Dina Bonnevie has been in the showbiz industry for thirty-eight years.

He was launched in the Regal movies  Temptation Island, Underage , and  Katorse in 1980.

That’s why many young stars ask him about his staying power, because many artists rise to fame but don’t last long.

Miss D’s eyebrows rose.

He stated, “That’s what I’m saying, to last long in the industry, number one, you have to love what you do.

“You have to really appreciate that gift, treasure it, keep it, and talagang ano… be professional.

“Because, if you’re not famous yet, if you act like you’re the queen of the entire taping, just wait…

“Sometimes, you hear, ‘Why are my clothes, nya-nya-nya?’ We don’t do that…”

Dina was interviewed by PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) on April 18, Wednesday, at The Frazzled Cook, Sct. Gandia St., Quezon City.

Dina has “met” a young star with an attitude, but not in the teleserye she is currently in on ABS-CBN, The  Blood Sisters .

Looking back, the 57-year-old actress said, “I really… I gave her hell.

“Talagang sinabihan ko siya, ‘Who do you think you are? Are you famous? Who are you? What name have you made? Have you carved your name in stone in showbiz? Your call is at 9 o’clock and you come down from your van at 12 o’clock na naka-pajama? Really?’

“I told him, ‘The person who insults me hasn’t even been born yet. If you want to continue taping this soap like this, do it yourself.’

“Well, my leading man was like, ‘Yeah, tell her! It’s so bad! It’s so bad!’”

But Dina refused to name who she was referring to.

“I won’t name names, but really…”

Is it popular?

“Not now,” he replied softly.

“I don’t think so. She was just there… She didn’t really like… make it like… big.

“What, what, attitude, what!

“It’s like… it’s terrible, huh, you feel like you’re the queen here, that’s all.

“But all of us, because we were senior stars back then, he really always made us wait.”

“He’ll leave at lunch time, he’ll be back, it’s three o’clock.”

“I said, ‘Hello?’ Then, we, we waited and waited.

“Until my leading man said, ‘Tell her now, Miss D! Come on, you know! Let’s not allow her to be like that.’ I’m so tired.

“As soon as he arrived, he said to me, ‘Where are you going, Auntie?’

“Sabi ko, ‘We’re going to leave. What did you think, we were born to wait for you? Excuse me, who do you think you are?’

“Sabi ko, ‘Are you somebody? Excuse me. You haven’t made a mark. Have you proven yourself at least in acting? You can’t even cry.’

“He said he would report me to his mother.”

“I said, ‘Okay, let’s go here. Your mother and I are going to have a showdown here.’

“Well, with her acting chops, she was even outdone by a supporting actress on that soap!”

DINA AS A MENTOR

Dina said it’s okay to be a mentor to new artists.

He said, “For example, Maja [Salvador] was very young back then, when we did  May Bukas Pa  [2009], Maja was very young then, e.g.

“I think Maja was only 15 or 16, she didn’t know how to cry yet.”

“’Then, I taught her, how to cry, like that. Just imagine yourself putting a pair of shoes on.

“And the name of those shoes is your character.

“So, when you put on those shoes, how does your character feel at that moment, that’s how it is.

“’Then, after cutting, take off your shoes again, like that,”

The veteran actress continued, “And now, look at her, right?

“But those who don’t ask [for advice] are just fools.”

“Sometimes nga, they don’t even give you respect.

“It’s like… Ogie Diaz said, ‘Maybe there should be a seminar for millennials so they can get to know the pillars of the industry.’

“Am I a pillar? It doesn’t seem like it! It’s Lolit Solis!” Dina said regarding the talent manager who was also present at the intimate chat.

Ogie, Liza Soberano’s talent manager, is Dina’s co-star in the teleserye  The Blood Sisters .

“He [Ogie] said, ‘They should be respectful!’

“But you know, you can’t blame them.

“Well, maybe they were born, it’s not our time.”

“Like, I mean, our time was the ’80s and ’90s, right? The others, they were born, what, late…”

DINA’S FOUR Gs

Dina sighed deeply, “But I think, after our first press conference for  Blood Sisters , the kids got a little serious.

“Because before, oh my, it was always Facebook, always texting, phone after phone. Then, you memorize dialogue when you’re blocking.

“Well, I said that at the press conference that you have to have the four Gs, right?”

“First, you were given a Gift. You have to be thankful for the gift of acting.

“You have to be able to Give.

“Because, even if you’re a good actor, if the scene with him is just a little bit of a mess, you can’t give too much. Because, there’s no give and take.”

“And then, with the gift, you have to be Grateful for that.

“And by being grateful, di ba, you become responsible. You become professional.

“And then you have to give… and the last G was… your gift should be used to glorify God.

“So, it seems like when I said that, and then Cherry Pie [Picache] also said something, it seems like the young people on set got serious… they’re already studying…

“Because, when I say, ‘Do you know your lines?!’ (nods)

“Well, sometimes, right, you’re about to take a shot, and then suddenly… you’re reading a script.

“’Ah, okay, okay… you’ll just have to memorize it now.’ Okay. That’s how I am.

“Well, of course, it’s like… ah?! Next time, when it’s on the floor, go! You’ll know the dialogue right away.”

“You should, when it comes to set, rehearsal, drop the script.

“It’s not like when you get there, ‘Director, Director, what’s the line? Nya-nya-nya…’

“Oh, my! It’s so delicious to break a plate. We’re already up, are you still like that? Hellooooo!”

Did he lecture the young stars on set?

“Nothing like that,” Dina quickly replied.

“Maybe, just the first few tapings… After our press conference, Pie and I were surprised, ‘Bah, it seems like the kids did something,’ you know.

“It’s like when they know they’re next, they start getting ready. They’re reading the script.”

“While before, rehearsing, holding the phone, texting, browsing, that kind of thing.”

“I want to say, ‘Can you please drop your phone? That’ll be later.’

“But we didn’t have to say it. It’s like the press conference already did that.”

“’Then, Aunt Tessie [Tomas] also gave a sermon, so… it seemed like the teenagers behaved.

“And it was like we were suddenly… respected… by the entire barangay! Ha! Ha! Ha! After that.”

Among the younger stars included in the cast of  The Blood Sisters  are Erich Gonzales, Enchong Dee, Ejay Falcon, and AJ Muhlach.