Showbiz mourns 'La Primera Contravida'
Social media was flooded with tributes for multi-awarded actress Cherie Gil, who died of cancer in New York at the age of 59.
Director Joey Reyes wrote on Facebook, "Rest now, dear Evangeline Rose. Have a safe journey home to the arms of our Father. You were launched in the very first movie I ever wrote. You starred in the movie that I will always be remembered. You are irreplaceable in the minds and hearts of so many of us."
The Film Development Council of the Philippines, headed by Chairman and CEO Tirso Cruz 3rd, also mourned Gil's passing.
"FDCP mourns the passing of veteran actress, Ms. Cherie Gil. In 2020, Cherie Gil was recognized as one of the Philippine Cinema Icons by the FDCP during the celebration of the Centennial Year of Philippine Cinema. Her contributions to the entertainment industry will always be remembered. The FDCP extends its condolences to the family and loved ones of the bereaved," it said in a statement.
Actress Vilma Santos wrote, "Rest in peace, my friend. I love you Ms. Cherie," as many other celebrities followed suit and paid their respects online.
A source close to Gil's family confirmed with The Manila Times that the actress succumbed to complications of uterine cancer.
When the cancer became more aggressive towards the end of 2021, Gil decided to permanently relocate to the US to undergo treatment.
Despite all efforts, her doctors found the cancer had metastasized to her lungs and, most recently, to the brain.
"She actually submitted to brain surgery before she died, but there were no signs of improvement," added the source. "Had she not passed that afternoon, they were already making plans to transfer her to a hospice. And in the US, moving to a hospice means it is only a matter of time before the patient expires."
Gil's death shocked not only her peers in the entertainment industry but the rest of the nation as well. She was, after all, in a league of her own and renowned as a first-rate actress, intelligent and eloquent, the classiest and most sophisticated character actress in Philippine showbiz.
In February this year Gil revealed her shaved bald look on the cover of Mega magazine. Describing it as a symbol of rebirth, she explained in the interview why she needed to move to New York with her family.
"I got rid of all the clothes I had that symbolized a past life. I'm completely finding myself and coming to terms with who I really am," she said.
"It's just great to have this opportunity and to be alive to start over. It's like a rebirth of sorts and I just had to make sure that first and foremost, my mental, emotional, and spiritual states were getting the priority.
"I was getting tired of myself. And I was just so angry and unhappy, so I sold everything and packed up."
Evangeline Rose Gil Eigenmann in real life, Gil is revered as the Philippines' "La Primera Contravida" for her versatility in portraying many villainess roles.
She is best remembered as Lavinia Arguelles in the 1985 film "Bituing Walang Ningning," where she delivered the now iconic line, 'You're nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!" to Sharon Cuneta's Dorina Pineda.
Cuneta — who is still in the States after concluding the US tour of her "Iconic" concert with Regine Velasquez — revealed in an Instagram post that she had flown to New York and had seen Gil the day before she died.
First-rate actress
Besides "Bituing Walang Ningning," Gil is also known for starring in critically acclaimed films like "Oro Plata Mata," "Tia Madre," "Citizen Jake," "Sonata," "Manila By Night" and "Ekstra," among many others.
Actively working until she got sick, her last projects included the stageplay "Angels in America" and the GMA Network series "Legal Wives."
Throughout her 50-year career, Gil amassed numerous accolades, among them, a FAMAS award, a Gawad Urian, the Ani ng Dangal (Harvest of Honor) award from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and a Hall of Famer status in the Metro Manila Film Festival's Best Supporting Category.
Internationally she won the highly coveted Best Actress trophy at the 2015 Asean International Film Awards. She also took home the "Best Lead Actress in a Foreign Language Film" from the Madrid International Film Festival of the same year.
Gil was born to showbiz luminaries Eddie Mesa and Rosemarie Gil. Her brothers are Michael de Mesa and the late Mark Gil, whose children have also established their own acting careers.
Gil is survived by Jay, her son with actor Leo Martinez, her husband, violinist Rony Rogoff and their two children, Bianca and Raphael.
Source: TheManila Times
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