Nora Aunor, 58, on love: I’m not saying I’m too old

SHE’S a new person, says the returning actress. contributed photo

“When I was in America and headed for home, I didn’t feel anything. But when I got off the plane, that’s when it started . . . my heart started to pound and I couldn’t control it (Noong nasa Amerika pa ’ko at papunta pa lang dito, wala akong nararamdaman. Pero nu’ng bumaba na po ako sa eroplano, du’n na nagsimula… ’yung kabog ng dibdib ko… ’di ko na po napigilan).”

But that was excitement – and happiness, said homecoming actress Nora Aunor, who is now in Manila after eight years in the United States.

Aunor, 58, faced the media only hours within her arrival and candidly fielded questions about her future projects, former ways, even her prospects for love.

She sat down with Inquirer for a quick one-on-one:

We heard you still can’t sing because of an accident during a cosmetic procedure last year?

Sa ngayon po, talagang hindi pa ’ko pwedeng kumanta. Baka sayaw, pwede pa (Right now, I really can’t sing. I can dance)!

Your last acting stints were in the digital films “Ingrata” and “Care Home” back in 2006. Aren’t you nervous about getting back to acting?

ACTRESS Nora Aunor at the NAIA Terminal 2 on Tuesday. JESS YUSON

Oo naman, lalo na kung may mga eksena na mabibigat. Kahit naman noong araw kapag may kukunang mabigat na eskena, e andun pa rin ang kabog sa dibdib. Kinakabahan ako. Lalo na siguro ngayong matagal na akong ’di nakakagawa ng pelikula, eh masasabi ko na ninerbyos talaga ako (Of course I’m nervous, especially if there will be heavy scenes. But even before, I would always feel scared everytime I would be part of a heavy scene. I get nervous. Perhaps, especially now that I haven’t done a movie in a long time. I can really say that I’m nervous).

How did you prepare for your comeback, and do you think you can measure up to your past performances?

Wala akong partikular na pagpe-prepare, sa totoo lang. Depende sa hinihingi sa ’kin. Kung ibibigay, ibibigay; kung natural, natural lang. Kami kasi ni Mario (O’Hara, who will direct her drama mini-series for TV5) kilala na namin ang isa’t isa, eh. Ilang pasadahan lang alam na namin ang gagawin sa eksena (There was no actual preparation, really. It will all depend on what they will ask of me. I will give it my best shot and if they want it simply to be natural, I will do the same. Mario and I know each other well).

Ayoko namang magbuhat ng sariling bangko kaya hintayin na lang siguro na matapos na ’yung mini-serye na gagawin ko sa TV5, at yung gagawin kong pelikula with ER (Ejercito), ’yung “El Presidente.” Tapos [mga manonood] na lang ang humusga kung okay pa rin [ang pag-arte ko]. (I don’t want to boast that’s why maybe let’s just wait for the mini-series that I will be making for TV5 finish and the movie that will be doing with ER, “El Presidente)

Yes, about your role in “El Presidente” (as Maria Agoncillo, directed by Tikoy Aguiluz) – it was first offered to Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos. Why did you accept it?

Hindi naman po sa pagmamayabang, pero wala naman akong dapat na patunayan pa. So ba’t ’di ko tatanggapin (It’s not that I’m boasting but I have nothing to prove. So why shouldn’t I accept it)?

During your time away, did you ever feel like you were losing the passion for your craft?

Hindi nawala ’yun. Andito pa rin ’yung apoy. Kapag minahal mo kasi ang isang bagay, lalo na kapag artista ka, ’di mo na maalis. Itong pagbalik ko ngayon, masasabi kong buo talaga ang loob kong magtrabaho. Kung ano talaga ’yung inaasahan ng mga manonood, e makikita nila. Pangako ’yan (That won’t change. The fire is still here. It’s because when you love your craft, especially when you’re an actor, it just won’t go away. With my return, I can say that I am ready. Whatever the viewers expect from me, that is what they will see. That’s a promise.)

Did you keep yourself abreast of everything that was happening in the entertainment industry?

Oo naman. Sobra ang pagmamahal ko sa industriya. Kaya lang nga, kapag may nababalitaan akong hindi maganda, nalulungkot ako. Pero kapag okay, siyempre natutuwa naman ako. Nagtatanong-tanong din ako kung sino ba sa mga kabataan ngayon ang magagaling, kung sino ang nakakaangat… (Of course. I love the industry so much. It’s just that when I learn about the bad news, I feel sad. But of course, if it’s okay, I feel happy. I’ve also been asking around who among the young crop of actors are good and who are a cut above the rest.)

Your career has always been marred by personal problems and occasional lapses in judgment. People are bound to remember not only your arrest in the United States, but also your alleged gambling sprees and, much earlier, during your peak, your much talked about tardiness, among other things.

’Yung pagbabago ni Nora Aunor ay makikita na po ninyo ngayon… Sakit lang po ang makakapagpahinto [sa ’kin] kung saka-sakali mang magkaroon ng aberya sa trabaho (You will see the new Nora Aunor now . . . I will only stop when I get sick or when a problem comes up with my work).

Would you say that you have any regrets?

Wala. May mga nangyari sa ’kin na ’di maganda. ’Di na natin kailangang isa-isahin ’yun. At first, mag-i-isip ka… Na, ba’t ko ba nagawa ’yun. Kaya lang nangyari na, eh. ’Di na kailangang ibalik-balik pa. Baguhin mo na lang kung meron kang nagawang pagkakamali. May mga pagkakamali akong nagawa, lalo na nung nasa States ako. Ang importante dun, inaamin mo na nagkamali ka at baguhin mo ’yung pagkakamali mo (None. There were things that happened to me which weren’t good and we don’t have to mention them one by one. At first, you will think why you did them. But they happened and there’s no need to go back. Just learn from the mistakes. I made mistakes, especially when I was in the States. What’s important is you admit them and you do something about them.)

What about romance? Do you think you’re still as attractive to men as you certainly were before?

Sa edad kong ’to (laughs)? Diyos ko! ’Di ko sinasabing matanda na ’ko, pero siguro pwede pa… Ang puso ko po ay nasa fans (At my age? I’m not saying I’m old but perhaps, there’s still a chance . . . My heart belongs to the fans.)