When we talked to her at the show’s presscon, she said it was the late director who encouraged her to return to acting. “Si Direk Maryo J. lang ang muling nagtiwala sa akin kaya nakabalik ako sa paggawa ng soap. Kaya tatanawin ko itong malaking utang na loob sa kanya talaga. Siya talaga ang unang kumuha sa aking mag-comeback after mag-asawa ako’t magkaroon ng sariling pamilya. This was in 2011 doon sa ‘Munting Heredera’, dito rin sa GMA-7. Akala ko noon, di na ako makababalik but he was the one who encouraged me. Sayang daw ang talent ko. Within a week, nakatanggap ako ng tawag to join his show on GMA-7 and he never asked anything in return. Para talagang naging tatay ko siya. After that, kinuha na rin ako ng ABS.”
Sharmaine knows she gained a lot of weight but she’s now doing her best to lose some excess poundage. “Kami ng husband ko, we cut down on carbo and no more sweets. Noon kasing hindi ako artista, wala akong pakialam, e. But now, I think I should be more aware of how I look on screen.”
She now has three kids. The eldest, Gab, is now 13 years old, followed by Miguel who’s 10 and Anisha who’s 8. How’s her sister Bunny Paras? “Ayun, she just gave birth to her third child with her Fil-Am husband three months ago. Nagpunta ako roon sa kanila sa California to help her out nang manganak siya. Dati, kasama niya ang mother namin, kaso umuwi na rito si Mommy Candy, kaya ako naman ang nagpunta roon.”
How’s Bunny’s daughter with DJ Mo? “She’s now in college, si Moira. Pero kawawa, naka-wheel chair na dahil sa kanyang degenerative neuro-muscular ailment. Buti na lang malakas ang fighting spirit niya and we’re all praying na matagpuan na ang cure sa kanyang sakit.”
