Sharon Cuneta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sharon Gamboa Cuneta (born January 6, 1966) is a popular Filipina actress, TV host, singer, and endorser. She is also known as The Megastar of Philippine Showbiz.

[edit] Biography

She first appeared on Philippine pop charts in 1978 as a 12 year old, singing the tune "Mr. D.J." The tune became wildly popular and earned her the title of "D.J.'s Pet." (which was also the name of her first album).[1] Other hit albums followed, and Cuneta was asked to sing many movie soundtracks of the time-becoming the first "movie soundtrack star" in the country.

At age 15, she starred in her first feature film, 1981 Dear Heart paired with fellow teeny-bopper Gabby Concepcion. After Dear Heart's success, she appeared in more than 50 feature films, and earned the title of "Box Office Queen" in the country from 1985 thru 1993.

Her early movies roles launched her as a poor little rich girl. When all else failed, producers decided to make her roles as a "rags to riches" type. Although raised in an influential rich political family, she appealed to the sosyal(socially rich) and masa(mass) crowd of Philippine society, with her intelligence, humor and down to earth personality. Her musical-variety show, T.S.C.S. "The Sharon Cuneta Show" is one of the longest running television shows in Philippine Showbiz from 1987 thru 1997.

She started her hosting abilities with other teenage prodigies with shows like GMA Supershow later called Germspesyal with German Moreno and C.U.T.E. "Call Us Two For Entertainment" with her aunt, former actress Helen Gamboa.

Her love-team pairing with Regal Films heartthrob, Gabby Concepcion made the team the most popular love team in Philippine Movies during the 1980's. They later married (at age 19) in a civil ceremony then a Chrurch wedding on September 23, 1984 with former President Ferdinand Marcos as Principal Sponsor(Ninong). Cuneta was married for a short time to actor Gabby Concepcion, with whom she was paired in Dear Heart. In April 1985, Sharon gave birth to a daughter, Ma. Kristina Cassandra or KC.

Sharon is the first Filipina artist to sell out at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium first in 1988 and her latest June 11th, 2005 concert. She sang to SRO crowds. Her poster is enshrined in The Shrine's Hall of Fame next to stars Michael Jackson, Barbara Striesand and the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. She created a traffic jam in the 90's and puzzled the former Mayor of Los Angeles Tom Bradley. After hearing of her success, the mayor attended the concert and awarded Sharon with an Honorary Key to the City of Los Angeles.

She also had a duet in the 1990s with famous Hong Kong star Andy Lau, with whom she sang "In Your Eyes" composed by Jim Brickman.

In 1996, she hit a "Grand Slam" in Philippine Movies for the movie Madrasta where she played the role of a loving stepmother. Sharon became one of the rare actresses along with Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos to be awarded all the accolades given in local Philippine Cinema. Her "grand slam" includes: The Star Awards for Movies, People's Choice Award, The Film Academy of the Philippines, The Gawad Urian given by the Manunuri Ng Pelikulang Pilipino and the FAMAS. Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences.

Since 1998, Cuneta has been married to Senator Francis Pangilinan. Cuneta gave birth to Simone Francesca Emmanuelle (Frankie) in November 2000 and Mariel Daniella Sophia (Miel) in September 2004.

Her late father, Pablo Cuneta, was mayor of Pasay City for four decades.

In 2004, The Brussels International Film Festival named Sharon Cuneta as Best Actress for her movie, "Crying Ladies" where she played Stella Mate, an ex-convicted-divorced-single mother hustling her way through Manila streets and accepted a job with two other friends to cry professionally at Chinese Funerals in order to provide for her son.

In January, 2005 she returned with a show "Wish Upon A Mega", a 39th Birthday Celebration granting 39 well-wishers their dreams come true.

In January 6th 2006, The Megastar returned with a 40th Birthday celebration on ABS-CBN's entitled "Ang Pagbabalik Ng Bituin" roughly translated "The Return of the Star". The next month a new gab-fest talk show simply entitled "Sharon" was aired.

She currently hosts the reincarnation of the self-titled talkshow Sharon, aired during Sundays on ABS-CBN.