THE MEGASTAR UP CLOSE
by Blaise Gacoscos, YES!, June 2001

It was a real privilege to see Sharon Cuneta as a person. Absent were the 10 or so fans and supporters who regularly trail her wherever she goes, or the megawatt smile she never fails to flash when stepping into a room of showbiz people, or even that famous face by her Tita Fanny.

Sharon - arguably the biggest female star of the '90s and unarguably the highest paid in her class - is almost a different person in the quiet of her Wack Wack home.

Most obvious, of course, is that she has no makeup whatsoever and her hair is going in all directions from being blow-dried. But more than that, it's her manner. The smile is warm and easy and the speech relaxed. In fact, everything about her is so relaxed, I start relaxing myself.

A confessed coffee lover, she offers me a cup as soon as I am seated in front of her. Ace photographer Jun de Leon enters the room just then from the garden where he stole a few quick puffs.

Jun deadpans: "O, siguro naman magkaka-commercial ka na pagkatapos nito. YES! pa ang magpi-pictorial sa 'yo. Konting tiis na lang, hija, at magiging star ka rin balang araw."

Sharon, only the biggest commercial endorser around these parts, returns shyly like a proper wannabe star would: "Opo."

Which she naturally follows with a laugh: "Jun has been my photographer since I was 13 years old, since `Mr. DJ' pa."

Kiko is upstairs getting dressed, she offers. He had just arrived from a campaign sortie in Cebu. They are both over-fatigued from the campaign, she says, but he'll be right down.

There are lulls in the conversation because Sharon is trying, despite all the buzz around, to finish the crossword puzzle in front of her. "This is my hobby," she explains. "I can finish so many in one sitting." Since I knew from way back that she loves to read books and is an amazon.com customer, I didn't find the crossword puzzles surprising. I was amazed only by her concentration.

"You know," she says at one point, "I have a fondness for Chinese literature. I don't know why." Later, she brings out books like Daughter of China and The Private Life of Chairman Mao, titles not often found in movie stars' shelves. Others in her bookshelf are Danielle Steele's Five Days in Paris, Frances Mayes' Bella Tuscany, Nancy Taylor Rosenberg's First Offense, and RuThanne Lum McCunn's Thousand Pieces of Gold. She mentions ordering them on the Internet.

"Where is KC?" I ask. "It's her birthday today."

"She's in Boracay with her friends," she lights up.

It's my gift to her. Plus, a cell phone. It's only now that I gave her one kasi bawal sa bahay 'yon. Ang sweet nga niya dahil she texted me and said, `I just got up from the water, the sun is beautiful and I wished you were here, Mom.' She went with her yaya, her bodyguard, and my mom." Then, as though Mommy Elaine could hear her, "Kaya Mommy... ang apo n'yo..."

And again she lets out a laugh.

It takes three hours for Jun to finish the shoot. This done, Sharon changes into a plain white shirt and pads around in homey sandals. She pick up a couple of family albums from the dining area and begins to lift KC's childhood photos off them. "Tingnan mo, magkamukha sila ni Frankie," she sas, making sure I'm convinced. In fact, I am.

Then she rummages through her bags and picks up her purse. She opens it to reveal a photograph of a sexy woman in a two-piece bikini. It is her, taken during an Amanpulo vacation. "This is my inspiration kaya nand'yan 'yan," she says. "Pag pumayat ako ulit ng ganito, magpi-pictorial tayo diyan sa pool." Seconds after, she laughs her signature laugh.

ASIABOUND

After the April launch of Sharon, Nothing I Want More (produced by MegaMusic and distributed by Viva Records), Sharon is all set for a July launch of another album (produced and distributed by BMG Records Pilipinas).

The still untitled all-original album has a total of 12 cuts, 11 of which are in English and one in Pilipino.

BMG's Vic Valenciano explains why this is so: "We want an international album to be released in Asian countries, mainly Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, and Singapore. We also tapped Jim Brickman, and he agreed because of Sharon's credentials."

The multi-million peso album includes two love songs by Brickman titled "Where's the Good in Goodbye" and "In Your Eyes." The latter is a duet by Sharon and HK superstar Andy Lao. Vic quotes Jim describing Sharon's talent: "Amazing. I have never worked with an artist who can record a song so fast."

Meantime, Los Angeles-based composer Darrel Brown wrote and produced "You're the Only One" and "My Heart Beats for You, Baby."

Other ballads include: "Love is On," "If Ever," "Under My Disguise," and "Are You that Someone."

Ryan Cayabyab, the album's lone Filipino composer, contributed "All I ever Want to Say," and also contributed "Nananabik sa `Yo," the only Filipino song in it.

"It is not your typical Sharon Cuneta album na masang-masa," says Vic. "We're very optimistic. Kahit English, makaka-relate pa rin ang mga fans ni Sharon."