Confessions of a drama queen

Being the star of a top-rating drama series is no piece of cake. Your tear ducts are overworked, you are constantly threatened by kontrabidas who have all the fun, and you're beaten to a pulp on a daily basis! Sunshine Dizon spills her (mis)adventures as Sara Impostora, and what she had to go through to give us a teleserye that was worth our watch. Text by Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Interviewed with Jessa Ericka C. Bien. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. Toilet trouble! Who could forget that scene where Shine's face was fully submerged in a toilet bowl by Doña Anatella (Chanda Romero)? Many of us thought, 'Did she actually do that?' She did! "Ako lang 'yun! Pero may daya 'yun!" says the 24-year old actress. "'Yung pinaka toilet bowl - una, dinis-infect muna namin 'yun. Nilinis, binuhusan ng alcohol, nililiyaban pa nga para malinis siya. Then may maliit na batya sa loob. Clean water 'yun. 'Yun 'yung nasa mukha ko. Better than the (toilet bowl) water right? Si Tita Chanda, hinahawakan lang niya ako (kunwari), pero ako lahat (ang gumagalaw). Kasi hindi pwedeng fino-force mo akong ganoon - masama sa likod ko. So ako lang. Tantiyado ko. Kasi pag na-force down niya ako, may chance na (maapektuhan) likod ko." Back Attack In a previous iGMA interview , Shine mentioned that her back problem is called a "disc bulge," or "herniated disc." She explained, "One wrong move, and it could turn into a slipped disc. Actually they call it a 'herniated disc.' My discs are not like the normal discs already. Let's just put it like it's brittle. What they explained to me is it's like an egg, and the yolk is bulging, so naiipit na 'yung mga nerves." But due to the rigors of taping, Shine cannot help but make some sacrifices at the expense of her back problem. "Actually, may one taping talaga na hindi na ako makagalaw," she reveals. "We just had to finish everything. Pag may mga struggle-struggle, ganyan, parati kong sinasabi sa stunt director, or kung sino man, na I cannot do 'yung biglang tutumba, or magbe-bend ng back - anything that will aggravate my back condition, I cannot do that. But then, I find ways naman to do it na cinematically nakakatakot, or realistic. Nailulusot ko naman, and I'm thankful din (for) my co-actors. Alam nila na may deperensya ako sa likod, (at maingat sila)." There were instances, however, where Shine pushed herself too far. "Sa isang taping namin, 'yung kinidnap ako ni Lara ( Iza Calzado ) tapos pinasok sa sasakyan, hanggang sa napunta 'yung eksena sa ospital - 'yung nasa ilalim ng kama (si Sara), tapos nandoon si Vanessa. Sobrang lamig ng sahig sa OsMak - Ospital ng Makati. Kasi marble 'yun, walang latag. And it was really late in the morning, parang hindi ko na lang iniinda na malamig, pero I know na masama na sa likod ko 'yun. Tapos under the bed, hindi ka pa pwede na normal na aangat, dahil pag tinamaan ko 'yung kama, uulitin namin ('yung eksena), dahil naka-lock frame, so kailangan hindi magalaw 'yung kama, 'yung tela; lahat hindi mo pwedeng galawin!" She continues, "Doon na nag-start 'yun, na-aggravate na nang na-aggravate. 'Yung scene namin sa bodega, wala - wala na akong kwentang tao! Nakakapangiyak. Tatayo ako, maglalakad ako, (pero) hindi kaya talaga! Hindi lang alam ng tao, pero pag pinanood mo, 'yung iyak ko (doon), totoo na! Kasi masakit na likod ko." When Shine's back gets too unbearable, she resorts to her good old pain relievers -- but at a price. "Minsan, bangag na bangag na ako, bumabagsak na ulo ko! Sa sobrang sakit ng likod ko, I had to drink so much pain medication. Buma-black out ako! Pero syempre, didilat ka pa rin, dahil hindi pa nagpa-pack up (sa set), titiisin mo (talaga)." Coffin Trauma After all of her "inaapi" scenes, what posed the biggest challenge for this star? She didn't have to think too long. It was the coffin scene. "I guess everyone's afraid of that," Shine explains. "Just the thought that you're inside a coffin, parang freaky. But then, noong una kasi, we shot muna 'yung puro ako inside. Mock up 'yun, butas sa gilid, kasi doon 'yung camera. Noon una, sigaw ako nang sigaw. Weird ako pag kinakabahan, e. Naiihi ako, nasusuka ako, na parang napupu-poo ako! Parang kiti-kiti - natatawa, nagtitili!" It was when Madame Betty (Jean Garcia) forced Sara into the coffin in an attempt to "bury her alive" that Shine gave in. "Iba 'yung iyak ko doon - hindi ako umaarte. 'Yung sigaw ko doon, totoo. Ang nasa utak ko, sinisigaw ko, nanay ko! Kasi pagka-cut, hindi ko sila nakita. Seconds lang naman akong nasarahan, pero feeling ko, parang ang tagal-tagal ko sa loob! Tapos nanginginig daw ako. Naririnig ko boses nila, parang 'Tubig, tubig!' Parang blurred na lahat, mahihimatay ako na hindi ko maintindihan, at saka lumalaban na katawan ko. Tapos sabi ko, 'Please, 'wag niyong isasara na nasa loob ako, mamatay ako! Baka inatake na ako or something! E kailangan. Pero ganoon talaga." After the scene was finished, Shine couldn't help it and just vomited - with her lapel still on! Naturally, everyone heard! She imparts that ever since her Anna Karen Nina (1996) days on GMA, her body has dealt with emotionally draining scenes by throwing up. "Pero I got the hang of it, nako-control ko na siya. Bihira na lang bumabalik - pag talagang grabe. Pag hindi ko kasi siya nilabas, buong gabi, parang wala na akong kwentang tao noon! 'Yun, first time ulit sa tinagal-tagal. Huli kong sumuka yata, Bakekang pa, e. Pero isang beses lang. Ito, isang beses lang. Pero rinig ng lahat kasi naka-lapel ako! Lahat sila, 'Ano 'yan, bakit siya sumusuka?'" If that experience wasn't enough, there was also a scene where Nicholas (Mark Anthony Fernandez ) had to recover her body from inside the coffin. It being a rain sequence didn't make things easier for Shine, because she had to lie still while the muddy cemetery water flooded her coffin! "Di ba may mga foam-foam 'yun? Puno ng tubig sa loob! Di ba kailangan nakahiga ako nang flat na ganyan? I don't know kung paano ako nakahiga in such a way na 'yung pwet ko, nakaangat! Ayokong ma-soak 'yung butt ko and alam mo na! Putik 'yun e! Lupa 'yan, e! Pagka-cut na pagka-cut, tili talaga ako nang tili -- feeling mo may bulati na sa pwet mo! Hahahaha! Promise! Sinasabi ko sa'yo! Sa Himlayang Pilipino (Cemetery) (ginawa 'yung eksena." She reveals that she actually had her period during that taping day, which greatly contributed to her discomfort - and paranoia that she might get an infection. "After ko mag-shampoo nang dalawang beses, 'yung lactacid yata, naubos ko mga isang bote! Haha! Just to make sure lang na hindi ka magkaka-infection! Pag lalaki, at least, butas nila, maliit lang, e tayo, iba! E ma-soak ka sa tubig na may lupa! My God! Hindi mo alam kung ano papasok sayo! Bulate! Eeeew!" She had the longest bath of her life when she got home. "Mga five times akong naligo! Pagkatapos kong maligo, may araw na. Nakauwi ako ng 3a.m., pagkatapos kong maligo, 9a.m. na!" She also used the old wives' method of disinfecting by mixing one part vinegar with water. "Alam mo sa sobrang praning ko, ginawa ko 'yun. Just to make sure na disinfected siya or what! Promise! First time kong ginawa. I didn't want to take chances. Sobra! Buti sana kung 'clean dirt' 'yun - e sementeryo 'yun, e!" After everything she went through, Shine could only say out loud, 'Paano ko nakayanan yun?'" Well, that's the true mark of a drama queen, Shine! You've survived all your misadventures - in spite of a serious back problem! We're proud of you! TRIVIA! Did you know that Shine is signed a "GMA Network Guaranteed Contract?" She explains, "Ito lang kasi, parang official. Before, I was Network managed, that's why I wasn't allowed to guest in other shows outside. But then I think this time around, it guarantees me projects for a time period. So whether they make a project or not, they'd have to pay me. So it's a good deal for me." Excited na ba kayo sa future projects ni Shine? What do you think about her misadventures as Sara? Talk about it in the iGMA Forum! Feel the Fun with Shine through Fanatxt! Text SUNSHINE to 4627 now! (Each Fanatxt message costs P2.50 for GLOBE, SMART, and TALK N TEXT, and it costs P2.00 for SUN subscribers)