Sharon as grist for the gossip mill

Sharon Cuneta

Sharon Cuneta’s impassioned posts on social media have consistently been grist for the gossip mill not only because of how expressive she is, but also because the actress happens to be Tinseltown’s most eloquent habitué, bar none.

But, let’s clarify those pesky rumors about the 51-year-old Megastar first: Sharon hasn’t called it quits with her hubby Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. She is likewise far from filing for bankruptcy and, nope, she hasn’t contracted HIV.

“That last one is as mean as it is funny—it’s ridiculous,” Sharon quipped when we met her for this one-on-one interview at ABS-CBN just before she embarked on her five-leg US tour, which began yesterday in Santa Ynez, California—with special guests Ian Veneracion, Ai-Ai delas Alas and “The Voice Kids” alumna Antonetthe Tismo.

(Other tour dates: today in Union City, California; June 24, Glendale, California; July 8, Flushing, New York, and July 9, Cabazon, California.)

“It was Kiko who texted me about the HIV rumor as I was on my way home after taping an episode of ‘The Voice Teens.’ Kung totoong may HIV ako, it’s that I’m ‘Hungry and Islowly becoming Very sexy’ (laughs). Look at me naman—whoever made that up was either blind or an addict! It’s like calling me anorexic.”

Sharon has lost 65 pounds since she began her current weight-loss program—but the “struggle” hasn’t admittedly been easy.

She said, “It’s been a year and a half since I decided to do something about it—and I’ve been on a plateau for a couple of months now. S’yempre, nakakaumay din. My downfall is bread, not rice. I’m not ma-kanin, but my bread comes with butter … But, I will try my best not to gain back all that weight. I still have about 30 more pounds to go, and I’ll be back to my old self.”

When we complimented her for having maintained a “small” face despite her seemingly on-again, off-again battle with the bulge, she said: “Thank you. My face has always been small, but my cheeks are rounder when I’m fat. I’m glad I didn’t sag after losing all that heft, thanks to Dr. Aivee Aguilar-Teo.”

Our interview with the actress also made us realize that there was something missing in those speculation-generating posts: It failed to capture her offbeat sense of humor.

Sharon as Darna

In fact, Sharon’s more amused than angry at her bashers.

“I used to fight back, but hindi ko kaya, eh (I couldn’t handle it),” she admitted. “But, now, it’s like God has put a pane of bulletproof glass in front of me, and I would see every bullet being shot at me, but not feel it! That’s the closest I can compare it to. Usually, I’m iyakin, I get angry, I have a temper, and I’m emotional. Not anymore.

“The world has become a nastier place, especially with the advent of social media. We’re used to dealing with people face-to-face. We’re not used to people having the nerve, only because they’re anonymous. That’s cowardice!”

Sharon doesn’t believe in being nasty—even as a mentor on “The Voice Teens”: “I’m a mother. I don’t want my kids to feel like, just because you did something wrong, you’re no longer good enough. Everybody makes mistakes. I had my own share of missteps when I was younger. What’s important is for you to recognize them, because you’re old enough to know what’s right or wrong. It’s much easier to do the right thing.”

The Megastar was also up-front when we asked her about the “demise” of the much-anticipated Sharon-Gabby screen reunion, which was supposed to start shooting last March.

Her blow-by-blow account about what went wrong: “When they posted a picture of Gabby posing with Tita Malou Santos and Inang Olive Lamasan in front of one of my movie posters on the Star Cinema website, I took it as the official announcement that the project would push through—and Tita Malou confirmed it with me.

“So, I posted it on Facebook to help jump-start the promo. I said, ‘Sharon and Gabby coming back to you.’ I was also excited because, come on, I started with Gabby. We used to be a family.

“Unfortunately, the yes became a no, then it was a yes again—followed by another no. Tita Malou later told me, “Parang hindi na tuloy—iba na lang (let’s do something else). Now…it’s a definite no, [because] my new leading man is committed to completing his teleserye first before shooting the movie with me—and we can only start in September. So, I’ll believe it when I’m already on the set.”

Next question: Why not a May-September movie with Ian Veneracion, instead? “Maybe when I’m a little smaller pa, kasi dyahe naman—because he’s coming from Bea (Alonzo), the Beautiful, his costar in ‘A Love to Last’ (laughs).”

Like fellow movie queen Vilma Santos, Sharon once played Mars Ravelo’s iconic Pinoy superheroine, Darna. When we asked Sharon what her first reaction was when she learned that Liza had been chosen to don the sexy costume, she beamed, “Alam ko ‘yan na dati pa, and I was very happy for Liza. Frankie (her daughter) has always wanted to meet her. Well, I was really sexy as Darna (laughs). There was no bato (stone)—ang daya, ‘no?” (Yes, Sharon’s Darna didn’t swallow the proverbial stone—and she spun around like Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman—
check old clips of ‘Captain Barbell’ on YouTube for proof.)

Then, another revelation from Sharon: “I was introduced as Darna in 1986’s ‘Captain Barbell,’ starring Edu Manzano and Herbert Bautista, because I was supposed to do a full-length version of ‘Darna’ after that cameo. I wanted to play her because I wanted to do action. But, it turned out to be a painful experience physically—we had none of the high-tech harnesses and special effects that young actors enjoy nowadays.

“Back then, there was a long piece of bakal (metal) about seven feet above the ground, and they made me dapa (flounder) on it [to simulate flying] and I’d be hanging down throughout the scenes without much support.

“So, I told Tita Mina (Aragon-del Rosario of Viva), ‘I can’t [do the full-length version]. I’m going to die!’ Just make me cry three gallons of tears every day—I’d still get paid the same amount, anyway.”

Sharon (right) and Gabby Concepcion in “Tayong Dalawa”