Soul-Stirring Sharon - Part 1
by Claire David, The Web Philippines, May/June 2000

From the bedimpled singing kid, the dewy teenager in Dear Heart, to everyone's favorite stepmother in Madrasta, Sharon Cuneta has enamored many people. Is it her smile? Her voice? Her success? Discover the mega secret, and find out about her passion for her family, books, movies, travel sites, writing, signing pictures, Jet Li, her favorite banana and, above all, life.

It's hard not to be star-struck once your editor announces that you have to interview the megastar. She is the epitome of a woman, a real survivor considering all the ordeals she faced in life. She raised a beautiful daughter, married a witty man, and turned out to be very successful in her profession, not just as an actress and singer, but also as a commercial endorser. Behind all that overwhelming success is a simple woman full of heart and definitely full of soul.

As she walked down the winding staircase, the room lit up with her ever-winsome smile. She wore a black spaghetti strap top with very little make up. Sharon cheerfully welcomed us to her dining room. Her house exuded an enchantment with stylish Parisian art. Candles of all shapes, sizes and scents were tastefully displayed throughout the house. Sharon sported a new look after her recent trip to Hong Kong for her Asian release album.

DIGITAL SHAWIE

Yeah, we were so proud of winning this award because it's a new thing to me, and you know we didn't expect it to be successful. I'm very proud, and at the same time it was humbling because you think of more ways to keep it exciting and keep people interested in the Web site. And I take a personal effort to submit my photos to Ronnie with my messages, and I write my letters when I can. We have the photo request list printed out.

Did you conceptualize the site when you were in Boston?

Actually before Boston I was already toying with the idea of having a site. Because when some people write about you, they write about what's current but they get the history wrong. They say that my first record was "Mr. DJ." It wasn't my first record, it was my second. But it was my first hit. I said better if it comes from the horse's mouth. So at least they're sure when they go there it's all real, the Web site has some words from my friends and my family, my co-workers kasi mahirap naman kung pupurihin ko sarili ko (outburst of laughter).

When I went to your site, I slowly felt that I was becoming part of Sharon's family and I seem to know you well.

That's the idea. It's thorough, and it's all there from my childhood to the present. When the Web site idea came up, I kind of really resolved to get this thing going when I was in Boston because someone created a US Web site for my concerts. It was www.mega-star.com, and not many people knew about it. They really put it up for tickets and info about the concert.

There were people writing in, and in my free time I would really just answer the mail but there wasn't much. In the first few weeks of my official site, I was really masipag and after a while I received thousands of e-mails.

The present site is called the new utterly gorgeous Sharon site.

Naks (giggles). That was in Mega. It was Ronnie, he put that there. I didn't tell him to put that.

Do you work on the concept of the site?

No, I leave that to Ronnie because that's Ronnie's expertise. He designs great Web pages. In fact, I visited some of his Web sites, the ones he created for other celebrities, and I was so impressed, and I said this is the guy I want. So you know, I could have chosen anyone but it had to be Ronnie.

What is your favorite part of your Web site?

I like the movie part with my co-stars and my co-actors, my directors talking about me. They were asked the same questions and it was interesting to read what they really thought about me. They discussed strengths and weaknesses, and all that. It was so touching because these are the people I grew up with and they are such a big part of my life.

If ever you feature a downloadable movie at your site, what would that be?

Dear Heart.

What kinds of messages do you receive at your site?

The messages that I have been getting, thank God, are really sweet. There was just one during the first few weeks of the site, one which was really obscene. Ronnie was really angry, and I got shocked. That's about it and the rest are just sweet. They ask questions about what's new, "how are you?," and "I grew up with you."

Part 2 -->