MANILA - Actress Anne Curtis is the favored choice of the Philippine entertainment press to play the young Kris Aquino in a biopic about the late president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino.

Curtis said she heard about the possible role from Kris Aquino herself, who told Curtis she had initially eyed actress Kim Chiu for the role because of her Chinese features.

The Cojuangcos and Aquinos are prominent political and land-owning families of Filipino-Chinese descent.

"Tinawagan niya (Kris Aquino) ako... sabi niya kasi, 'They (press) asked me who do I want to play the younger Kris?' She said 'Kim (Chiu)' kasi chinita daw. Pero lahat ng press sabi, 'No! Dapat si Anne.' Sabi niya, 'Ay, ang bongga ko naman, mestiza!'" Curtis told "SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon."

[Kris Aquino called me. She said, "They asked me who do I want to play the younger Kris?" She suggested "Kim Chiu" because she is "chinita." But the press said, "No! It should be Anne." Aquino said, "Oh, that would be fabulous. I will be played by a mestiza."]

Curtis and Aquino are said to be close to each other, even surprising each other with presents. Aquino had reportedly given Curtis a "good-luck head piece" to wear for the pilot episode of "Showtime", which Curtis hosts.

Though Chiu may suit the role of a younger Kris Aquino because she looks Chinese, Curtis said her personality would match it better because she and Aquino are both "honest and outspoken."

"Hindi naman [ako] ganoon kahinhin. Which is true, nakakatawa naman talaga. [I'm not that demure. Which is true, it's funny]," she said.

However, Curtis said she will not bear a grudge if Aquino will choose Chiu to play a role in Cory Aquino's upcoming biopic.