MANILA, Philippines - The township of Baras in the province of Rizal is worlds apart from Nobu Restaurant located at City of Dreams, Pasay City. And we’re not just talking about geographic distance. The world-famous Japanese-Peruvian restaurant is chica to the core, from the al fresco floating water cabanas to the delicious signature dishes on the menu. In stark contrast, Baras (where 46-year-old actress Dawn Zulueta is currently shooting her upcoming teleserye with Richard Gomez) is a remote area dominated by trees, endless overgrown grass, and darkness. There is no Chilean sea bass with dry miso on the staff meal “menu.” You get your bowl of lugaw and you say thank you to the good lady stirring the pot.
The pouring rain turns the unpaved ground into muck; and as the water begins to rise, you huddle under a pop-up gazebo with the mostly male crew, a feeble attempt to stay dry. (“Floating water cabana” ba kamo?) The night prior to this interview with Dawn, she was fancied up for Marie France’s glitzy 30th anniversary party held at Nobu. Think LBD, tasteful jewels, and subtle makeup that highlighted her classic Fil-Palestinian features. This morning — it’s 12:30 a.m. and she’s finally available to talk after shooting several sequences — Dawn minus the glamour emerges.
She’s just at home in a no-frills set as she is at a chichi event. Actually, for the record, she “hates socializing.” “’You look so good! You lost so much weight,’” she enunciates the trite greeting of every certified Tita of Manila. “Does it always have to be the opening line,” she sighs. (Props to this lady for her disarming honesty.) “You want coffee,” she asks, voice full of concern. “Dapat kanina pa. You should have given her coffee,” she gently admonishes her aide who proceeds to fetch a cuppa. Dawn is visibly tired and a little annoyed at the technical problems that got in the way of work. (“Murphy’s Law nga naman o. Everything that could go wrong went wrong!) But she’s determined to make my trek to Rizal worth it. Two mono-block chairs magically appear out of nowhere, and with the buzzing insects listening to our conversation, the iconic star started talking about longevity, Coco Martin, her unlikely ally, indelible beauty, and her thoughts on the presidency.
Surprise: She Used to Hate Attention
“During my early years in showbiz, I was afraid of crowds. I was afraid of people. I didn’t know how to deal with fans. My attitude was, ‘I just want to work. Don’t bother me.’ I wasn’t very charismatic. The first couple of years were a struggle for me. I had to undergo a paradigm shift. If you enter showbiz, it [the fans] come with it. I had to find a way to appreciate and embrace it. So I began to observe how Sharon Cuneta, Maricel Soriano, Ate Guy, and Ate V interacted with their fans. I had to learn how to do it and make it real. People will sense if you’re fake.”
Her Formula For Longevity
“Learn to appreciate your audience. Ask yourself what is it that they first loved about you? What were the movies you were doing? What were the roles you were portraying? You can try different media — film, TV, stage — but know what your core is and where you were first appreciated. In my case, it’s really film.”
Why She Thinks Coco Martin is Ace
“I like Coco because of his attitude. Not only is he talented, he’s actually smart; he’s a businessman. He thinks like a producer. He told me he wants to buy all the rights to the indie films he has done in the past so that eventually, when he’s no longer as hot, he can make money pa rin from royalties, di ba? How many celebrities think like that?”
Why she looks better than women half her age
“Thank you,” she mumbles, evidently embarrassed. “Basically it’s 3 Ts: Tulog, Tubig, at Treatment. It’s important to get eight hours of sleep and stay hydrated. I really don’t think I would look as good as I do at my age if I weren’t very disciplined about scheduling regular treatments at Marie France. My favorites are Endermologie, Vara Pulse, and Plasti Dermi Treatment. They’re all non-invasive. As for my diet, I just follow the Blood Type Diet. When I avoided the food I’m supposed to avoid, I started feeling better.”
On what she wants the next president to have
“I hope at least one [of the presidential candidates], or all, will include the creative industries in their platforms. I hope they uplift all artists because this is our heritage and our culture. Our movies are shown abroad, people learn about our country and our people because of our work. Sana naman there is something the next president will be able to contribute to our industry.”
On Beautiful People
“It’s really what’s inside. There are women na appearance-wise, you wouldn’t look at them twice. But the things that you learn from them! The journeys they’ve been through! For me, it boils down to how you touch people. I believe in that saying, ‘People will not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.’ That’s what lasts, di ba?”
Time check: Nearly 1 a.m. Her trusted aide is back, and discreetly says, “Ms. Dawn, kailangan na daw po kayo.” They’re about to shoot an accident scene, the last for tonight. Dawn seems unwilling to go, especially since the conversation somehow swerved into her biggest frustration about the industry: How artists like her do not get royalties. “Buti pa nga ang photographer or cinematographer, pwedeng maging cinematographer at photographer hanggang 70 years old sila,” she says, impassioned. “Pero kami,” she pauses, referring to herself and fellow actors, “kapag medyo nau utal-utal na at hindi na maka memorize hindi na kami kukunin.” She laments a sad fact: People will keep enjoying the films and shows they shed blood and sweat for, but their grandchildren won’t benefit from them. She shakes her head, then stands up, ready to slip into her character’s skin again. “How will you get home,” she inquires, full of maternal concern. She calls someone from production and insists the on-call driver brings me to the main road safely. “You take care okay?” The coffee, sadly, never materialized. But how Dawn Zulueta made me feel perked me up better than the world’s best brew ever could.
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