By NEIL RAMOS
ENDOWED with come-hither-looks as with all-natural curves, Ritz Azul is a pin-up goddess come to life.
And she knows it too.
She played it to the hilt at the press conference for her latest film, the “Beauty And The Beast” derived rom-com “Hopeful Romantic,” wearing a cleavage-baring dress that displayed her ample bosom.
As if that wasn’t enough, she also had on a pair of short shorts that allowed for her seemingly endless legs to distract not a few eyes.
And she smells so good too, the tease.
In “Hopeful Romantic,” Azul plays the role of ravishing gold-digger.
She would latch on to leading man Pepe Herrera’s character, mistaking him for another rich guy. Hilarity ensues.
Not that it is all just about the laughs.
The 24-year-old shared smiling, “Marami tayong eksenang seksi dito, may mga scenes na naka two-piece lang ako, may mga bed scenes… naughty film siya eh.”
We bet.
But how naught is naughty, we asked.
“Very,” she retorted, laughing.
Azul is thankful to have landed the part mainly because, “it’s my first lead role for a film eh.”
“Matagal-tagal na rin ako sa industriya and masaya na finally nabigyan ako ng ganitong pagkakataon. Parang I feel lucky and blessed.”
Well, not as much as Herrera.
The actor, a former seaman, locked lips with Azul so many times in the course of making the film he wasn’t able to keep count.
Bastard.
He admitted to getting a kick out of it, too.
“Siyempre Ritz Azul ‘yan eh,” he said. “Tao lang naman tayo.”
Of course.
Then again, Herrera was professional enough not to offend his leading lady.
“Maingat na maingat ako kasi ayoko sa lahat ‘yung isipin ng partner mo na may malisya ka, na binabastos mo sila,” he said. “Kaya nga may one time na sobrang panginginig ko to the point na si Ritz pa ‘yung nag-ga-guide sa akin kung paano ‘yung gagawin.”
Did you know that Azul haven’t had a boyfriend yet?
This is because, most of her life, she was focused on helping her family.
“Hindi naman kasi kami mayaman,” she said.
She is dating now, though.
Azul shared, “Matagal ko na siyang kakilala so komportable ako sa kaniya.”
Does this mean she is off the market?
“Hindi naman, wala pa naman kaming commitment sa isa’t isa,” she said.
Would she be open to dating err, a lowly journalist?
She said, “Ako, sa suitors naman open naman ako. Pero siyempre kung may pagtingin ka sa akin, dapat pakita mo. Hindi naman ako ‘yung tipong mag-o-okay na lang bigla sayo.”
A caveat though: “Siyempre, career ko ang priority ko. Ito ang gusto ko sa buhay ko. Bahala ka na mag-intindi kung tutuloy ka pa ba o hindi na.”
What says you, Pedro?
“Hopeless romantic” screens in theaters tomorrow.
