This is an excerpt from the June 2026 Special Issue. Subscribe to MEGA Digital All-Access to read the full story.
Cherry Pie Picache is a mosaic of every woman she has ever portrayed. Since entering the world of performing arts at nine years old, the acclaimed actress has spent decades immersing herself in stories that shaped not only her career but also her understanding of people, society, and herself. Today, as one of Philippine cinema’s most respected actresses, Picache looks back on a body of work that brought her from local acclaim to the global stage of cinema.
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There are defining moments in her career that remain especially close to her heart. “Bridal Shower—that’s one of my favorites. That was also the decade when I received the Actress of the Decade Award from Gawad Urian.” Picache recalls. “Foster Child, too. That brought back Philippine Cinema on the map of the Cannes Film Festival, 20 years after Lino Brocka.”
But for Picache, the true impact of acting goes beyond accolades and recognition. Over the years, embodying women from different walks of life expanded her understanding of the realities many people face every day.
“There are so many realities I’ve experienced that opened my eyes to the discrepancies in society,” she shares. “You develop a wider sense of empathy and understanding—how you make your decisions, how you relate to other people, your appreciation of life and the blessings that you have, and the talent that is given to you for you to make use of it.”
As she reflects on her decades-long career, Picache recognizes vulnerability as an essential part of the craft. Acting, after all, requires emotional honesty. “I think all actors are vulnerable because you have to be in touch with your emotions,” she reflected. “And the emotions are real and sincere, no matter what role you play.”
Her understanding of film has also evolved far beyond performance alone. For Picache, acting is inseparable from collaboration—the careful interplay between directors, writers, fellow actors, and every creative force working behind the scenes.
“When you do a film, you can’t just focus on the role you’re going to portray,” she explains. “You have to study the totality of how the film will come out. You appreciate the whole creative community.” That broader perspective deepened her appreciation for filmmaking itself. “It doesn’t limit yourself to performance alone,” she continues. “It feels like you’re connecting yourself to all aspects of the film.”
Since beginning her career in the 1990s, Picache has also witnessed the evolving space women occupy within the industry. For her, one of the biggest changes is that women are finally being given more agency—both onscreen and behind the camera. “We didn’t have a voice before,” she says candidly. “There were so many limitations on what women could do. Now, we have a choice. But empowerment doesn’t always mean doing whatever you want. There’s still a responsibility.”
She also finds hope in the growing number of women shaping stories today. “More women directors and writers are coming out, and they’re respected,” Picache observes. “Even today’s stories revolve around women. It’s no longer limited to motherhood.”
The actress is especially encouraged by the increasing complexity of female characters in modern cinema. “You have a wide range of roles for women today,” she shares, citing Sunshine starring Maris Racal as one example. “I hope more stories continue to come out for women my age. There are still so many stories to tell about women over 50.”
Even now, Picache approaches her work with discernment and intention. Rather than chasing roles for the sake of staying visible, she chooses stories that feel meaningful. “I’m grateful that I can say no to some roles today,” she reflected. “The roles I choose don’t always have to carry a profound message—but they have to be sensible. Exciting. Different.”
After decades in film, Cherry Pie Picache understands that the women she portrayed were never simply fictional characters. They were reflections of real lives, real struggles, and real emotions. And somewhere between every performance, fragments of those women inevitably became part of her as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Picache has named Bridal Shower and Foster Child as among her most personally significant films. Foster Child notably brought Philippine cinema back to the Cannes Film Festival 20 years after Lino Brocka, and her work during that period earned her the Actress of the Decade Award from Gawad Urian.
Picache has spoken about vulnerability as essential to the craft, stating that actors must remain genuinely in touch with their emotions — and that those emotions, regardless of the role, are always real and sincere. She sees emotional honesty as inseparable from authentic performance.
Picache has observed that women now have greater agency both onscreen and behind the camera — more women directors and writers are emerging and being respected, and female characters have grown in complexity well beyond traditional roles. She has also called for more stories centered on women over 50.
Later in her career, Picache has been deliberate about the projects she accepts — prioritizing roles that feel sensible, exciting, and different, rather than simply staying visible. She has reflected that the roles she chooses do not always need to carry a profound message, but they must be meaningful to her.
Picache has said that embodying women from different walks of life over decades gave her a deeper understanding of social realities and inequality. She describes the experience as expanding her empathy — shaping how she makes decisions, relates to others, and appreciates her own life and talent.
Photographed by JERICK SANCHEZ. Creative Direction by PATRICK TY. Art Direction by CLARE MAGNO and BRIE VENTURA. Beauty Direction by AGOO AZCUNA-BENGZON assisted by MARA GO. Sittings Editor PEEWEE REYES-ISIDRO and TREISHA ROVERO. Produced by THESSMAR LECTURA. Image retouching by JONES PALTENG and TROY NONATO. Hair by JOBEN DINGLASAN. Makeup by GERY PENASO. Nail Grooming by CRISTINE S. CRISTOBAL, ROWENA D. AYALA, RONA T. SALAZAR, and ANGELYN D. ALVERIO of THE GETAWAY BODY & NAILS SPA. Styled by STEVEN CORALDE, JIA TORRATO, and NIÑA CUYANA of QURATOR INC. Production Design by ARJ MADARANG of JAGGER STUDIOS. Photography Assistants KARL RIMANDO, BUDDY REYES, DAVE ORPILLA, and RYAN ALBANO
