What Rosanna Roces and newfound friend Sharon Cuneta have in common

Rosanna Roces (right) with Sharon Cuneta

After long periods of inactivity and many stops and starts, Rosanna Roces has finally gotten a “second wind” in show biz.

While the past decade saw her doing occasional projects and making public appearances here and there, the actress was never as busy as she is right now—movies, soap operas and even online films and miniseries.

And she’s no longer taking these blessings for granted. “I was idle for many years. Now, I was given a chance again. I really want to work hard—kayod. I want to do my best,” she said in a recent virtual conference for the upcoming comedy flick “Revirginized.”

The uptick in her career started sometime in 2019. She landed roles in the ABS-CBN series “Los Bastardos” and “Pamilya Ko,” movies like “The Panti Sisters” and “Unbreakable” and many more.

The influx of offers continued even when the COVID-19 pandemic struck last year. There was the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Suarez: The Healing Priest” and the online comedy drama “‘Pag Laki Ko, Gusto Kong Maging Porn Star.’” But perhaps most important was Rosanna joining Viva Entertainment’s roster of artists.

Not complaining

There were times when she found herself juggling taping days for various shows. But she’s not complaining. “The livelihood is really in commercial work. The past two years, I was blessed to do several projects. And then I told myself that, whatever comes my way, I will accept it. I can take a break later on,” she said. “Anyway, I had been resting for so long.”

Rosanna, who started out as a sexy star in the 1990s before working her way into becoming an acclaimed actress, attributes her turn of fortune to her change in behavior and work ethic. At her peak, Rosanna admittedly had “an attitude.”

That person is long gone now. The challenges and stumbles she had through the years humbled her. Rosanna has grown more mellow and now has a deeper appreciation for her blessings.

“One time, I was doing ‘Los Bastardos’ and then went straight to a full-day shoot for ‘The Panti Sisters.’ And only a few hours after that was my call time for ‘Pamilya Ko.’ I was practically crawling by the time I reached home,” she said, laughing. “During the car ride, there was a point when I thought I was talking to my driver. But I was probably just hearing voices!”

“But the next day, once my alarm clock goes off, I’m happy and ready to work—not unlike before when I would act like people owed me for hiring me,” added Rosanna, who now makes sure to arrive on the set much earlier than the call time. “Sometimes, I even consider sleeping there so I wouldn’t get late!”

Another thing she cherishes is the opportunity to work with people she has always looked up to. She’s set to reunite with Nora Aunor in the upcoming indie film “Kontrabida.” And now she got to work with Sharon Cuneta in “Revirginized” with whom she formed an unlikely friendship.

Dream come true

“Naiiyak ako kasi Megastar ’yan,” she said, turning emotional. “Who would have thought that someone like Sharon would be friends with me? I’m so happy because I’m now able to work with people that I only used to dream about. So it’s really a dream come true for me.”

Her first meeting with Sharon for their film was captured on photos, which she later posted on her Instagram account. The following day, a surge of followers flocked to her page. “I’m happy because the Sharonians accept me. They know Sharon well; they know she doesn’t just go hugging anyone,” she said.

One of the things they have in common, Rosanna observed, is that they’re not “plastik.” “Napakaraming plastik sa show biz,” she said. “That’s true. But Sharon always says, ‘Life is short, magpa-plastikan pa ba tayo?’”

“I also appreciate that she doesn’t look down on anyone. She comes from a well-off background, but she doesn’t look at you as someone lesser. Minsan ’yung mas mababa pa sa’ yo ang mababa ang tingin sa ‘yo,” she added.

Working with younger actors and creatives is just as rewarding for Rosanna.

“When I first meet young actors who will play as my child or something, I see them as newbies —just like how I was many years ago. Looking back, I’m happy that the likes of Snooky Serna, Odette Khan or Perla Bautista were all kind to me when I was just starting. Kung tinarayan nila ako, I don’t think I would continue,” she related.

“That’s what I want to give back to the young actors,” Rosanna added. INQ