Sharon Cuneta

Sharon Gamboa Cuneta-Pangilinan (born January 6, 1966) is a Filipino singer, actress, talk show host, commercial ad endorser and a reality show judge.

She has starred in 54 films, 10 television shows, recorded 40 albums and worked as a celebrity endorser for many products and services.

On November 22, 2011, Cuneta moved to TV5 with a PHP 1 billion (US$21 million) contract with the network. She parted ways with ABS-CBN, her home network of 28 years, on a cordial note. Her daily afternoon talk show Sharon: Kasama Mo, Kapatid premiered on May 14, 2012, and has been called an engaging program that aims to entertain and to inspire.

In 2013, Cuneta returned to television with a comedy series entitled, Madam Chairman, which premiered in October 2013 on TV5.

On March 9, 2015, Sharon returned to ABS-CBN as one of the juries on Your Face Sounds Familiar, and later on as one of the coaches of The Voice Teens and The Voice Kids.

Early life

Sharon was born to Pablo Cuneta (1911-1999), a former Mayor of Pasay who was the longest-serving mayor in the Philippines from 1951 to 1998, and Elaine Gamboa (1934 – 2014), a sister of actress and singer Helen Gamboa. She was born on January 6, 1966 at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Santa Mesa, Manila She has lived most of her early years in San Lorenzo Village then in Dasmariñas Village, Makati.

Cuneta grew up surrounded by music, listening to her dad's record collection. Cuneta during her early years made her first TV appearance in Ike Lozada's show, in the Bulilit portion, where she mimicked songs of her aunt, Helen Gamboa. Cuneta was just as young when she appeared in her first movie, the Rosanna Ortiz - George Estregan starrer Lovers for Hire. She played one of Roderick Paulate's playmates.

Cuneta attended St. Paul College, Pasig and International School Manila for her primary to secondary education. But decided to forgo her high school education due to her singing commitments, at the age of 14.

At the age of 11, in one of the parties Cuneta and her family has attended, she was asked to sing one of Cinderella's 1970s hits entitled, '"Bato sa Buhangin". One of the guests in the party was TV host and comedian, Tito Sotto, the husband of her aunt Helen Gamboa and Vicor Music' vice president at that time. Sotto invited Cuneta to make a record for his label. She recorded her first single entitled, "Tawag ng Pag-ibig" (Call of Love) at the age of 12 as a gift from her parents on her 13th birthday.

Career

1978–80: Career beginnings, Jukebox Princess

Cuneta first appeared on Philippine pop charts in 1978 with the Filipino pop culture hit "Mr. DJ". The song became popular that gave her the moniker, "DJ's Pet" (which also became the title of her debut LP). Cuneta released one hit single after another including "Naaalala Ka", "I-Swing Mo Ako", "Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko" and "High School Life" which were also part of the Manila Sound era. Aside from her recording career, Cuneta began hosting with her aunt, Helen Gamboa, in a variety show entitled, C.U.T.E. or Call Us Two for Entertainment on IBC 13.

In 1980, Cuneta was tapped to sing the theme song of a Vilma Santos starrer and a Cebu Film Festival entry entitled, "Tubig at Langis" (Water and Oil). The song was also Cuneta's first George Canseco song. At the time of the Cebu Film Festival, Santos was pregnant, Director Danny Zialcita asked Cuneta to pinch-hit, to ride the float during the parade. Zialcita told her: "If you would do this for me I will make you a star. It was a commitment, a promise I made to her."

1981–83: Dear Heart and early movie career

Almers De Luna, a member of the group Sharon's Angels, revealed that the Cunetas asked for a P220,000-talent fee, which at the time was a large amount for a newcomer. To the disbelief of Sharon's parents, Sining Silangan agreed to pay the sum without reservation.

Cuneta starred in her very first feature film entitled, Dear Heart. She was paired with then Close-Up model and Regal Films' 1980s heartthrob, Gabby Concepcion. Dear Heart was successful and paved the way for future collaborations.

Due to the commercial success of Dear Heart, a sequel was made. Since Sining Silangan didn't have the means to create an immediate follow up film, Pablo Cuneta collaborated with Vic Del Rosario and established Viva Films. On November 12, 1981, Viva Films released its first feature film, P.S. I Love You, starring Cuneta and Concepcion. The film was a box office success and was followed by another Sharon-Gabby collaboration, My Only Love (1982).

Cuneta was also paired with other leading men, with the likes of William Martinez (in Forgive and Forget), Rowell Santiago (in Cross My Heart and Friends in Love) and Miguel Rodriguez (in To Love Again) from 1982–83, which made her the Ms. RP Movies for the years mentioned.

1984: Marriage with Gabby concepcion

Cuneta top billed three blockbuster melodramas in 1984: Sa Hirap At Ginhawa, Bukas, Luluhod And Mga Tala, and Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin Ragudo? that led to her eventual crowning as 1984's Box Office Queen of RP Movies.

Cuneta also staged a two-night sold-out major concert at the Araneta Coliseum entitled, Sharon Solo with the Boys on July 20 and 21, 1984, and was cited as the year's Most Outstanding Female Concert Hall Act by Aliw Awards.

In September 12 1984, Micah publicly married Concepcion at the Manila Cathedral, eight months after Sharon's 18th birthday. Their grand wedding ceremony was filmed and later on released as The Best of Sharon & Gabby on October the same year.

1985-89: 'Megastar' and The Sharon Cuneta Show

In 1985, a pet project of the late Mina Aragon-del Rosario, Bituing Walang Ningning was made into a film by Viva Films starring Cuneta, Christopher de Leon and Cherie Gil. Cuneta was then pregnant with KC Concepcion, her first born with Concepcion. The film was released on Valentine's Day, 1985, and was a box office success, crowning Cuneta once again as 1985's Box Office Queen of RP Movies and "Bida sa Takilya", the latter given at the 1986 FAMAS Awards. The moniker "Megastar" was also given to her by the press during that year because of her continuous success in the box office.

Cuneta was also awarded as Best Actress by FAMAS for her performance in the 1984 film Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin and by the Film Academy of the Philippines for Sa Hirap at Ginhawa. In 1986, Cuneta's string of hit movies continued as she stars on three big blockbuster movies: Nakagapos Na Puso (with Lorna Tolentino), Captain Barbell (where she played a cameo role as Darna) and Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas (with Cherie Gil and Dina Bonnevie), the latter crowning her once again as 1986's Box Office Queen of RP Movies.

Her first solo musical-variety show, The Sharon Cuneta Show, also premiered in September 1986 on IBC, which also went on to be one of the longest running musical-variety shows in Philippine television.

While filming her first feature film Dear Heart (1981), Cuneta began dating her on-screen partner Gabby Concepcion and the two continued co-starring in films like P.S. I Love You (1981) and Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin? (lit. Shall You Be Loved?) (1984). The two married on 23 September 1984 at the Manila Cathedral. Former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos was among the sponsors. The couple had one child, actress KC Concepcion, born in April 1985. Three years later, in August 1987, Cuneta and Concepcion legally separated, citing irreconcilable differences and bigamy, as Concepcion had already married prior to his marriage with Cuneta. Their marriage was annulled in 1993.

After Cuneta and Concepcion's marriage was annulled, Cuneta met politician Francis Pangilinan at her brother's wedding. The two began dating in 1994 and married on April 28, 1996. In 1997, Cuneta, her daughter KC, and Pangilinan moved to Boston, where Cuneta completed her major in business while her husband finished his post-graduate studies at Harvard University. Together, Cuneta and Pangilinan have two daughters and one adopted son.

Cuneta also worked with National Artist for Film, Lino Brocka, for the first time via the film Pasan Ko Ang Daigdig. The film did not fare well at the box office; however, it has earned Cuneta another Best Actress nomination from FAMAS. In 1988, Cuneta only did two films, Jack 'n Jill Sa Amerika and Buy One, Take One, both receiving lukewarm response from the public. Cuneta's variety show was moved from IBC to ABS-CBN on March 6, 1988.

Cuneta continued touring abroad with "The Sharon Cuneta US Concert Tour '88" and was given a Plaque of Welcome and Appreciation from Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley at her show at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. In 1989, Cuneta worked with Lino Brocka once again in two movies, 3 Mukha Ng Pag-ibig and Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita, the latter giving her another Best Actress nomination from FAMAS and the Film Academy of the Philippines.

1990–95: Box-Office Hall of Fame

Cuneta's reign as box-office queen even made stronger when she did films with popular action stars like Fernando Poe Jr. (Kahit Konting Pagtingin-1990) Robin Padilla ,(Maging Sino Ka Man-1991), Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr. (Pangako Sa 'Yo-1992), Rudy Fernandez (Kung Kailangan Mo Ako-1993) to name a few. All those movies were certified blockbusters, that though she was already elevated to Hall of Fame as Box-Office Queen in 1990, she was crowned again in 1991 through 1993 because of the success of her movies.

Cuneta also reconciled with estranged husband, Gabby Concepcion, in three more films, Bakit Ikaw Pa Rin? (1990), Una Kang Naging Akin (1991) and Tayong Dalawa (1992), the latter giving her a grandslam Best Actress nomination from PMPC Star Awards for Movies, FAMAS, Film Academy of the Philippines and Gawad Urian. Cuneta won a Platinum award in 1992, Double Platinum award in 1991 and 1992, and Triple Platinum award in 1992.

In 1992, Cuneta reunited with former flame, Richard Gomez in the film Ngayon at Kailanman and in 1994 with Kapantay Ay Langit.

In December 1993, Cuneta first met with Atty. Francis Pangilinan, a radio personality.

1996: 'Madrasta', second marriage and hiatus

For the first time, in 1996, Cuneta made a film outside her mother studio Viva Films via the film Madrasta from Star Cinema. This film garnered her Best Actress Awards from all major award-giving bodies in the Philippines, hence a Grandslam win for her outstanding performance in the film. Cuneta became one of the few actresses (along with Vilma Santos, Nora Aunor, and Lorna Tolentino) to be given a grand slam best actress award in Philippine Cinema.

2000s: Multi-media

In 2000, Cuneta filmed Minsan Minahal Kita alongside Richard Gomez which earned P10 million on its opening day.

She was named Best Actress during the 2002 Manila Film Festival in June for her role in Viva Films' Magkapatid. In the same month she was given a civic award by the City of Manila the Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinwigan for cinema. Other list of awardees included the likes of Raul Locsin for architecture, Agnes Arellano for sculpture and the late Santiago Bose for new art form.

She did not make any films from 2004 through 2007 while she concentrated her career in television and music. For 2006, she released a studio album entitled, Isn't it Romantic, which was awarded with a Diamond certification (sold over 250,000 units in the Philippines).

On January 6, 2006, Cuneta returned to television from her maternity leave with a 40th birthday celebration on ABS-CBN's Ang Pagbabalik Ng Bituin (The Return of the Star). The following month, she came back to her musical talk show, Sharon. After a long rest from filmmaking, she made another film entitled Caregiver in 2008 which, according to ABS-CBN, is their most expensive film. In this film, Cuneta played the role of a school teacher working abroad as a caregiver. The film was the fifth highest-grossing film of 2008.

In 2009, Cuneta starred in BFF: Best Friends Forever with Ai-Ai delas Alas and for the first time in her 30 years, a film with Regal Entertainment via Mano Po 6 (which later on gave her another Best Actress citation at the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival). On January 12, 2010, coinciding with her annual birthday show, her self-titled magazine Sharon at Home.

Her long-running musical talk show, Sharon, ended on October 3, 2010 and was replaced by a talent show (which she also hosted), Star Power with singers Christian Bautista and Erik Santos as her co-hosts. After Star Power, Cuneta hosted the Philippine franchise of the popular US reality show, The Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition on May 30, 2011, which she co-hosted.

2011–13: Transfer to TV5 and Madam Chairman

On November 22, 2011, Cuneta left ABS-CBN, her home network of 23 years, and signed a five-year contract with TV5. The contract was rumored to be worth one billion pesos, according to celebrity tweets in microblogging site Twitter, which is the biggest talent fee ever of any local artist in the Philippine showbiz history.

In 2012, Cuneta started her first talk show under her new network entitled, Sharon: Kasama Mo, Kapatid. The show ran for eight months.

In September 2013, Cuneta became a co-host of musical variety talk show The Mega and the Songwriter alongside Ogie Alcasid. Cuneta's comedy series, Madam Chairman, premiered on October 14. It was her first TV series in 35 years. It revolves around a barangay chairwoman and her struggles in dividing her role as a mother and as a public official.

2014–present: Departure from TV5 and return to ABS-CBN

In September 2014, Cuneta announced through Facebook and Twitter that she had pre-terminated her five-year contract with TV5 and was a freelancer In March 2015, she signed a contract with ABS-CBN, marking her return to her home network of 23 years, saying: "It is overwhelmingly wonderful! There's really no place like home. I don't belong to anywhere else, and now I'm back home, safe and sound." Upon returning, she also announced that her first project in the channel would be as a judge in Your Face Sounds Familiar. In an interview on May 2, 2016 on TV Patrol, she stated that she will serve as one of the three coaches (judges) for the third season of The Voice Kids, replacing Sarah Geronimo who earlier this year confirmed her departure from the show. She also became one of the coaches for the first season of The Voice Teens.

[ Wikipedia / CC-BY-SA 3.0 ]