In 2024, the comedy Becky & Badette, led by Eugene Domingo and Pokwang, had its European premiere at the Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Udine, Italy. Domingo appeared at the festival alongside director Jun Lana and the producers. FEFF has had its share of actors and Asian superstars gracing the premieres, but nothing prepared them for the audience anticipating Eugene Domingo. Filipinos from nearby regions made a trip to Udine just to see her and watch the film. The usual “We love you, Uge!” and requests for selfies hounded Domingo before and after Becky & Badette played (all the biggest laughs were from Pinoys). But it turned out that there were quite a few Italian fans of Uge as well. After all, she met her husband, Danilo Bottoni, at the same festival a few years prior.
If you weren’t counting, Eugene Domingo was in four movies in 2025: Lana’s period drama Sisa premiered at the 2025 Talinn Black Nights Film Festival; she was in the viral hit Kontrabida Academy on Netflix, the MMFF annulment drama Unmarry, which reunites her with her Here Comes the Bride co-star Angelica Panganiban, her reunion with Marlon Rivera, the director of the Ang Babae sa Septic Tank movies. On top of this, she’s also started a very active YouTube channel where she casually chats with friends, fellow icons, and co-actors, such as Ai-Ai delas Alas, Judy Ann Santos, Vice Ganda, and Mylene Dizon — all of whom she’s shared the screen with. On the side, she also lets us in on her life with her husband, “me time,” and even tennis training (“Kapag day off ko, talagang I make sure to play”).
This year, she’s gearing up for the theatrical edition of Ang Babae sa Septic Tank — which is officially Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 4: Oh Sh*t! It’s Live Sa Cheter! — where she’ll share the stage with Andoy Ranay, JC Santos, Mean Espinosa, and Melvin Lee, who are all playing exaggerated versions of themselves.
But this March, we’ll see her in the Philippine premiere of Sisa, where she’ll be part of an ensemble of character actors and emerging actresses. In the center of it all is Hilda Koronel, who we haven’t seen on the big screen since The Mistress in 2012. In Sisa, Domingo plays Delia, a grief-stricken mother who is deeply distrustful of American soldiers, while her daughter, Nena (Angelie Sanoy), is deeply enamored of one. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Domingo in a dramatic role: her award-winning turn in Lana’s Barber’s Tales, the somber martial law-set tale of a woman entangled in the communist insurgency. The role won Domingo the Best Actress Award at the 2013 Tokyo International Film Festival, plus a nomination at the 8th Asian Film Awards for the same category.
Domingo has already had a storied career, even her beginnings as an actress in an Ishmael Bernal movie, co-starring with Charo Santos, is already the stuff of legends. Name an iconic comedy film, and Domingo is probably in there: Ang Tanging Ina, Kimmy Dora, Petrang Kabayo, Zombadings, And the Breadwinner Is… She’s even played roles in some of primetime TV’s remarkable teleseryes. Who can forget her as the feisty Simang in Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan or the dejected Lorelei in Marina?
“Kasi minsan ang tendency when you reach a certain age, some people will think that they’re retiring age. Parang hindi na interesado sa mga things because ginawa mo na for so many years. But to me, it’s the opposite.”
But for Domingo, at this point in her career, she’s very excited about the prospect of setting out as a bona fide content creator in her own YouTube channel.
“I am more excited about the vlog,” she tells Rolling Stone Philippines. “Nag-e-expand na ako. Because at this point, I think — kasi I’m already three decades and more sa industry — I have a lot of things to say and to share. So parang mas excited ako to share, to ask, to invite guests, also to share with me or recollect funny stuff.”
You can tell how excited she is when she reunites with co-stars and friends. A table for two can turn into a whirlwind of memories. Sometimes, she gets carried away. Sometimes, she just marvels at the conversations. But she is always present, happy to host friends and future friends. Perhaps it’s why she’s excited to grow into vlogging: she’s sharing a part of herself that hasn’t been seen by her fans, while she’s setting out on her own as a creative. —Don Jaucian
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Nag-start kang mag-YouTube noong 2025.
Yes. January 27.
At my age, parang mas dun ako naaaliw, na-e-entertain. And also, undeniably, that is already the landscape. But hindi naman ibig sabihin na hindi na ako mag-a- artista. It’s just that the excitement is not as big as when you invite me to act. Kasi sa vlog and podcast, I also produce it so ‘yung creativity ko as a producer creativity ko as a producer, oh my god, buhay na buhay siya. At hindi siya job for me. Every day when I wake up or when I remember some things, I would always consider to include it in my vlog or podcast. And I think it helped me, even in my attitude and how I am entertained as well.
Kasi minsan ang tendency when you reach a certain age, some people will think that they’re retiring age. Parang hindi na interesado sa mga things because ginawa mo na for so many years. But to me, it’s the opposite. I am more excited to learn new things because I want to share them. Tapos, ang lawak pa ng na-ri-reach. So easy for people anywhere in the world to connect with you, to bond with you through my channel. So we have to accept. It’s really, it’s not the easiest way to reach people these days. Though may streaming, hindi na rin ‘yung una nilang gagawin e. It’s a different era now. I think people are not so convinced to go to the theater. Baka Pasko na lang or ganon. And I’m also guilty of that.
So Pasko ka na lang din nagsisine?
Hindi na nga rin lahat. Minsan pelikula ko lang or ‘yung may nagsabi sa akin na “maganda ‘to, panuorin mo.” Unike when we were younger, “Ano na ang mga napanuod mo?” “Napanuod ko na lahat.” Ganon ako noong bata ako. Tsaka every day I go to the movie house to watch.
Mura pa rin kasi noon e.
Mura tsaka that is the bonding among your barkada. Gusto mo, halimbawa, aside from reading books, escape din kasi to watch movies. And parang you’re brought to another period, another time, just like Sisa. ‘Pag napanood nila to, I think it’s worth going to the movie house. Para ma-appreciate mo the photography, the location, the design. Feeling ko pumupunta na lang ‘yung tao sa sine para makita nila kung ano pang ma-o-offer ng ganito kalaking screen. Kaya nga Avengers ‘yung pinupuntahan ‘di ba?
Tapos ‘yung projects mo nung 2025 are mostly with filmmakers that you’ve always worked with, like Marlon Rivera, Chris Martinez, Jun Lana. Kapag ba sila, automatic ba ‘yun na “yes” kapag ino-offeran ka? Or inaaral mo pa rin muna ‘yung role?
Lamang ‘yung “yes” agad kasi alam naman na nila kung ano na ‘yung nagawa ko for them. Hindi na namin uulitin kung ano ‘yung kailangan nila from me. Madali na nilang masasabi.
For example, Direk Marlon, [siya] kasi ang kasama ko sa Septic Tank, so, sasabihin lang niya, “I-TV Patrol mo ‘yan.” Alam ko na. “As is where is ka lang dito ha.” “Okay, direk.” “Oh, ito i-elevator mo ‘to.” Alam ko na. Kasi, for me, parang hindi na tayo mahihirapan pa to understand each other. So mabilis nating magagawa ang work. ‘Yun naman ‘yung advantage na kilala mo na ang mga director.
“Sa ‘kin kasi basta nag-thank you na ‘yung director kahit hindi ako manalo ng award, okay na ako.”
But, in the case of Unmarry, working with Direk Jeffrey Jeturian again is such a refreshing project for me. This is not our first project. Parang pangatlo na namin ni Direk Jeffrey. But after so many years, he was not so convinced that I could do the part in the way that he wanted me to do it. For so many years, napapanood niya ‘yung mga gawa ko. It’s parang all-out na comedy or over-the-top comedy.
So dito sa Unmarry — though excited kami pareho, kasi magkaibigan naman kami, even before — naramdaman ko ‘yung may fear siya na baka i-over the top ko. Pero hindi ko masabi sa kanya na “Naiintindihan kita. I know what you want. I know the kind of director you are. I know your direction. I know how you tell a story.” Pero syempre, you just let your director express and you cooperate with him. But I did not tell him na, “Direk, ‘wag kang magalala. Naiintindihan ko ang gusto mong mangyari.”
So, after namin magpelikula, sobrang nag-thank you siya. Sa ‘kin kasi basta nag-thank you na ‘yung director kahit hindi ako manalo ng award, okay na ako. Hindi ako masyadong attached sa trophy e, sa mga best actress. It’s very good, it’s a bonus, it’s a recognition. But to me, when a director says “thank you,” para na akong nanalo.
Kasi sila ‘yung immediate mong ka-work e.
Exactly! Para sa ‘kin sila ‘yung not only a captain, para silang diyos. Kasi inikot-ikot nila ‘yung kwento, sila ‘yung nagkwento, sila ‘yung bumuo ng karakter mo — with your help, of course. So when they say “thank you,” it means, nakuha niyo. For me, that’s already a reward.
And then consequently, what’s a role that you still look for these days, given nga na more than three decades ka na in the industry? Meron pa ba if ever?
I think I do more theater. If I’ll be given a chance to do a musical, not as difficult as Sondheim, why not? But, nothing so… I mean, ayoko ng musical na parang… May matatamaan e. Delikado. Nandun pa rin sa discipline ng pang- Sondheim. So I’d like to do another one. Actually, I’m doing Septic Tank, so that’s theater. And I think it won’t stop there.
Sinasabi ko lang na mahirap, pero that’s really my first love.
Speaking of your first love, ‘yung very first film mo was an Ishmael Bernal production for UP Film.
Divide by Two.
In which you had to act alongside Charo Santos. Can you tell us more about that experience? Sabi mo daw before you were intimidated by Charo and Ishmael.
Oo, sobra. More of the Ishmael Bernal. Kasi ang lakas talaga ng dating niya. And ang lakas din ang boses niya. Tapos meron siyang moments na parang he will not stop until he gets what he wants, no matter what time it is already. So kahit na mga 2 a.m. na, 3 a.m. tapos nararamdaman niya na patay na ‘yung set, he would really shout and wake everybody up. E from the theater ako nun, tapos bata pa ako so ‘yung culture shock ko — sobrang unforgettable. Nasa core memory ko na ‘yun.
At saka hindi ako marunong umiyak sa camera. Sa kanya ako talaga unang napaluha. Hindi dahil sa naiyak ako, kundi dahil sa inusukan niya ng sigarilyo ‘yung mata ko para tumulo ‘yung luha. [Laughs] Siyempre, naluha ako. Philip pa nga ‘yung sigarilyo nya so mahaba. E ang tagal lumabas nung luha pero kumpleto na ‘yung emotion ko pero walang luha kasi first camera experience ko, siya talaga. But it was a classic material, and I think that’s my first indie film with Ms. Charo Santos.
Si Ms. Charo is Charo Santos already. Nagsisimula na siyang magkaroon ng administrative work sa ABS-CBN. And I was fully aware of that. So siya ‘yung amo ko doon kasi maid ‘yung role ko doon e so kaming dalawa ‘yung laging magkasama. Sabi ko sa kanya, “Ma’am Charo ha, asikasuhin mo ‘yung career ko.” [Laughs] Parang ganun, mga joke-joke lang ganyan kasi alam ko, Ma’am Charo na siya sa ABS-CBN so feeling ko, siya talaga ‘yung maglalagay sa akin sa showbiz. Pero ganun lang ‘yun. I was not really serious. And after that, we did not work together again for another project.
Nag-continue na ako sa theater ulit because nasa school pa rin naman ako noon. But even then, Ma’am Charo was so sweet and she always has this quality that she will listen to you. Ma’am Charo siya talaga. [Laughs]
Read the rest of the story in the Anniversary Issue of Rolling Stone Philippines.
Pre-order a copy on Sari-Sari Shopping, or read the e-magazine now here.
Makeup by RENIEL CADIZ, assisted by NOEL DICANG
Hair by RHOY CERVANTES
Styling by EDLENE CABRAL, assisted by BULLET REYES
