Cherry Pie: I can’t share my man with another woman or with a gay

Cherry Pie Picache once again bagged an acting trophy from the Enpress Golden Screen Award for Television for playing a wife of someone who is a kept man of a gay benefactor in Bestida, an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya. For the Metro Manila Film Festival, Cherry Pie will be seen with Zsa Zsa Padilla and Rufa Mae Quinto as one of the three wives of Jay Manalo in Joel Lamangan’s Ako, Legal Wife (Mano Po 4). Those who have seen previews of the movie can bet that she is a strong contender for the festival’s Best Actress Award for her comic role as the Chinese-speaking Visayan, the second wife with a keen business sense.

Cherry Pie has distinguished herself not only in dramatic roles but in those where her comic flair and timing are showcased as well. Since she won a Gawad Urian Best Actress award for Jeffrey Jeturian’s Bridal Shower, offers for comic roles have been coming to her amusement. It’s indeed a recognition of her versatility.

"It’s really like that in real life," begins Cherry Pie. "There’s time for crying and laughing. And when one cries a lot, she laughs the loudest, too." As in life then so is in art or vice-versa?

Does she identify closely with the roles she has played on screen? Take for example her role in the TV episode for which she is being honored with an acting award, or in the comic offering from Regal Entertainment.

"No!," she emphasizes. "I am a very jealous person. Knock on wood, but I don’t think I can stand sharing my man with another person, be she a woman or gay. He has to make a decision or I’ll make the decision soon enough to end the relationship!" she declares with conviction.

The declaration is half-expected, Cherry Pie is a woman who speaks her mind most of the time and takes matters into her hands just as often. No doubt, a strong-willed woman, she never blurts out contradictory statements or is observed to behave otherwise, apparently at times.

"You know, I’d give up everything, including my career, for a man who could make me feel really like a woman, you know supporting, serving, and following her man," she giggled once, along with Jaclyn Jose, a close friend and with whom she shares the same sentiment and conviction.

"We’re tired of being in control most of the time or playing ‘masters’. We want someone who can control and lead us." Both women tittered.

Capable of being domineering herself, Cherry Pie, however, constantly checks herself. "I’d rather follow than take the lead, especially when my man is concerned."

Fortunately, in all her relationships with men, they take the lead, which made her feel all woman; unfortunately, at times, her men would differ with her in discerning where they, the men, would take the lead.

"Bakit gan’on? They are unwilling to take the lead all the time. Many times, he will leave the decision to you on many things. Many of them seem to be concerned only with the broad strokes. The small, important detail they leave to the women to decide where it involves emotional dilemmas."

Of course, she is aware that there are men who can be totally laid-back. "Their women spoil them – from their moms to their girlfriends and eventually their wives. That’s why women today are doubly burdened, especially in our country. Today, because of the economic condition in our country, women are forced to leave their homes and work. They have become breadwinners of their families. Besides, they are still expected to their traditional roles."

Cherry Pie continues with her observation and insights: "Because of these changes, all the more, kailangan ang mga lalake natin maging mas malakas. Kasi, ewan ko, ha. I observe that it is often the mothers who run the home. It seems women are stronger than men in that regard."

Cherry suspects it starts with the rearing and training of children at home.

So how does she intend the influence to some change?

"I can only do so much. But when it comes to my son Anton, who now goes to pre-school, I don’t spoil him. I am more of the disciplinarian compared to his dad.

Cherry Pie confesses that she can never be passive. She is always involved and concerned. "I tend to do things myself, especially when no one else seems to act or feel the urgency to act in a given situation," she chuckles. She confesses the extreme of that trait – "May pagka-messianic ako!" She laughs. And feels frustrated when she cannot do anything or is constrained to do little, the pragmatic in her reminding her of her limitations.

One remembers how she spoke out her mind about the controversy that involved film actors and other performers who became subjects of malicious innuendoes in TV talk shows and print gossip columns or of some sex videos, authentic or fabricated. She could have just kept silent and thereby not catch the ire of some members of some powerful sectors in the entertainment industry; but she made her voice heard, although she herself relatively enjoys a deferential treatment in the industry.

Her personal advocacy is a separate criminal justice system for juveniles. "They should be treated differently from adult law offenders and hardened criminals. They should be treated with more understanding and concern. After all, the conditions here on earth that we bring them to are not of their own making. At the onset, they’re already victims. Then, they’ll receive the same punishment given to adults who are more responsible than them."