Eugene Domingo: My dogs are my acting teachers

A dog lover who didn’t have enough money to buy a dog is how Eugene “Uge” Domingo describes herself during her college days.

“I always wanted a dog, but I couldn’t afford one,” says Eugene. “Whenever I would go to the mall, I would always make sure to pass by the pet stores to check out the dogs for sale. I had my heart set on a Shih Tzu.”

It was in the movie Kimmy Dora that I first got to know of Eugene Domingo. Not being a moviegoer, whether of local or foreign films, I only go to movies that friends recommend either because they have a great story, a big star or an animal. 

Kimmy Dora, I was told, starred an Aspin named Mikky.

How could I not watch?

In the movie, Mikky the Aspin gets rescued by Dora and then gets to live in a big house where she is pampered.

I recently got to watch the sequel Kimmy Dora and The Temple of Kyeme, which still stars Mikky.

“She knows more tricks now,” says Uge about Mikky.

Two cute: Shih Tzu Praise (sleeping) with his son Coconut

I am here with Uge and about to meet “Dora” (Kimmy can’t make the interview because she’s busy in the boxing gym, I am told) before the block screening of Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kyeme at the Resorts World Cinema organized by the Passionistas.

The beneficiary of the Passionistas, a fan club of Piolo Pascual, the producer of the film, was the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). 

PAWS has been in the forefront of pushing its seeing-beauty-beyond-breed campaign. So it comes as no surprise that PAWS was chosen by the Passionistas.

“It was Uge who suggested that the Passionistas get PAWS as a beneficiary of the blocked screening of the movie,” says Passionistas member Mia Villanueva. “We agreed since many of the members of Passionistas are dog-lovers.”

A bigger surprise that night was that Uge made a personal donation for the medical treatment of the dogs in PAWS animal shelter.

It’s getting late, and since Dora hasn’t arrived yet, I opt to interview Uge who makes it on time for the 5:30 p.m. interview. I get to ask her a few questions about her own love affair with dogs, and her cat, too.

“I have three dogs, they are all boys,” shares Uge. “My first dog’s name is Praise. His son is Coconut and I have an ampon Shih Tzu named Mufasa. I also have a cat that I call Bambi.”

Uge says that it took about six months before all her pets finally got along. Although they all stay inside the house, Bambi stays in a separate room away from the dogs.

“Praise?” we ask.

No bad luck: Uge’s black cat Bambi

Well, she explains that she has been told that a dog, or any animal for that matter, has to be praised.

“So, instead of looking for words on how to praise Praise, I just named him Praise.”

Praise was a gift to Uge from five of her closest friends.

“My friends chipped in to buy me a Shih Tzu because every time I was in the mall, I would tell John Lapuz that I wanted a Shih Tzu kasi ang cute. Kaya lang it cost P10,000. I would say ‘Ang mahal naman.’” 

Not wanting to disappoint Uge, John showed her a photo of a Sharpei since a friend of his was a breeder of that breed. “Sabi ko ayoko ’yan, ’di ko gusto,” laughs Uge as she recalls the incident. 

So John chipped in with Uge’s other friends to get her the Shih Tzu she wanted. Candy, Harlene Bautista, Rico Gutierrez, Andoy and John Lapuz — contributed P2,000 each to get the P10,000 Shih-Tzu.  

“On my birthday Harlene and John went to my house,” shares Uge. “May dalang basket. I was about to eat what was in the basket, pero napansin ko may gumalaw. Tuwang-tuwa ako. That was Praise.”

Uge goes on to say that Praise is around 95 years old. Since she got him before the year 2000, he is at least 13 in dog years.

“Bulag na siya. Nababangga na siya, ’di na niya alam kung paano siya uuwi,” shares Uge. “May times na weak na weak siya, may weeks naman na strong siya, feeling ko nag second childhood na siya.”

If she needs to cry for a scene in a movie she often thinks of seeing Praise stiff and dead, and that is enough to motivate her to cry.

Uge sometimes takes Mufasa, her adopted Shih Tzu, to tapings.

The Death Of Shakespeare

It was during the shooting of the first Kimmy Dora in 2009 that she lost her seven-year-old Golden Retriever, Shakespeare. 

She had moved Shakespeare from her condo to Baguio where he could have more space to run around. The week before Shakespeare died, she wanted to visit him but her shooting schedule prevented her from doing so. She learned of Shakespeare’s death from a friend in Baguio.

“During that day of shooting, talagang retouch ako ng retouch ng makeup kasi iyak ako nang iyak,” recalls Uge. “Naalala ko lagi kasi parang I had a guilty feeling kasi I thought about visiting Shakespeare pero busy nga ako.”

And then there is Bambi the cat. 

“I had to adjust to Bambi, my cat,” says Uge. “ Kasi hindi sila kagaya ng dog. Sila ang masusunod. The cat stays alone in my other unit. She scratches at the door when she is hungry and then when she is full, tapos na.”

Uge said that she likes black cats because every time she sees a black cat — like while shooting or in any project, it has always been lucky for her. 

Enter Dora

Dora arrives and is happy as always and ready to take my questions.

She shares with me the scene in the movie where her driver Manong Maning, who is driving a pink car, accidentally bumps the street dog.

“Buti na lang si Manong Maning nakapag-brake agad-agad,” shares Dora. “Tapos nakita ko na naipit ’yung isang leg niya. I panicked kasi kawawa naman siya, kasi stray dog lang siya.”

We all know the story: Mikky doesn’t die and Dora takes her home. She chooses the name Mikky because she wants her Ate Kimmy to like Mikky.

Uge is flanked by Philippine Animal Welfare (PAWS) executive director Anna Cabrera and PAWS director Rich Ilustre

“At first she didn’t like him,” shares Dora. “Well, up to now hindi niya gusto.”

How did you get Kimmy to agree to put Mikky in the second movie?

“Mikky knows more tricks now and he can impress Ate, “says Dora. “But with more tricks Mikky is noisier, but he is also more intelligent.”

Than your ate? We quiz Dora.

“Ya sometimes, just be quiet,” Dora requests. 

Here are some of the new tricks that Mikky has learned.

 “Well, aside from playing, you can ask him to bring the dyaro to Dad (Ariel Ureta),” says Dora. “Dad also likes Mikky.  Dad, Mikky and Dora — we are all happy.”

I ask Dora about the rumor I heard that she will have a movie with Mikky, minus Kimmy.

“Ate Kimmy doesn’t know yet,” says Dora. “Maybe it will be about Dora and Mikky for the next movie. But, I am not talking.”

It is almost time for Dora to watch the block screening of Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kyeme. Before she goes, she shares this with me, “Ate Kimmy doesn’t like Mikky because he has no breed,” Dora quips.

Uge joins us before we end our conversation. “Three years ago I was more of a Kimmy,” says Uge. “But now, I am more Dora. I eat a lot, I dress up like crazy and then I even get a boyfriend in the movie. Dora, wow, what a life.”

Uge shares that her pets — dogs and cat, have helped her as far as her acting is concerned.

“Sometimes my dogs are my acting teachers because they are pure,” she says. “They will just show you what they feel.”

She recalls that during her theater arts years in UP, there were workshops where they were given exercises that challenged her to try to imitate or imagine and internalize the feelings of animals.   

“You focus on an animal that may behave in a certain way when it is defensive,” she quips. “Ganito ang feeling when it is trying to charm everybody. We can get that from dogs and cats if you observe them closely.”

Would you rather have a boyfriend or a dog?

“Just the carbs, and carbs and carbs and carbs and the dog are fine,” says Uge. “The boyfriend, not today.”

* * *

I enjoyed Kimmy Dora and The Temple of Kyeme.  The chemistry between Dora and Mikky is still there, so is the love between the two.

Kimmy still does not like Mikky because he is an askal. Although, I had wished that Dora corrected Kimmy when she referred to Mikky as an askal.

I am sure that Dora knows that Mikky is an Aspin (Asong Pinoy), not an askal. After all, Kimmy was politically correct when she used the term “informal settlers” to refer to the “squatters.” So it would only have been right if Dora corrected Kimmy’s use of the term “askals” to refer to Aspins.”

After all, Dora treats Mikky like a sibling. In the movie she even asks her Dad if they can bring Mikky to Korea — as the trip would be a time for family bonding.

Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kyeme is my kind of movie: There lots of occasions for family bonding and arguments, too, lots of laughs and true dog-love between Dora and Mikky. And, Johnson (Dingdong Dantes) Dora’s boyfriend also loves Mikky.

We pet lovers can’t wait for Chris Martinez’ next script on Mikky and Dora’s adventures.

Perfect.