sb: La Oropesa savors the pleasures of a resurgent career
Balita News
THE LATE director Ishmael Bernal dared her to win a best actress
award on her first year in the movies. Elizabeth Oropesa exactly did
that at the Famas for the film ''Lumapit, Lumayo ang
Umaga.'' Bernal's challenge would later have a lasting influence
on Oropesa's development as an actress. Oro, as she is fondly called,
would often be nominated in acting derbies.
''Bernal was my nanay. He made me watch the rushes and films
of veteran actors. He gave me acting tips. He noticed that I
moved my head and eyebrows a lot so he said, 'You better
correct that,''' she recalls.
For a long while, though, Elizabeth never duplicated her maiden
feat. But in this year's Urian, she and Maricel Laxa were declared
co-winners in the best supporting actress category. She won in
''Milagros'' directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya.
That she had to share an acting plume with another actor does
not bother her at all, for at one time, she also had to share a
more important part of her life, a husband, three other women!
She is referring to her fabled romance with Chinese action
superstar, Meng Fei.
Whirlwind romance
Elizabeth was at the height of her career when caught in the
excitement of the whirlwind romance. She was doing four
movies at the same time, and success went to her head. She
thought she was the star, therefore, indispensable. She kept
everybody in the production waiting as she arrived late for
shooting. Her manager, Ethel Ramos, got her back to her senses.
And change she did, but it was too late. A new trend had
evolved: bold films had become bolder.
''Dati ang babae, pinapakitang naglalaba o naliligo sa ilog,
basa ang damit ay maaaninag na walang bra. But later, the
male and female actors were made to do bed scenes in the raw,''
she says.
Ardent suitor
She had to turn down a lot of offers, and was unhappy. Enter
the ardent suitor, Meng Fei. Thus, the love-stricken Elizabeth
left the crew in the middle of a shoot. The duo eloped to Taiwan.
But her mother went after them.
''Na-pulis-pulis ako hanggang Taiwan. When I returned here,
nagkahiwalay na kami,'' she says.
Eleven years later, in 1985, Meng Fei returned to the country to
offer her marriage. That time, she had nothing left for a career.
He promised to take care of her family (she married at 16 and had
three children when widowed at 21), so she said yes. It was
some kind of a ''business'' decision.
''Eleven years had passed and I was not deeply in love with him
anymore. But his offer was very good. Just think of it, here was
a man offering to take care of your family financially, and who
was only four years older and good-looking, you don't have a
job and a boyfriend--aba, bakit hindi?'' Still, her mother did not
like him.
The union bore them a son. Seven years later, as Elizabeth was
visiting Manila, Charo Santos offered her a show on Channel 2.
The pay was good, but Meng Fei felt bad about her return to
show biz. When she returned to Taiwan, she discovered her
husband had another woman.
Divorce
''He already had two other wives aside from me. There, the man
is allowed to have four to five wives. But I was the original, the
'queen.' In our contract, the man is not allowed to bed other
women in our conjugal home because each wife has her own
house. So when I found out, I said, 'Okay, do you want a
divorce?' He said, 'It's up to you,' which meant yes--you see, a
Chinese man will never say yes. So, nag-divorce kami.''
She could have been entitled to a part of Meng Fei's fabulous
wealth had she left their son with him, in accordance with the
law in Taiwan. But, unlike her decision to marry the wealthy
Chinese actor, Elizabeth chose not to be practical this time.
''My children are my priority, not money. I would rather start
from scratch than leave my son with him. Anyway, he is Meng
Fei's firstborn and at age 21, his father's sole heir,'' she says
confidently.
Elizabeth is now married to a 28-year-old probinsiyano, who is
tending their piggery business in Batangas. Is she happy at
last?
''Yeah, e di kasi. Nobody is perfectly happy.''
Frustrations
Still, she has her share of frustrations. She had wanted to
become a pilot. She used to be a professional skydiver, ''the next
best thing.'' ''But my vision is no longer 20-20,'' she says, with a
far-away look in her eyes. The same big, brown eyes suddenly
lights up with joy as she waves to a group of familiar faces.
Curiously, her special interest in activities traditionally identified
with men has led some people to doubt her sexuality.
''A lesbian? Of course not! But I admire beautiful women. If a
woman with a beautiful pair of legs walks across the street, I'd
probably stare at her. I'm like that, appreciative,'' she says.
How would she describe herself?
''I am not an out-and-out liberated woman. I'm not for abortion. I
was never a querida. Before, I did not wear a bra, but after
having four children, I have to wear one.''
What does she do when depressed? ''I eat a half gallon of ice
cream in one sitting. Which goes to show that I am seldom
depressed because I have a nice body,'' she quips, showing off
her whistle-bait figure.
Father's role
Asked to describe her relationship with her children, she says:
''I'm very lucky with my children. We're close. Maybe my being
tough or masculine in some ways has helped. Kasi, nang wala
na silang tatay, I also had to assume the father's role. I taught
them how to whistle and to go fishing. It wasn't difficult
because, even at age 13, I was already the head of the family. I
learned to change the car's tires. My father died early.''
Her way of disciplining her children bears some semblance to
the military. Not surprisingly, since her uncles were in the army
and the navy.
''Nanununtok ako ng anak. If you do not come home on time, I
won't sleep, I'll wait for you,'' she says. ''Pag kumakain, they do
not rely on the maid to put their plates in the kitchen sink. I give
each one of them a chore. And we pray the rosary nightly,'' she
beams.
What are her expectations this time? ''I will still be serious with
my craft. I remember that my nanay (Ishmael Bernal) went to my
first taping at Channel 2 after my divorce. He reminded me that I
should know what to do with my career this time. Otherwise, I
should not return to show biz at all!'' she laughs, her big,
beautiful eyes suddenly misting over.