BACK in the early 2000s, teen star Sunshine Cruz came of age and transformed from tweetums into one of the decade’s most daring sexy stars.

Two decades later, she still pays the price for shedding off her clothes to become a star. 

Online bully

Bullies would post in social media pictures of her during her days as a sexy actress, and then intentionally tagged her daughters, Cruz said in one-on-one interview with King of Talk Boy Abunda in his “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.” 

“Tito Boy hindi lang one, all of my daughters [are being tagged],” she said.

She admitted to being affected by the online attacks because she has to protect her three kids.

But in time, she realized that her family and other people who know her and love her are the only ones who truly matter. 

‘Yung mga tao na nagsasabi ng hindi maganda tungkol sa akin, bold star, sexy star, it doesn’t matter anymore,” she said. 

Full disclosure to kids

Knowing full well that she can never hide her past from her kids, especially with unstoppable modernity, she made sure her children would hear it first from their mommy. 

“Nu’ng time na ready na sila at alam kong kahit papaano maiintidihan na nila ako dun ko sinabi sa kanila,” she said. 

“Hanggang maari kasi gusto ko sa akin manggagaling hindi sa ibang tao,” she added. 

Regrets being a sexy star

Cruz’s choice to bare-naked in front of the camera to reach stardom seems to haunt her for years. 

True enough, she reached a point where she regretted her decision to go sexy. 

“There was a time that ni-regret ko ‘yun, especially naging malaking parte ‘yun ng amin separation ng aking ex-husband,” she said. 

“But at the end of the day mas naging stronger ako mas natuto ako ang ginawa ko lang Tito Boy ay mas pinatunayan ko sa mga tao na hindi lang ako sexy star o bold star,” she said. 

“I can also be a singer, I can be an actress and most especially I am a good mom,” she added. 

In past interviews, Cruz shared that indeed, her marriage with Cesar Montano broke down because he could not forget she was once a “bold star.” 

In fact, in an interview, she bitterly recalled how Montano wanted her to admit that the sex scenes in her movies had gone real. 

Their disagreements which were compounded by various reasons eventually led to the end of their 13-year marriage. 

Break-up with Macky Mathay 

Four years after her separation with Montano, Cruz found another love– Macky Mathay, brother of fellow actress Ara Mina’. 

But the affair ended last year and she wanted to keep the details of their short-lived affair private.

“I chose to be quiet because merong mga bata na involved. Mga anak niya na napamahal sa akin and ‘yung mga anak ko na napamahal kay Macky,” she said, 

Experiencing all these heartaches, she learned the hard way of nurturing romantic relationships.

“Hindi lang love. Dapat nandun ang trust, nandun ang respect. Pag mayroong isang nawala doon, it’s not going to work,” she said. 

At her age of 45, she thought that if things don’t work, it should be ended.

Abunda then asked Cruz what was lost in her two attempts at love. 

She gamely answered “trust” in both Montano and Mathay. 

Because she answered trust, straight up, Abunda asked her if a third party has caused their split. 

She replied: “Parang wala ako sa posisyon na magsalita tungkol diyan.”

Reconciliation with Cesar

Despite her break-up with Mathay, Cruz and her children seemed they have ended 2022 on a good note.

The actress, her kids, Montano and Montanos’ other children had a New Year reunion. 

Cruz said she saw the glow in her kids eyes, as if they found the missing puzzle in their lives.

She also developed a great friendship with her ex-husband’s new girlfriend, Kath Angeles. 

“And I am very very happy that I am okay ang sabi ko nga kay Cesar, magpaka bait ka na diyan kay Kath. Napakaganda, napakabait. Napakaswerto mo mag-behave ka kasi kung hindi makakaaway niya kaming lahat ng mga anak ko,” she said.