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The diamond star in full bloom

Like Julia Roberts in Hollywood, Maricel Soriano is reportedly the highest paid actress in Philippine movies today. Forty-one years in show business, and the diamond star continues to shine with a revived regular sitcom, ABS-CBN 2s John En Shirley, to boot.

But how is the actress today, mostly away from the klieg lights and the hustle of showbiz? Broadcaster Ali Sotto had the story in her one-on-one, heart-to-heart interview with Maricel, in her self-titled talk show on ABC 5 just recently.

The episode saw the actress taking a trip down memory lane as she talked about life as a six-year-old child star, and the 80-plus films she made. She counted her local and international acting awards, from her first as Best Child Actress in 1974 all the way to Best Actress in 2004. She also talked about the few business she went into, like the failed recording company.

Growing up in a dysfunctional family with six siblings, Maricel recalled how her Lola (Grandma) Mary guided and disciplined her in her younger years. Strict but reasonable, her grandmother helped her to stay humble contrary to the Taray Queen, or the overly-strict, image she projects on screen.

Beyond her career, Maricel also talked about the loves of her life from William Martinez, to Edu Manzano and Cesar Jalosjos who is father to her son Chien. She also has an adopted son, Maron. Despite being a single parent, Maricel was able to fulfill her responsibilities as mother to her two sons, and this she considers her greatest achievement in life.

"If there is one thing in my life I will never ever regret, that's having my two sons. That‚s even greater than winning the lotto or an acting award," she said.

In another development, Maricel Soriano can very well be considered the queen of digital films. She has just finished the drama "Inang Yaya" with Sunshine Cruz for Unitel Films and the horror flick, "NumbalikDiwa," with Albert Martinez for Cinemabuhay (owned by Albert).

Now, she's all set to star in another digital film produced by TAPE, to be directed by award-winning writer Jun Lana, who gave up megging Regal's "Mano Po 5" for this project. TAPE's Malou Choa Fagar says this will be a trilogy done for a good cause. All its proceeds will go to the Couples for Christ's Gawad Kalinga project that helps construct homes for the poor.

Malou and Maricel are close friends and Malou is glad that Maricel is now more open about her life, as she has shown when she guested on ABC-5's "Ali."