“Two weeks kami sa Misibis Bay in Bicol and it’s like I’m not working at all, parang nagbabakasyon lang,” she says. “Napakabait ng mga taga-TV5. Inasikaso kami ng husto. I got a beach front villa, so relaxing and the buffet food sa breakfast, lunch and dinner laging napakasarap. Nag-enjoy ako.”
She played villain to Angel Locsin in “Imortal”, now to Ritz Azul in “Misibis Bay”. Apparently, she enjoys playing villain roles now. “Oo naman. Mas gusto kong ako yung nananampal kaysa akong sinasampal. Sino ba naman ang maniniwala kung ako yung inaapi? Dito nga, pinahirapan ko si Ritz. Nilublob ko siya sa tubig.”
So how would she assess Ritz’ acting abilities? “Magaling siya, masipag, very disciplined. Inaalagaan siyang mabuti ng director namin, si Monti Parungao. When we did our first scene together, she approached me and said she’s nervous, intimidated daw siya sa akin. So I hugged her and told her gamitin niya ang feelings niya sa eksena dahil dapat talaga siyang nerbiyusin sa’kin dahil ako ang kontrabida sa kanya. Naitawid naman namin nang maayos ang eksena. Galit nag alit kasi ako sa kanya rito kasi I look at her as a golddigger na pinakasalan lang ang kapatid kong si Christopher de Leon dahil mayaman ang pamilya namin. I didn’t know may revenge plan pala siya sa family namin dahil I did something evil to them in the past.”
How is it working again with Christopher de Leon? “We last worked together in ‘Sampung Ahas ni Eva’ in 1984 which was directed by Celso Ad. Castillo who has passed away. Sabi niya sa’kin, bilangin mo, doon sa mga actor na gumanap na sampung ahas, ilan na lang kaming natitira. And we counted. Wala na nga sina Jay Ilagan, Johnny Delgado, Paquito Diaz, Boy Garcia, Tony Santos Sr. and Celso. Ang natira na lang si Boyet, si Fanny Serrano and si Juan Rodrigo.”
Which of the movies she did, would she like to remake? “May mga na-remake na, like ‘Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang’ and ‘Pieta’. People are telling me to pitch ‘Paradise Inn’, also by Celso Kid, for which I won the FAMAS best actress award. Puede itong gawing teleserye, kasi ang kapal ng istorya noon, maraming characters, may corruption angle pa. Gusto ko, yung role ni Lolita Rodriguez then as the mother, ako sana ang gumanap kung ire-remake.”
She was known then as Ms. Body Beautiful. No one ever laid claim to that title again. Did she ever have any part of her body enhanced? “No, hanggang ngayon, wala pa akong pinareretoke diyan. Naaalibadbaran na nga sa Body Beautiful title na yan. One time, bagong panganak ako, may nagparinig, yan ba ang Body Beautiful. Sabi ko, maawa naman kayo, kapapanganak ko lang.” Did she display her body once again in “Misibis Bay”? “Konti. Siempre, beach resort ang setting. Pero hindi naman ako nag-two piece. Abangan nyo na lang.”
