ACTRESS Gabriela Annjane ‘Ella’ Umali Cruz drew flak for likening history with gossip.

Cruz, who portrayed Irene Marcos in a new film about the Marcoses, said that “history is like tsismis (gossip)” drawing the ire of historians, students and members of the academe.

She is set to star in the movie “Maid in Malacañang” which will depict the Marcoses’ last three days in power during the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

Cruz said that she respects everyone’s opinion about the Marcoses but that history has been filtered to suit one party.

Historian, journalist and professor Ambeth Ocampo advised Cruz to not confuse history and gossip.

“Don’t confuse history and chismis. History may have been bias but it is based on fact not opinion. Real history is about Truth, not lies, not fiction,” Ocampo said.

Many netizens backed Ocampo’s stance.