Marimar: Finding Fulgoso

By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines - Telenovelas are going to the dogs. Yes, but in a fun way.

Just as extensive as GMA 7's search for "Marimar" was the quest for Fulgoso, the heroine's talking dog (whose voice will be provided by Michael V).

The audition process ran for three weeks on the chat show "Sis."

Recalled program manager Ruth Mari¤as: "There were six daily rounds. The six winners were elevated to the grand finals."

The finalists were golden retrievers Nigel and Douglas, poodles Sam, Putin and Disney, and Maltese Japo.

Judges in the daily rounds were talent manager and pet owner (of 38 dogs!) Lolit Solis, composer and pet shop owner Danny Tan, and "Marimar" director Joyce Bernal.

For the Friday grand finals, also aired on "Sis," the series' other director, Mac Alejandre, subbed for Bernal.

The criteria: 50 percent talentong Fulgoso; 30, pormang Fulgoso; and 20, astig appeal.

Top three

The top three were Nigel, Sam and Japo. Three-year-old Nigel, owned by Celine Villamor and trained by Dennis Javier, emerged champ.

Said Bernal: "Nigel is beautiful, and he follows commands even from a distance." Mari¤as agreed: "Direk Mac thinks Nigel is guwapo ."

Alejandre jokingly described Nigel as "leading man" material, while Mari¤as pointed out that Nigel is bigger, and looks better, than the original Fulgoso in the Mexican soap starring Thalia. She said that one "looked like a mongrel, with black fur."

Nigel won the part as much for his looks as for his demeanor.

"For the last part of the contest, we asked [actor] Mark Herras to give the commands' we wanted to see which of the three would respond to people other than the trainers, and only Nigel did," recalled Mari¤as.

Owner Villamor said Nigel trains three times a week, and that his obedience training will continue even now that he is about to become a celebrity.

Nigel hasn't met Marian Rivera, the actress portraying Marimar.

"They're set to meet next week," said Popoy Caritativo, Rivera's manager. "They will have their own bonding sessions."
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