She got the biggest break in her career as the mother of Joseph Bitangcol and the foil of Pokwang in the hit comedy shown last Easter, D’ Lucky Ones. She got to play a key role there only because Ai Ai de las Alas backed out of the project.
"I really feel so lucky because the film was meant to be a tribute to Vilma Santos and I’m an avowed Vilmanian," she says. "I especially like the films she did with the late Ishmael Bernal like Relasyon, Broken Marriage and Pahiram ng Isang Umaga, most of which I got to recreate in the spoofs of her movies that we did in the movie. I just don’t know if Ate Vi appreciated the way I imitated the way she delivers her lines kapag galit siya. Sana, hindi naman siya nagalit din sa akin. I’d honestly want to know her reaction sana. I’m really thankful to Director Wenn Deramas for getting me to play a lead role in D’ Lucky Ones. He was also the one who gave me my first big roles on TV in the series Maalaala Mo Kaya and Wansapanataym, in the soap opera Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan and more recently, in Kampanerang Kuba, which was partly a musical so I was also able to show that I could also sing."
Eugene started acting in plays when she was in high school at Stella Maris College. "Mahilig talaga akong umarte, so in college, I took up Theater Arts in UP and got to do both modern Tagalog plays as well as Shakespearean plays with Dulaang UP and UP Repertory. It was Director Joey Reyes who gave me my first break in the movies in Emma Salazar Case with Alice Dixson. I played the role of a housemaid. That was in 1990, also my first year in college. Ka-batch ko si Candy Pangilinan. After that, I also got busy with TV that I neglected my studies. But later on, I went back to school as I was determined to get a degree. It took me seven years to finish my course and I finally graduated in 1997."
She’s still single. "But I’m no longer a virgin, kung ‘yun ang gusto n’yong malaman," she quips.
She confesses that she’s worried about her ticking biological clock since she’s turning 35 on July 23. "I need to have a baby ngayon na. Baka kung later pa, hindi na puede or I might have a retarded child. Kawawa naman. But a fortuneteller told me I’d finally meet Mr. Right this coming August. I’m praying that this will come true because I now live on my own in my condo."
Why, doesn’t she have a family? "To be honest, I was born out of wedlock. Anak ako sa labas, so early on, I’ve learned to rely on myself. I have a younger brother but he’s already married."
What about her mom? "She lives with her sisters, so I’m really alone at home."
She’s praying that the prediction that she’ll find Mr. Right will come true when she flies to the US in August to do a series of shows entitled Comedy Riot sa America with Candy Pangilinan and Maluh de Guzman, directed by Direk Wenn. They’ll do the show in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco and New York. "It’s said that the guy who’s meant for me will be in brown. Baka cow. Brown cow. I’m ready to be a mother and I want to take care of a kid."
Would she mind if the guy were younger than her, like in the case of Ai Ai, Kris Aquino or Alma Moreno? "I’d rather have someone who is my age, or older. I don’t want someone so young na ako pa ang mag-aalaga sa kanya. But since this is my last trip, bahala na si Lord, okay lang basta bigay niya."
She’s glad that right after D’ Lucky Ones, she has a follow up movie, Kapag Tumibok ang Puso (Not Once But Twice). This time, she gets to star with Ai Ai.
"My role here is the exact opposite of my role in D’ Lucky Ones where I imitated Ate Vi. This time, I try to be an Ate Guy in her role in Atsay. I play Ai Ai’s housemaid and she is so mean and cruel that she maltreats me all the time. Instead of fighting back, I just stay quiet all the time. Controlled and restrained ang acting ko rito, but there is a big surprise twist in my role in the end. Siempre, I won’t reveal it so as not to spoil the moviegoers’ viewing pleasure. But I guarantee them they will have a good laugh."
The movie is produced by Imus Productions, now managed by Sen. Bong Revilla and his sisters, Andeng and Rowena. "They’re so nice. I really enjoyed working with them. After work, as I leave, they’d even be the ones to remind me, hoy, get your salary first... Ay, oo nga pala, ano? Sen. Bong himself is a joy to work with. He has no airs and is very approachable. He plays an OFW na nagbalikbayan. His wife, Precious Lara Quigaman, suddenly dies and her heart is transferred to Ai Ai, who needs a heart transplant. Eventually, Sen. Bong falls in love with Ai Ai kahit saksakan ng sama ang taong ito."
How is it working with Ai Ai after she teamed up with Pokwang in D’ Lucky Ones? "Ai Ai is so generous when you do a scene with her. She really allows you to shine on your own. She’s not the type who’d feel insecure."
Ai Ai has won a Best Actress award for Tanging Ina. Does Eugene also dream of winning a Best Actress trophy someday? "Honestly, what I want to win is the Darling of the Press award. Before, when I’d watch awards night and the Darling of the Press is given to someone, I’d wonder what that award is for. But now that I’ve been exposed to the entertainment press, that’s what I’d want to win because, the truth is, you press people are so hard to please. So I hope I’ll be the Darling of the Press. Pero pinauuna ko na, I have no gifts or cash to give you. Ganda lang ng hitsura at kalooban lang ang puhunan ko and I hope that will be enough for you."