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Those who grew up in the ‘90s or who have been watching ABS-CBN television shows and films since that decade have surely witnessed Shaina Magdayao grow and bloom from being an adorable and talented child star to becoming a versatile and seasoned actress, not to mention being hailed as the “Empress of Drama.”
And from being that young star who had charmed us in onscreen appearances, she has gone on to impress us with her portrayal of mature roles, such as her character in the primetime series “Sins of the Father,” Atty. Leah Rivera.
Believe it or not, she has been in the industry for almost 30 years now, as she began in the mid-1990s. It all started when her family moved to Manila from Cebu to support the then-blossoming career of her older sister, Sharon Magdayao, more popularly known by her screen name Vina Morales. She recalled that she was only 10 months old when she first got exposed to the spotlight, as their parents used to bring her on the set of the project where her Ate Vina was a part of.
Unlike others who have to undergo a rigorous multi-step process before being officially launched as artists, Shaina confessed that she actually did not go through any auditions and workshops. That made her firmly believe that she is really chosen by the industry, and this is indeed her destiny since she “didn’t have to actively pursue it.”
“Tao Po” correspondent and ABS-CBN News reporter Anjo Bagaoisan gauged the sharpness of her memory by quizzing her about some of the characters that she had portrayed over the years.
He started off with Carina from the 2000 family drama flick “Tanging Yaman,” which, according to Shaina, she would never forget since it was her first time learning how to pray the rosary through the guidance of her co-star, late veteran actress Gloria Romero, who taught her how to. At a young age, she recalled not having any tinge of awareness that she was very fortunate to have worked alongside the ‘greats’ of this industry.
Another character of hers that she would definitely not forget is Severina Montecillo from “Ang Tanging Ina,” as she revealed that the cast actually continues to keep in touch with each other up to this day through a group chat.
Next was Maribel Dela Fuente from the 2010 Philippine adaptation of the Mexican telenovela “Rubi,” in which she got to work with the late primera kontrabida Cherie Gil, who played as her mother. “I didn’t really have a hard time because comfort zone ko ang drama,” Shaina related. “Although, I think ‘yan ang isa sa efforts ng management to help me portray more mature roles.”
She went on to share her habit of scrupulously studying every role given to her, most especially those roles that are based on real-life personalities and that leave valuable lessons for audiences. One of those is the character she played in the “Tubig” episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” which first aired in 2019.
The seasoned actress considers “Sarah” the most difficult character that she has ever done, since she was an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia who was raped five times by five different men.
“Growing up, nagpo-portray na talaga ako ng overseas Filipino workers. And growing up, na-expose ako sa buhay nila, sa struggles nila, sa mga pinagdaanan nila. Mahal na mahal ko ‘yong character, pati siya when I met her. I have so much respect for her. Siyempre, napakasakit na she had to go through that,” she conveyed.
Shaina may be used to portraying a variety of characters throughout her career or to changing her colors like a chameleon, but there are some who have stuck by her until present—just like the ones mentioned above.
When asked if she was ever able to bid farewell to her past characters, she imparted that she actually practices her personal ritual of “pagpag,” or shaking off the character in order to make space for a new one. She needs to do it, or else she will “overheat,” just like what happens to machines once they get overloaded. Yet, she will surely remember those characters.
The “Sins of the Father” actress then went on to reminisce about the time when she decided to temporarily shy away from the spotlight to take a break.
“Parang no’ng time na ‘yon, I was 20-something. So, parang ‘yong [personal] concerns ko—let’s say, building a name, getting recognition, owning beautiful material things—lahat ‘yon na-take ko na at a very young age. So, hinanap ko ‘yong sarili ko, and then I also slowly built my real world, my normal life, and then I had that calling of service pa, [which] calls me to selfless pero ‘yong job calls me to be self-centered. So, nahirapan ako,” the actress shared.
After five years, ABS-CBN COO Cory V. Vidanes then spoke with her to advise her that she can actually serve through her job. Besides, she also gained the realization that everything she has experienced in life and in her career has helped her develop a profound sense of respect towards herself, her job, and the people around her.
Moreover, getting into the shoes of a new character never fails to excite her, not because of the fame that it may give her, but also because of the new experiences and learnings that she can get from it. She may have been in showbiz for almost three decades now, not to mention reaping recognition and accolades for some of her acting performances, yet she has never lost her enthusiasm to learn.
“Hindi ko ever naisip na ang galing ko. Parang there’s always so much to learn, so much to improve—and that’s what keeps me going. Sana hindi siya ever mawala. Siyempre, ‘di ba, the moment you stop learning, parang that’s the moment that you’re going to be stagnant and slowly fail, I guess.”
From being a child star who used to be guided by her veteran and seasoned colleagues, Shaina is now among the stars whom the younger generation of stars consider as their “ate” or mentor in the industry. And if there’s one important thing that she would like rising and promising artists to always keep in mind, it is none other than for them to never forget or lose themselves along the way.
“Kung sino sila, ‘yan ang hindi nila pwedeng kalimutan kasi ‘yan ‘yong anchor nila. And also, I always tell the younger generation na I will always honor ‘yong talents na nakapaligid sa akin, like we are all talented; I have my own set of skills, [and] you have your own. But for you to last in this industry, dapat marunong kang makisama,” she stated.
Then she continued, “Because no matter how talented you are, if mahirap kang katrabaho, hindi ka magtatagal sa industriyang ito. It’s a miracle that I am still here, and I guess I’m still here kasi marami pa siyang pinagagawa sa akin.”
But amidst the fame, fortune, and opportunities that she has been relishing in life, Shaina revealed that she is the most grateful to her family, who always remind her where she came from. She may be an actress or a celebrity in front of the camera, but as soon as she walks out of the set, she said that she will always be their child, sister, or aunt.
“My personal life is much bigger than my showbiz life. And that’s what keeps me sane,” she remarked.
Catch Shaina on “Sins of the Father” weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, TV5 and iWant.