The entertainment industry mourns the passing of veteran actress Cherie Gil on the night of August 5, Friday. She was 59 and battled cancer for some time.
Her nephew, Sid Lucero, confirmed her passing to GMA News. However, her family hasn’t disclosed the cause of death or other details.
Cherie moved to New York in February 2022 to be with her kids. She even shaved her hair to symbolize a new chapter in her life. Based on her Facebook posts, the actress had been receiving treatment at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Cherie came from a prominent family of actors, the only daughter of Eddie Mesa and Rosemarie Gil, as well as the sibling of the late Mark Gil and Michael de Mesa. Cherie had an early beginning in showbiz through various supporting roles. She later rose to fame after bagging the titular role in Problem Child at 15, starring alongside her mother.
Eventually, she starred in films such as Manila by Night (1980), Oro, Plata, Mata (1982), and Bituing Walang Ninging (1985).
By 1994, Cherie took an 11-year break to focus on family. She returned to the big screen in the drama film Sugatang Puso (2001), which earned her the Best Supporting Actress award at the Metro Manila Film Festival.
In 2018, the veteran actress briefly appeared in Citizen Jake, where her performance landed her first Gawad Urian Award.
