A WOMAN'S GLORY

Off with the old. The incomparable Cherie Gil talks about her legacy, finding purpose in the great unknown and starting with a clean (shaven) slate

- MIA CASTRO

Perhaps we should start with the hair. Or rather, the lack of it on Cherie Gil’s iconic profile. Along with her arched brow and patrician nose, the long, raven tresses of one of Philippine cinema’s most recognizable actresses was one of her signature features. Those physical attributes, plus the sneering mother of all put-downs ever committed to celluloid, have made Cherie Gil the ultimate movie kontrabida and a force to be reckoned with in reel and real life.

But now it’s gone. Instead, we have a smooth, clean shave on a rather comely-shaped head. Without it, all the other features take on a different dimension. Now you can’t help but look at her face, her eyes in particular, and it’s an unnerving experience for the uninitiated.

Why did she cut her hair?

She’ll tell us all about it. But first, it starts with a journey. A new one.

LIFETIME PERFORMANCE