name ni Maria Isabel) sa asawang Hapon with whom she’s now estranged.

People's Tonight

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2007-09-30&sec=3&aid=33290