Reliving the Glory Days

Ask Gloria Sevilla about anything, just anything, but never, never mention her age. It’s strictly as confidential as a state top secret. In this Conversation conducted by STAR correspondent Edmund Silvestre, redone to suit this corner’s format, Gloria looks back misty-eyed at her career that spans decades, starting with her reign as Queen of Visayan Movies (with her late husband, Mat Ranillo Jr., as her “King”) to their successful venture into the national film industry where Gloria remains active up to now.

Flashback: In 1974, Gloria and her daughter Suzette Ranillo made history with a mother-daughter back-to-back win as FAMAS Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively, for the Visayan drama Gimingaw Ako (retitled I Long For You when it was screened at the Moscow International Film Festival), directed by Gloria’s late second husband Amado Cortez. Considering that it was a Visayan movie pitted against Tagalog movies, it was no mean feat to bag a trophy from the only award-giving body at the time.

Gloria bested heavyweights Nora Aunor, Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes, Alona Alegre, and Boots Anson-Roa, while Suzette (barely a teen and using the screen name Nadia Veloso), prevailed over versatile stars Rosemarie Gil, Caridad Sanchez, Pinky de Leon, Ana Gonzales and Lotis Key.

Over four decades later, Gloria and Suzette are still delivering first-rate performances as among the most reliable character actors around. Both gave Conversations a peek into their sheltered and tranquil lives that turned out to be more fascinating than their screen personas.

Obviously, retirement is not in your vocabulary.

Gloria: I feel happy and complete when I’m in front of a camera. I am proud of my record as an actress. I have starred in and produced many films, from the ‘50s until the most recent ones like Boy Golden, You’re My Boss, El Presidente, M: Mother’s Maiden Love and Kusina. I am happy to be known as the beloved Manang Fe from the hit series Be Careful With My Heart and I’m currently in the ABS-CBN teleserye Asintado.

And Suzette is just as active as you are.

Suzette: I still guest in TV dramas (MMK, Ipaglaban Mo, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano) and I am part of critically-acclaimed movies like Birdshot, Children’s Show, Baconaua and Siargao. On stage, I have played Sisa more than 80 times! I just wrapped up my second directorial job, the Visayan tearjerker Pagbalik (shot in Cagayan de Oro), with my mom and me in the lead.

Mother and daughter at the Our Lady of Lourdes Sanctuary in Lourdes, France. Right: Gloria with first husband, the late Mat Ranillo Jr.

How was it directing your mom?

Suzette: It was not easy. The first time I directed my mom was in CareHome, my directorial debut which also starred Guy (Nora Aunor). Like when I told her, “Okay, Mom, you do it this way.” She would snap back, “Bakit ganoon? Dapat ganito.” I would explain and she listened naman.

Will you refresh the new generation of movie fans how you were discovered?

Gloria: I was discovered by Azucena Productions at a high school oratorical contest at the University of the Visayas. I won and got the titular role of Prinsesa Tinana (1951) opposite the dashing Mat Ranillo Jr. In love na in love ako noon kay Mat. Ang guwapo-guwapo niya! He was my favorite actor. He was the son of former Zamboanga Gov. Matias Ranillo Sr. I told myself that if he courted me, I would say yes right away. We dated for five years before we got married.”

You and Mat Jr. starred in several movies. You were the Power Couple of Visayan Movies.

Gloria: Yes, we did several movies from the early ’50s to the late ’60s. Among them were Rosas Pandan, Dalagang Pilipinhon, Carmen, Pailub Lang, Gloria and Sangang Nangabali. Our last movie together was Badlis sa Kinabuhi. All of them were moneymakers in the Visayas and Mindanao, so the media called us the King and Queen of Visayan Movies.

Of course, after the demise of the Visayan movies, you successfully crossed over to Tagalog movies. (Caridad Sanchez also started her career in Visayan movies.)

Gloria: Salamat sa Diyos! I won my first FAMAS in 1963 as Best Supporting Actress for Madugong Paghihiganti. I was also nominated for May Bakas Ang Lumipas, Tatlong Mukha ni Pandora, Kami’y Kaawaan, Sapang Palay, Ito Ang Pilipino, Dodong Ko, Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo and Banaue. For Ifugao, I was nominated as Best Actress at the 1955 Asia Pacific Film Festival.

Is it true that you were pregnant when Mat Jr. died?

Gloria: Yes, I was seven months pregnant with our fifth child when Mat died in a plane crash in 1969. I was devastated. I heard over the radio that a plane crashed in Antipolo (Rizal), but I had no idea that Mat was on that plane. He flew to Cebu to get our profit share for film. I was supposed to join him but he told me to just stay home.

Who relayed to you the sad news?

Gloria: It was then San Juan Mayor Joseph Estrada, a very close friend of Mat Jr., who broke the tragic news. He came to our house crying. He hugged me tightly before telling me Mat was gone. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t cry. I still cry up to now.

Suzette: It’s very painful even up to now. It was so sudden. I was very young then and I was so close to him. Ako raw ang kamukha ng Daddy ko. He was a very good man; he was loved by everyone.

Gloria: I’m thankful to friends who helped us. Mat’s other compadre, Amado (Cortez), was always by my side, always around when I needed a hand. My friends warned me about falling for Amado kasi playboy nga daw. During a dinner, I didn’t expect him to propose to me and I said no. I had no feelings for him. I thought he was just being a friend helping me out.

But Amado was persistent, and it paid off. During the filming of Escape from East Berlin which I produced and starred in with the late action star Roberto Gonzalez, I had a change of heart and called Amado from overseas to say I was accepting his proposal. We were wed twice…civil, then sa church.

How did your marriage turn out?

Gloria: Contrary to everyone’s fear, Amado stayed faithful and was a doting father to my children — Lilibeth, Archibald (the actor Mat Ranillo III), Suzette, Jonathan, Bonifacio, Junipher (RIP), and Junius. Doon na-develop ang love ko for him.

Suzette: I called him Tito Madz. He was a loving and caring man. His love for us was unconditional, even if we were just his stepchildren. (Amado had five children from a previous relationship. His birth name was Arsenio Padilla, from the famous Padilla showbiz clan, but he kept his screen name as his legal name; Amado and Gloria have a daughter of their own, Czareanah, also US-based.)

How was life in the US where you moved in the ‘80s?

Suzette: It was tough. I was already enjoying stardom with high-profile films like Kumander Alibasbas, Awat Na Asiong Aksaya and Taga Sa Panahon. In the 1979 Ishmael Bernal movie Aliw, I shared top billing with Lorna Tolentino and Amy Austria, and I even bagged an Urian Best Actress nod. On my way to the airport in 1981, I was gazing at giant billboards of my last film as a lead star, Kahit Ako’y Lupa (with Rudy Fernandez and Vivian Velez). It was heartbreaking and I was like, “Oh no, I won’t see this anymore.” But for me, it’s family first.

Mother and daughter with FDCP (Film Development Council of the Philippines) head Liza Diño-Seguerra during the recent Ambassadors’ Night.

Didn’t you feel like a second-class citizen in the US?

Suzette: In California, the family led a normal immigrant life. My mom and I sold high-end pots and pans, while Tito Madz became a top insurance agent for John Hancock. We also got actively involved with the Ninoy Aquino Movement.

I also landed a lucrative career at the Silicon Valley and worked for years as territory manager for a computer firm just when the computer technology was about to boom. I traveled coast to coast and handled huge accounts. Silicon Valley gave me more confidence and helped improve my English.

Gloria: When Corazon Aquino was swept to power in 1986, Amado was named Philippine consul (and later consul general with a rank of ambassador) in San Francisco. For about a decade, my children and I were exposed to the world of diplomacy and public service and became active in the Fil-Am community. Sadly, two years after we moved back to Manila for good, Amado lost his battle with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) in 2003. He got it from too much smoking. I decided to sell our house and moved in at the Greenhills condo unit of Suzette. She looked after my healthcare needs and busy schedule.

By the way, what happened to the films that you produced?

Suzette: I am prepping the audio restoration of Badlis sa Kinabuhi. We found a copy in Australia. It was the only surviving film out of the dozens of films that my mom produced.

Gloria: That film is very memorable to me because I won my first FAMAS Best Actress award for it. It was screened (retitled Destiny) at the Berlin and Indonesian international film festivals in 1971. Badlis was directed by the late Leroy Salvador. It will mark its 50th anniversary of its first release in April 2019.

You have had a good life.

Gloria: God is so good. I’m very sure that someday, Mat and Madz will stand side by side to welcome me. I will be there in between the two leading men in my life. I was with Mat for 15 years, and with Madz for 32 years. Although I believe Madz was my soul mate, God knows how much I loved them both.

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