This is an excerpt of the August 2025 cover story
There’s a certain power that comes with age—not the power of youth repackaged, but something sturdier. Hard-earned. Clear-eyed. In a society that glorifies the lack of lines or limits, growing older without apology feels almost like a form of rebellion. But real confidence doesn’t come from letting go—it comes from tuning in. From making the daily decision to love oneself wisely: to tend to what can be refined, and to make peace with the rest. In time, a woman becomes more comfortable in her own skin—not because she’s settled, but because she’s learned. And when that kind of self-knowledge finally locks in place, it doesn’t just feel right. It shows.
For Sharon Cuneta, it begins, as longtime fans have already clocked, with the haircut.
“The return to a tried and tested haircut was semi-deliberate, because this is really my favorite hairstyle. It’s always been,” she says of the practical, elegant chop in that unmistakably soft, sweet voice that has comforted generations. “I first cut it this short in 1987 for my movie Jack and Jill. But then I gained so much weight, and my face got really big and round, so I couldn’t cut my hair this short. Now that I’ve lost weight, I guess it’s the right time.”
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She beams while talking about her new hair, an immediate update to the wolf cut she took on over the summer, after years of keeping her mane long. “It’s wash and wear. That’s why I cut it the second time—because I wanted it shorter so it could be easier to maintain.”
The new-old look triggered a flurry of reactions online and offline. “My family loves it. My kids love it. My husband loves anything I do… Even when I was big, he really loved me. It doesn’t matter to him, and I’m grateful for that.”
Hair has always been episodic in Cuneta’s playbook—if there ever was one. In the ‘80 and ‘90s, it was tied to an era of back-to-back box office success. Today, it signals a return to self. Not Sharon the brand, not Sharon the icon, but Sharon the woman who finally has the freedom to say: This is me.
That haircut isn’t just aesthetic. It’s an announcement: Cuneta is ready. For fashion editorials. For red carpet appearances. For anything, really. And with that comes the joy of dressing up again.
“Yes, I have missed dressing up. But again—I like dressing up when I have public functions or when I have appearances. It is like an adventure. It’s like when you’re young and you’re playing dress-up—that’s how I feel.”
She’s been wearing head-to-toe white, baring shoulders, playing with silhouettes and statement accessories—like those big earrings she wore to her recent interview in Karmina Constantino’s hit YouTube show KC After Hours that pop perfectly with short hair. She even recommends wearing costume jewelry: it doesn’t have to be real, it just has to be fun. And the glow-up isn’t magic. It’s the result of a years-long, deeply personal return to discipline and health.
“My mortality started dawning on me when I hit 50. So I want to live a little longer. I want to be around for my future grandchildren, hopefully. I want to enjoy the rest of my years and welcome aging with open arms growing old happily.”
Of course, the road was anything but linear. “One million times I backslid. Three million times I binged. Seriously… I had lost my grip on my self-discipline. That’s what hurt me the most.”
It wasn’t just about vanity. For someone who had long held herself to unshakable standards, it was also a reckoning. “I’ve always had a certain set of standards I’ve held myself to.That’s just my personal thing, like in terms of discipline, work ethic and all that. So when I couldn’t get a grip on my weight, I was very upset with myself.”
Her fans may be used to the candid Cuneta, but there’s something extra affecting about how she speaks of this transformation—not with perfection, but persistence.
“When I turned 50, I said, ‘I haven’t felt good about myself for years.’… If not now, when? It was now or never. Nothing ever happened with all my crash dieting. I ruined my metabolism. I would lose weight really quickly, and then I would gain it back… So I said, just slowly. Very slowly but surely. If you backslide, pick yourself up.”
And she has. Photos don’t lie. Neither does the newfound comfort in her body. “I feel better. I feel more energetic. I feel good that people like how I look. That I can buy clothes off the rack again—something I haven’t done in two decades.”
Her relationship with food has evolved, too—from escapism to enjoyment. “I still have a hearty appetite. I’ve just learned to curb it… I eat everything I want. Just a little bit of it. When you’re full, you stop. Because the cake will still be there tomorrow.”
This practical wisdom, wrapped in warmth and humor, is part of why Cuneta remains aspirational. Not because she’s perfect, but because she’s possible. In her words, “It didn’t happen overnight. If they really want to, they can go to my Instagram and look through the pictures over the years.”
With wellness came style. Cuneta, the face of countless brands and a fixture in Filipino pop culture, is falling in love with fashion all over again. Her taste? As classic as ever.
“I preferred Armani over Versace. I’ve never owned a Versace outfit. I know he’s a great designer—respected, famous, all that—but I’ve always liked the quiet look. The classic look. So I went with Armani. I also liked Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel but my favorite forever will be the Tom Ford era of Gucci. I had pieces from that era.”
Before quiet luxuryLuxuryrefers to a state of exceptional comfort, elegance, and quality, often characterized by premium craftsmanship, exclusivity, and superior experiences.Go to Luxury Glossary was a buzzword, Cuneta had been practicing it. Even back then, she leaned more on basics than the bedazzled. She sort of attributes it to being a Capricorn and the sign’s disciplined, pragmatic tendencies. These days, she’s simplifying more than ever. “I can mix an expensive top with local bottoms. I’ve had my share of luxury. Now, I just want to be comfortable and look good.”
And now, she’s even ready to edit down. “I even want to sell most of my designer stuff—clothes and bags. Haven’t used them in years.” Days after this interview, she hinted at it again on her Instagram. Cuneta, always one step ahead of the decluttering trend, now looks at her closet with the same lens she applies to her life: if it doesn’t spark comfort or joy, it can go.
The evolution is visual, but it’s also about what you don’t see: the medical intervention and tweaks that brought her back to balance.
“Yeah, medical help is really just those little maintenance things we do… And of course, my arm surgery. I really thought long and hard about that. It was a choice between having really loose skin on my arms and being thin but not being able to wear even long- sleeve shirts… So I made the decision.”
She shares this not to promote it, but to normalize it. “You have only one life to live. You have one body. What will make you happy? If that’s what it takes—go ahead. Go to a good doctor—one who won’t try to upsell you or convince you to get surgery you don’t really need. You know what I mean. And, you know, thank God every day that you don’t have a whole country watching you, unlike us.”
Read more about Sharon Cuneta’s softer kind of success in MEGA’s August 2025 issue now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photographed by ALEXIS DAVE CO. Creative direction by PATRICK TY. Creative deck by CLARE MAGNO and TROY NONATO. Art direction by JONES PALTENG. Fashion direction and styling by ROKO ARCEO. Makeup by THAZZIA FALEK. Hair by DALE MALLARI. Sittings Editor and Beauty Direction AGOO AZCUNA-BENGZON Assisted by MARA GO. Production STEF JUAN and THESSMAR LECTURA. Nails LUZ FORTUNO of TRIPLE LUCK BROW & NAIL SALON. Photography Assistants OMAR BARROGA, CEDIE BARRAMEDA, JOHN DWIGHT SUNGA, and JR PANCHO. Makeup Assistants DELVI FLORES and JOBERT NAGRE. Hairstylist Assistant JOHN DAVE VILLALINO. Stylist Assistants KRISSIE TERUEL and WILMA SOLANO. Shot on location at OKADA MANILA.Special thanks to NANCY and ANGEL YANG, and NIZA FORSCHLER of OKADA MANILA
