Don’t mess with Miss D
Dina Bonnevie may be frank and even blunt with her words at times, but past that is a big heart. Push her to the limits, though, and, well, see what happens next.
Young actors with attitude problem – yes, you who’s always late for tapings or shows no respect to co-actors – well, veteran actress Dina Bonnevie wants to have a word with you and you better be prepared.
In a recent interview, she recalled giving a talk to a newbie, whom she found annoying.
“I gave her hell,” she said, without citing the name of the actress. “Sa past soap ko ito ha? Um-attitude (kasi siya) eh. Feeling niya, siya ang reyna at pinaghihintay niya kami palagi (sa taping).”
Dina continued: “Madami akong naexperience na ganyan. Meron pa ’yung nag-antay na kami ng matagal tapos pagbaba ng van, naka-pajama pa! Eh lahat pagod na at pati ’yung leading man ko naiinis na rin sa kanya.” Here’s what happened next. “So, I confronted her and sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Who do you think you are? Have you already carved your name in stone in show business? Hindi pa pinapanganak ang mang-babastos sa akin and if you want to continue taping the soap like this, do it yourself,’” she shared. “I told her na ‘We were not born to wait for you and excuse me, you haven’t made your name yet – in fact, you can’t even cry!’”
The “Blood Sisters” star said some young actors seemingly lack professionalism when it comes to memorizing lines for their scenes. She added there is a “big difference” now with regards to the work ethics of today’s star and those from the ’80s and ’90s.
“To be honest, napansin namin ni Pie (Cherry Pie Picache) na ang mga bagets ngayon, imbes na mag-memorize (ng script), nagpe-Facebook! Nagso-social media tapos ’yung iba nagtatantrums,” she revealed. “Nu’ng panahon namin, hindi pwedeng ganun kasi mababato kami ng script (ng direktor) kapag hindi namin kabisado ’yung lines.”
“Pero in fairness naman, dito sa ‘The Blood Sisters,’ after ng presscon, nu’ng sinabi ni Pie na ayaw naming ganu’n, ’yung mga bagets nakita namin nagri-read na sila, nagre-rehearse. At higit sa lahat, respetado na kami ng buong baranggay!” she added, laughing.
Dina doesn’t mind mentoring young stars to further hone their craft, as well as to rectify their bad attitudes. As far as she can remember, Maja Salvador asked her for words of wisdom when the actress-dancer was just starting in the industry.
“I think that time, Maja was only 16. Hindi pa siya marunong umiyak and so I taught her kung papaano siya makakaiyak,” she said. “And so look at her now.”
Dina shared the “Five Gs” that might help newbie actors in their journey in the business.
Number one is to be thankful for the “Gift” of talent, followed by “Give.”
“Give respect, give your best when you act. Kasi kung putchu-putchu lang, bilang ka-eksena mo hind rin ako makaka-give (ng magandang acting) masyado. It’s always a give-take (thing),” she noted.
The third one is “Growth,” young actors should not always be complacent with their talent and skills. There’s always, always room for improvement.
The last two Gs pertain to being “Grateful” and giving “Glory” to God.
“By being grateful you’ve become responsible, you’ve become professional and of course, you always have to glorify God. Never forget the Lord for all the blessings,” she said.
Amen.
Going digital?
Dina plays Dr. Deborah Marie “Debbie” Bermudez-Almeda on “The Blood Sisters.” She is the mother of Erich Gonzales’ triplets’ role Erika, Agatha and Carrie.
The veteran actress shared how she established good friendship with Erich off-cam.
“We are super close. In fact, we went to church together with my kids. We even had lunch,” she said, adding she already met Erich’s businessman suitor. “Parang mother and daughter na ang bonding naming dalawa.”
She also praised Erich’s acting talents.
“We worked together on ‘Two Wives,’ and nakita ko na she’s very talented. Ang bilis niyang umiyak and she really studies her role. Lalo na dito sa ‘Blood Sisters,’ triplets ’yung ginagampanan niya but nagagawa niyang iba-iba ’yung voices, ’yung facial expressions bawat isa.”
The 57-year-old Dina plans to have a digital show soon. Note that her daughter Danica Sotto has also ventured into online platform via cooking show titled “Kusinica.”
“Oyo (Boy Sotto, her son) is going into production din. So sabi niya, ‘Why don’t we start producing content?’ Eh tamangtama naman din kasi everything is in social media. So we are planning to have an online show for me. So, let’s see,” she said.
Mommy D
On a different note, Dina is happy to have established a jovial family relationship with her children’s significant others, Marc Pingris and Kristine Hermosa.
“Actually, mas kampi pa nga kami ni Marc kesa kay Danica,” she said, laughing.
The actress commended Marc’s way of parenting. “Sobrang hands-on niya talaga. Nu’ng first few weeks na kasal sila, I traveled with them tapos ’yung anak nila umiyak, si Danica sumigaw agad ng ‘Marc, Marc!’ Sabi ko, ‘Anong ‘Marc?’ Asikasuhin mo ’yang anak mo, kapag ‘di mo inasikaso ’yan sassaid.abihin she quipped. Oyo. Danica, before. nga para kang hindi anak ni Dina Bonnevie ha! Kasi O.C. ako eh, ayoko ng madumi, ayoko ng makalat. Buti na lang ngayon, organized na rin siya.”
Dina and Kristine’s bonding moments happen in the kitchen. “Nu’ng umpisa hindi talaga siya marunong magluto so ako turo ng ganyan, ganito. Ang kapuri-puri kay Tin, she learned on her own. Now, she cooks for Oyo. Eh ’yung anak ko naman na ’yun, napaka-simpleng i-please, lutuan mo lang ng masarap na pagkain, okay na siya,” ko kay Marc, iwanan ka!” “Ang gusto ko pa sa kanya, masinop siya sa gamit parang si Si sobrang kalat niya Sabi ko she Like her, Kristine is also “very organized.” “She’s very masinop. Lahat sa bahay nila, naka-label and gustonggusto ko ’yung ganun.”
The family plans to have a vacation abroad soon.
“Sila Marc and Danica, we went to Thailand nu’ng nakaraan. Sila Tin ang hindi ko pa nakakasama sa biyahe kasi malilit pa ’yung mga anak nila,” she related. “So ’pag lumaki-laki na sila, babyahe na kami together and I’m looking forward to that hopefully this year.”
Public servant’s wife
Dina is happily married to Ilocos Sur 1st District Representative Deogracias Victor Savellano.
It was in 2013 when the two exchanged “I Do’s,” and Dina admitted being a politician’s wife is quite a challenge to her.
“Ang laging sinasabi sa akin ng asawa ko, ‘You should give them (the constituents) time, you always have to be open,”’ she shared.
She’s not complaining, of course. She believes being married to a public servant is a “calling” that she totally embraces.
“The responsibilities of my husband are my responsibilities, too,” she noted, adding that she also involves herself in several community projects.
Dina said the position she has right now has humbled her in more ways than one.
“Kapag nag-iikot kami, nare-realize ko na ang dami naming dapat tulungan, ang daming may problema. Ako kasi, I’m so comfortable with where I am, with what I have,” she said. “I asked God, ‘Why did you put me here?’ Nasabi ko sa sarili ko na, ‘Eto lang ba ang purpose ko? Ang umarte?’ I realized na God put me here para this time, maibahagi ko naman kung ano meron ako, mai-share lahat ng blessings na natatanggap ko.”
I confronted her and sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Who do you think you are? Have you already carved your name in stone in show business? Hindi pa pinapanganak ang mang-babastos sa akin and if you want to continue taping the soap like this, do it yourself.’