Gloria Diaz (center) with daughters Ava (left) and Belle —GLORIA DIAZ/ INSTAGRAM
It’s not my thing, but I will not judge them,” said Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz when Inquirer Entertainment sought her opinion on what to do in situations when celebrities get into public arguments with family members.
“That’s terrible, but they might have reasons for doing that. I’ve not reached that point yet. I guess it’s because I’m not the type who would do that,” said the lead star of Joel Lamangan’s comedy film “Lola Magdalena.”
The drama between two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo and his family on financial disagreements and his mom’s rift with girlfriend Chloe San Jose has polarized sentiments of the public. Gloria, meanwhile, has always been candid about how she guided her daughter Belle Daza, who is also a model and an actress. She also has two other kids, Raffy and Ava.
“I have discussions with them about how to deal with some projects. Often, they pretend not to listen to me, but in the end, they follow my advice. We don’t fight, because I’m always right,” said Gloria in her deadpan expression.
Handling finances
Belle is currently based in Hong Kong with her three kids and husband, French sportswear executive Adrien Semblat. Gloria handled all of her daughter’s finances “until she was already a little bit mature.”
“I didn’t allow her to come out on television until she was already finished with college. I still had control over her at the time, including her money. Eventually, I handed all her money to her when she was already a little bit mature. She was so happy. She didn’t even realize that she had earned that much,” said Gloria.
“Since then, I never meddled when it came to her finances, although I would often remind her to invest her money properly—not in branded clothes, shoes and bags. When she was young, and even now, people would sponsor her with stuff. You see, the new generation is very fickle. Even though their dress is very expensive, tomorrow, they could give it away. As they say, we have different views and different ways. Of course, if you buy a condo or a car that you really need—not the fancy one, but a good utility car—then that’s OK with me. I’m like that, too.”
She continued: “Now, I want my daughters to buy jewelry, but they already got used to not having any, so that’s OK. I would always teach them that it’s not how much you earn, but how much you save. When I start reminding Belle about this, especially when she is about to earn something, she’d say, ‘I know that, Mom!’ When she’s asked, ‘Does your mom give you advice?’ She’d reply, ‘Yes. Too much!’”
Gloria said she was pleased that Belle has become more mature in terms of spending since she became a mom. “Luxury brands? She loves everything, but she controls herself. She’s more mature now because she has three children. Before she buys herself a pair of shoes, she has to buy theirs first because their feet keep growing so fast. She’s become an educated buyer,” the proud mom said.
Scene from “Lola Magdalena,” which also features Perla Bautista, Liza Lorena, Pia Moran and Sunshine Cruz —HERO HITO PRODUCTION/ YOUTUBE
Dual role
In “Lola Magdalena,” Gloria takes on the dual role of a faith healer by day, and an aging prostitute by night. The film also tells the friendship among aging prostitutes (played by Liza Lorena, Perla Bautista and Pia Moran) in a small town as they fight to protect their home from being taken away. The film also features Sunshine Cruz as the “youngest” sex worker in the group.
Gloria recalled how challenging it was to work on the film, but quickly added that she can’t imagine doing anything else other than acting. “You know how it’s like to shoot in the middle of summer? You will have a hard time remembering your lines because of the heat. Joel Lamangan is my favorite director, although he gets impatient sometimes. Admittedly, for three days, I had a hard time remembering my lines and delivering them naturally, especially the cuss words.”
Own story to tellPortraying an aging prostitute taught her a lot of things. “Each of them has a story to tell, that’s what I realized. Whether you agree with their stories or not, that’s your problem. Even artistas are like that. I’m now 73, but why am I still working? I also have my own story to tell. Of course, I’m living very comfortably, and my children are all adults. I have no sick children. It’s just that I like what I’m doing, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
“Lola Magdalena,” produced by Amy Zuniga under Hero Hito Productions, was also screened in April at the 2024 Moscow International Film Festival in Russia, and in July the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival in the United States, where it was included in the festival’s “Five Must-Watch Films” by the film review website Indie Wire.