Evangeline Rose Gil Eigenmann (; June 21, 1963 – August 5, 2022), known professionally as Cherie Gil, was a Filipino actress. With a career spanning nearly 50 years, she was dubbed the "''La Primera Contravida''" ("The Prime Villain") for her acting prowess which landed her numerous antagonistic roles on film, television, and even on stage. Gil was a

FAMAS Award The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards (also known as the FAMAS Awards) are the annual honors given by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS), an organization composed of award-winning writers and movie columni ...

winner, a recipient of

Ani ng Dangal Ani ng Dangal or "Harvest of Honors" is an organizational award given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, an agency under the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. It is an annual event in the Philippines cel ...

by the

National Commission for Culture and the Arts The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyon para sa Kultura at mga Sining, ceb, Nasodnong Komisyon alang sa Budaya ug mga Arte) is the official government agency for culture in the Philippines. ...

and a

Hall of Famer A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

at the

Metro Manila Film Festival The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival held in Metro Manila, Philippines. The festival, which runs from December 25 (Christmas) through New Year's Day and into first weekend of January in the following year, focuses on ...

in the Best Supporting Actress category. In 2015, she won the Best Actress trophy at the ASEAN International Film Awards. The same year, she also won the Best Lead Actress in a Foreign Language Film at the 2015 Madrid International Film Festival. In 2019, she was awarded the Best Supporting Actress at the

42nd Gawad Urian Awards The 42nd Gawad Urian Awards ( tl, Ika-42 na Gawad Urian) was held on June 18, 2019 at the UPFI Film Center at the University of the Philippines. The best Philippine films for the year 2018 were honored in the event. Nominations were announced on ...

for her portrayal of the character Patricia Medina in the feature film ''

Citizen Jake ''Citizen Jake'' is a 2018 Philippine noir crime drama film which featured Atom Araullo directed by Mike de Leon. Plot When journalist Jake Herrera (real life journalist Atom Araullo, in his film debut) investigates the murder of a student, ...

''. She began her career as a child actress at the age of 9, and was best known for her role as Lavinia Arguelles in ''

Bituing Walang Ningning ''Bituing Walang Ningning'' () is a 2006 musical television drama series that aired on ABS-CBN from May 15 to September 29, 2006, replacing ''Gulong ng Palad''. For most of its run, the soap opera was the network's highest rated show in prime t ...

'' (1985) where she uttered the iconic line ''"You're nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!"'' to Dorina Pineda,

Sharon Cuneta Sharon Gamboa Cuneta-Pangilinan ( , ; born January 6, 1966) is a Filipino actress, singer, television host, and socialite. Regarded as one of the most successful and highest-earning individuals in the Philippine entertainment industry, she has ...

's character.

Early life

Cherie Gil was born on June 21, 1963 as Evangeline Rose Gil Eigenmann to a family of actors. Her parents were

Eddie Mesa Eduardo de Mesa Eigenmann (; born February 18, 1940), better known by his stage name Eddie Mesa (), is a Filipino retired actor and singer. He was discovered by talent agents when he sang a Sammy Davis song. Afterwards he changed his surname to ...

and

Rosemarie Gil Maria Rosa Francisca Catalina Gil-Eigenmann y Castellvi (; born March 9, 1942), also known professionally as Rosemarie Gil, is a Filipino actress and singer. She is best known for her portrayal of rich socialite-villainess roles. Early life Gil ...

. She had two brothers,

Michael de Mesa Michael Edward Gil Eigenmann (; born May 24, 1960), better known by his screen name Michael de Mesa (), is a Filipino film and television actor, and director. Early life Born as Michael Edward Gil Eigenmann to performer Eddie Mesa and actress ...

and

Mark Gil Raphael John "Ralph" Gil Eigenmann (25 September 1961 – 1 September 2014), better known by his screen name Mark Gil, was a Filipino actor. Gil was often cast as a main villain in Philippine action films that was popular during the late 80s t ...

(1961–2014), both actors, and a half-sister, Elaine Eigenmann.

Career

Gil started in showbiz at an early age being the daughter of celebrities and sibling of equally-talented actors. She was cast either as a daughter or part of a circle of friends of the lead actor. However, she was given a lead star status in ''Bubot na Bayabas'' in 1978 opposite another newbie, Ronald Bregendahl (Rita Gomez and Ric Rodrigo's son). The movie was a forgettable release. But in 1979, film matriarch

Lily Monteverde Lily Yu Monteverde, nicknamed Mother Lily (born August 19, 1938), is a Filipina film producer and businesswoman. She is the first and many Filipina Movie producers who produced the boom of blockbuster films in different genres in the 70s and 80 ...

re-launched her via ''Problem Child'' with the then-current teen sensation, Lloyd Samartino. The movie fared mildly, and she was continually cast by

Regal Films Regal Entertainment, Inc. (formerly and more commonly known as Regal Films) is a Philippine film production company based in Pasig. It was founded by Lily Monteverde on August 19, 1962. It has produced movies of all genres; and is the oldest s ...

in films such as ''City After Dark'', ''Salawahan'', ''Ito Ba Ang Ating Mga Anak'' and ''Sugar Daddy''. She went freelance with assignments like "Beach House", "Ang Bouncer at ang Dancer", "Dancing Master", "Girlfriend" among others. In 1982, Gil portrayed a naïve lass affected by

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Bacolod Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; hil, Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Bacolod; fil, Lungsod ng Bacolod), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidenta ...

in the now classic film ''

Oro, Plata, Mata ''Oro, Plata, Mata'' ( es, Gold, Silver, Death) is a 1982 Philippine historical war drama film directed by Peque Gallaga, from a story by Peque Gallaga, Mario Taguiwalo, and Conchita Castillo and screenplay by José Javier Reyes. The film is cons ...

''. She tried singing and had another mild hit, ''"I Love You, Boy"''. On TV, she was one of the co-hosts of

German Moreno German Molina Moreno (; October 4, 1933 – January 8, 2016), also known as Kuya Germs ( or ) and dubbed as "The Master Showman", was a Filipino television host, presenter, actor, comedian, talent manager, producer, writer, and director. Early ...

in '' Germspesyal'' from 1979 to 1981. Gil became a mainstay of ''Champoy'' with

Subas Herrero Ricardo Wright Herrero (April 3, 1943 – March 14, 2013), better known by his stage name Subas Herrero, was a Filipino actor, comedian and singer. Early life Subas Herrero was born on April 3, 1943 as Ricardo Wright Herrero in Manila. Career ...

and Noel Trinidad from 1981 to 1986. Gil resurfaced as a villain in 1985 via

Viva Films Viva Films is a Philippine film production company established under Viva Communications. It was founded on November 11, 1981, by Vic del Rosario Jr. History Veering away from the Sharon Cuneta-Gabby Concepcion tandem, Viva became home to qual ...

' ''

'', providing the lead actress

formidable support in the role of Lavinia Arguelles, a famous but insecure singer. From this movie, she became famous for her iconic line, "You're nothing but a second rate, trying hard copycat!" This favorable reception consequently opened her for classy and sultry villainess roles, throughout the 1980s until the present. She appeared in a number of hit

teleserye Philippine television drama, also known as ''teleserye'', Filipino telenovelas or P-drama, is a form of melodramatic, serialized, televised fiction in the Philippines. ''Teleserye'' is derived from two Filipino words: "tele", short for "''telebi ...

s and primetime shows on

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast broadcast network, network tha ...

and

GMA Network GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network (f ...

. Starred in numerous films, TV and has performed in theatre for play such as Master Class playing Maria Callas (PETA) Arbol de Fuego, an adaptation of

Anton Chekov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

's ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...

'' and Full Gallop as Diana Vreeland, bestowing her the Best Actress award for her one-woman portrayal in 2014. In 2000–2001, she starred in her first soap ''May Bukas Pa'' that aired on

PTV-4 DWGT-TV, Channel 4 (analog) and channel 14 (digital), is a non-commercial flagship station of Philippine-government owned television network People's Television Network. Its head office, studios and analog-digital transmitter are located at Br ...

as part of Viva Entertainment TVs block timer and in 2002–2003 on ABS-CBN's ''

Bituin ''Bituin'' (International title: ''Star'') is a 2002 musical Philippine soap opera that was aired by ABS-CBN from September 23, 2002 to May 23, 2003 replacing ''Pangako Sa 'Yo'' and was replaced by ''Basta't Kasama Kita''. It starred Carol Banawa ...

'', where she resumed her vocal talents and in 2004 TV series, ''

Marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships o ...

''. In 2006, she took on the role as Menang Medel in the hit TV remake of ''

Gulong Ng Palad ''Gulong ng Palad'' (International title: ''Stand for Love'' / ) is a Philippine radio drama series (1949-1956), which first aired by DZRH and soap opera hit from 1977 up to 1985 (originally aired by BBC-2, then formerly City 2 Television from 19 ...

''. In 2010 she was chosen to star in the fantasy series ''

Grazilda ''Grazilda'' is a Philippine television drama fantasy romance series broadcast by GMA Network. The series is a loose adaptation on Drizella, the stepsister of Cinderella. Directed by Dominic Zapata, it stars Glaiza de Castro in the title role. ...

'' for GMA Network. In early 2011, she joined the cast of the comedy fantasy series, ''

Magic Palayok ''Magic Palayok'' (International title: ''Magic Pot'') is a 2011 Philippine television drama fantasy comedy series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Joel Lamangan, it stars Geoff Eigenmann, Carla Abellana and Angeli Nicole Sanoy. It premiere ...

'' co-starred by

Carla Abellana Carla Angeline Reyes Abellana (; born June 12, 1986) is a Filipino actress and model who played the lead role in the Philippine adaptation of the Mexican telenovela '' Rosalinda'' in 2009. She is also known for her lead role in '' Sine Novela: ...

, and

Geoff Eigenmann Geoffrey Michael Alatiit Eigenmann (; born March 23, 1985), better known by his screen name Geoff Eigenmann, is a Filipino actor, host and model notable for his performances in television; he is a member of the Eigenmann family of actors a ...

. The series did not get picked up for a second season after the season 1 finale which is composed of 88 episodes. The

cast her in another television show, '' Time of My Life''. Gil was part of 83 awardees of the

award by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), represented the cinema category on February 29, 2016. This, for simultaneously winning the Best Actress award at The ASEAN Film Festival for her role in Sonata and Best Actress in a foreign film at The Madrid Film festival for her portrayal in MANA, both in the same year. Her last acting role would be in the

2021 television series ''

Legal Wives ''Legal Wives'' is a 2021 Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Zig Dulay, it stars Dennis Trillo, Alice Dixson, Andrea Torres and Bianca Umali. It premiered on July 26, 2021 on the network's Telebabad ...

''. In May 2021, she announced that she had left her role in an unspecified television series, lamenting on how her efforts were not "seen and met in the same light".

Later life and death

In October 2021, Gil was diagnosed with a "rare" form of

endometrial cancer Endometrial cancer is a cancer that arises from the endometrium (the lining of the uterus or womb). It is the result of the abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. The first sign is most o ...

, and she chose to conceal information on her illness to the public. Gil's showbiz career ended in February 2022 when she moved to the United States to be with her children and prioritize her own "mental, emotional, ndspiritual states". She also shaved her head to symbolize her own "personal growth". Gil died on August 5, 2022, at 4:48 a.m. EDT (4:48 p.m. PHT) from her cancer in New York City. Prior to her death, she had been receiving treatment at the

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK or MSKCC) is a cancer treatment and research institution in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital. MSKCC is one of 52 National Cancer Institute– ...

in New York.

Personal life

She was married to Rony Rogoff, an Israeli violinist; the couple had a daughter and a son. Their relationship ended in 2008 after 20 years of marriage. She also had another son, her eldest, from a previous relationship with actor

Leo Martinez Leo Martinez (born March 7, 1950) is a Filipino actor, comedian and director. Martinez was the Director General of the Film Academy of the Philippines before Vivian Velez' appointment. Personal life He is married to Gina Valenciano (sister of Ga ...

. Shortly after their separation, Gil's two children with Rogoff would be under their father's custody in Israel while Gil's eldest son would remain with her in the Philippines. All three children would eventually reside in the United States. Gil reportedly reconciled with ex-husband Rogoff in 2021 with both deciding to be "companions" to each other.

Filmography

Television

Film

Theatre

Awards and nominations

References

External links

*
"Tomorrow is Always a Day Away"
''Manila Standard''; accessed September 4, 2014.
"Truth and beauty in ‘Master Class’"
The Philippine Inquirer; accessed September 4, 2014.

The Philippine Inquirer; accessed September 4, 2014.

Philippine Headline News; accessed September 4, 2014.

Philippine Headline News; accessed September 4, 2014.
"Nescafé Gold Spot Awards: Seeking the top culinary destinations" – Philippine Star

SunStar.com; accessed September 4, 2014. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gil, Cherie 1963 births 2022 deaths Actresses from Manila

Cherie Cherie is an English female given name. It comes from the French ''chérie'', meaning ''darling'' (from the past participle of the verb ''chérir'', ''to cherish''). Notable people with the name or stage name include: * Cherie, one of the stage ...

Filipino expatriates in the United States Filipino film actresses Filipino stage actresses Filipino people of Kapampangan descent Filipino people of German descent Filipino people of Spanish descent Filipino people of Swiss descent Filipino television actresses Filipino women comedians ABS-CBN personalities GMA Network personalities People of Swiss-German descent Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Deaths from endometrial cancer