Dina Bonnevie confirms confronting Alex Gonzaga
VETERAN actress Dina Bonnevie admitted that she was indeed pertaining to Alex Gonzaga during a 2018 press conference when she was asked if she has ever experienced working with a “prima donna” actress.
Bonnevie, however, clarified that she and Gonzaga were already able to settle the issue, which happened several years ago.
“Yes, it was Alex Gonzaga but let me explain that, that happened 12 years ago. We were doing a teleserye then and it didn’t come naman without reason,” she told Boy Abunda in an interview.
“We were working together. Kaya lang kasi it didn’t only happen once. It happened once, twice, thrice. Hindi lang naman ako. There were other co-workers who were getting irked about ‘ yung working habit niya or the way she was working with us,” she added.
Bonnevie said she was merely designated as the “spokesperson” since nobody on set had the audacity to call her out.
“That morning, late na naman siya. Nagpipigil na kami noon. Umuusok na sila lahat. ‘I’m gonna walk out of this set if you don’t tell her off. Hindi ko na kaya.’ So sige ako ang may lakas ng loob. So anyway, wala pa akong sinabi,”
she said.
“Hanggang sa lunch break, umalis na naman siya. Pagbalik niya, basa ‘yung buhok, walang
make up. So we had to wait na naman for another three hours bago makapag- take. Siyempre kumukulo na ‘yung dugo ng lahat.”
It was when Gonzaga could not pull off a scene where she had to cry that Bonnevie decided to finally approach her.
“Hindi siya makaiyak. Sabi ko,
‘Alex, you know why you cannot cry? Because you are not in touch with your emotions. You’re very indifferent to your co-workers. You know honestly, I want to talk to you. We don’t like what you’re doing that you’re always late.’”
But Gonzaga was supposedly quick to justify that she was only late because she had to attend to another work commitment.
“Sabi ko, ‘ Kahit kausapin ko ‘yung mommy mo, the thing is you made a commitment to come to this taping. You have to come early. It didn’t only happen once. Ang dami ng beses, nakakapagod na rin.’ Sabi ko, ‘Kung gusto mo magtagal sa industriya, hindi ganyan ‘yung ugali. I hope you understand.’”
While they were able to iron things out, Bonnevie said their conversation also left her crying because she had to spill her heart out.
When asked how she feels about Gonzaga today, she said: “Hindi ako galit kay Alex. I even guested on her show. She was very gracious to me. She was very nice. In fact, nag-usap kami sa taping, okay na siya. Nag- last day taping pa kami na masaya kami. She even hosted it. Nagbibiruan pa. Hindi ako galit sa kanya.”
Bonnevie, however, admitted being irked when Gonzaga’s podcast came out in December last year.
“Hindi ako na- offend na tinawag [ niya akong matanda sa podcast]. It’s true na matanda na ako, I am 61. But I’d like to see people at 61 if they are still looking fresh. Sorry but I feel fresh. And I think I look fresh. Hindi ako na- offend doon,” she said.
“For me, doon ako nainis [when she said she was being painted as the bad guy]. Painting you as the bad guy is inventing stories to make you look bad. But I wasn’t inventing stories.”
Nonetheless, Bonnevie stressed that the issue is now a thing in the past.