Dina Bonnevie’s 4 Gs for better acting

Dina Bonnevie

What does seasoned actress Dina Bonnevie dislike most about working with young actors?

“It annoys and offends me when a young actor would still ask help with his lines when it’s already time to learn our camera blocking. He should’ve memorized them while he was still in his dressing room,” Dina pointed out.

The 57-year-old actress gave the following tips to aspiring thespians: “When I get the chance to talk with them, I always tell them about my four Gs.

No. 1 rule

“The No. 1 rule is that you have to ‘Give’—give respect and give your best when you act. In a dramatic scene, I’m giving you all of my emotions, but I’m not feeling anything from your end because you don’t read your script and don’t know your role. Remember that the best dramatic scenes happen when both actors give to each other.”

The second rule is to always aspire for “Growth,” Dina said. “Never think that just because you did great in that particular scene, you’re already a good actor. The minute you think that way, there will be no more room for you to grow. Just continue to challenge yourself. Always beat your record. If you were good in two scenes yesterday, then try to be better in five scenes today.”

The third rule for actors is
to be a “Good person” to your coworkers, explained Dina. “When you use the toilet, be kind. Don’t leave it dirty. When you’re done with the makeup table, fix it for the next user. Memorize your lines ahead of time. If your coactors request to rehearse with you, give them time.”

Calling

Lastly, Dina said, always “Give thanks” to God. She explained: “Being an actor is a calling. There is a reason we are blessed with this talent. You are famous maybe because media evangelization is also part of your calling. It doesn’t mean that you become preachy.

“By merely portraying your role properly, people can learn from you. If you are a kontrabida, they’d say ‘I will not be like her because she does bad things.’”

In her latest Kapamilya soap “The Blood Sisters,” Dina was all praise for costar Erich Gonzales who, she observed, would work tirelessly to portray three characters (triplets Agatha, Erika and Carrie) effectively.

Dina, as Debbie Almeda, is mother to the triplets. She also happens to be a fertility doctor. Cherry Pie Picache, who plays Adele Magtibay, is the surrogate mom.

“Having a baby through in vitro fertilization does not make a couple a lesser kind of parents,” declared Dina, whose character opted for assisted reproductive technology to have a child.

No difference

“I don’t think there’s any difference. You’re still the mother, even if you couldn’t carry the child. The egg cell is still yours,” she pointed out. “I will tell my child, ‘it doesn’t make me less of a mother to you if I didn’t carry you. It also doesn’t mean I love you less. You are my blood, no matter what.’”

If anything, Dina said, parents who had their child through IVF are actually more loving. “Compared to when a child was made through natural sexual intercourse, this is actually more difficult. It requires many trips to the hospital and consultations with the doctor. This means you really wanted to have this baby,” the actress explained.