Dina Bonnevie is one of the most celebrated and enduring actresses in Philippine cinema and television history.
Widely recognized as the “Drama Queen” of her generation, Bonnevie has delivered powerful, emotionally layered performances across a career spanning more than four decades.
With multiple Best Actress awards from the Philippines’ most prestigious film and television award-giving bodies, she remains a towering figure in Filipino entertainment, a woman whose beauty, talent, and tenacity have kept her relevant across multiple generations of audiences.
| Geraldyn "Dina" Schaer Bonnevie | |
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Geraldyn "Dina" Schaer Bonnevie: History · Bio · Photo
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Full Name: | Geraldyn "Dina" Schaer Bonnevie |
| Born: | January 27, 1961 |
| Age: | 65 years old |
| Birthplace: | Quezon City / Manila, Philippines |
| Nationality: | Filipino |
| Occupation: | Actress, TV Host, Model |
| Height: | 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) |
| Parents: | Honesto Bonnevie (father), Jeannette Schäer (mother) |
| Siblings: | Carolyn Bonnevie, Mylyn Bonnevie, Ailyn Bonnevie |
| Spouse: | Vic Sotto (m. 1995, sep. 2007), Ricardo Penson (m. 1996–1999), DV Savellano |
| Children: | Oyo Boy Sotto (b. 1984), Danica Sotto (b. 1982) |
Early Life
Geraldyn “Dina” Schaer Bonnevie was born on January 27, 1961, in the Philippines, most sources citing Quezon City or Manila as her birthplace. Her father, Honesto Bonnevie, is of French-Italian-Filipino descent; his own grandfather, Pedro José de Bonnevie, was a significant landowner in the Bicol region of the Philippines who hailed from Évian-les-Bains, France and was of mixed French and Italian ancestry. Her mother, Jeannette Schäer, is Swiss. This extraordinary multicultural lineage contributed to Dina’s striking Eurasian beauty, which would become one of her signature assets throughout her career.
Dina comes from a family with entertainment in its blood. Her grandmother was the pre-World War II Filipina actress Rosita Rivera. She is also a cousin of singer Lou Bonnevie. Growing up, Dina was notably not fluent in Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, as she was not permitted to speak it at home, a reflection of her family’s multicultural, largely Western-oriented household. This made her early entry into Philippine entertainment all the more remarkable.
She attended St. Theresa’s College in Manila and completed her elementary and secondary education at St. Agnes’ Academy in Legazpi City, Bicol, where she was actively involved in drama guilds. In 1980, she enrolled in Communication Arts at the prestigious Ateneo de Manila University, and later at the University of the Philippines, though she did not complete her degree, choosing instead to pursue her rapidly accelerating entertainment career.
Education
Dina Bonnevie attended St. Theresa’s College in Manila for her early schooling, then St. Agnes’ Academy in Legazpi City, where her passion for drama first flourished. She enrolled at Ateneo de Manila University in Communication Arts in 1980 and subsequently at the University of the Philippines, but her career took precedence over formal academic completion.
Career
Entry into Showbusiness
Dina’s showbusiness journey began in 1979 when she placed as first runner-up in the Miss Magnolia beauty pageant, a result that opened the doors of Regal Films. She signed as a contract artist with Regal Films, making her film debut in the coming-of-age drama Under-age (1980), directed by Joey Gosiengfiao, alongside fellow Regal babies Maricel Soriano and Snooky Serna. The film launched all three actresses into stardom simultaneously.
In 1980, she appeared in the cult Filipino film Temptation Island (1980, also directed by Gosiengfiao), playing one of the stranded beauty contestants in a campy, genre-bending comedy. Her breakout leading role came with Katorse (1980), directed by Eddie Garcia, in which she played Nene, earning a FAMAS Best Actress nomination that announced her arrival as a major dramatic force.
Rise as a Dramatic Actress
Through the 1980s, Dina steadily built her reputation as one of the Philippines’ finest dramatic actresses. Her performance in Tinik sa Dibdib (1985) earned her the FAMAS Best Supporting Actress and FAP Best Supporting Actress awards. Her career-defining moment came with Magdusa Ka! (1986), a Viva Films production in which she delivered a raw, devastating performance that won her FAMAS Best Actress, FAP Best Actress, and the Catholic Mass Media Awards Best Actress, firmly establishing her as the drama queen of her generation.
She starred in the landmark Lino Brocka film Gumapang Ka sa Lusak (1990), one of the most acclaimed films in Philippine cinema history, earning nominations for Best Actress from FAMAS and the URIAN. She also received nominations for Sa Kabila ng Lahat (1991), Tanging Yaman (2000), American Adobo (2001), and Bridal Shower (2004).
Television Career
Dina Bonnevie’s television work has been equally prolific. She starred in the beloved sitcom 2 + 2 = Gulo (1982–1986) alongside then-husband Vic Sotto, Maricel Soriano, William Martinez, and Herbert Bautista. In the late 1990s and 2000s, she became a staple of Philippine primetime teleseryes, appearing in major hits on ABS-CBN, GMA Network, and IBC-13, including May Bukas Pa (1999–2001), Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin (2001–2003), Hiram (2004–2005, with Kris Aquino, Heart Evangelista, and Anne Curtis), and many others. From 2023 to 2024, she played Giselle Marie Tanyag in the top-rated medical drama Abot-Kamay na Pangarap.
Music
Dina released her first and only album Bakit Ba Ganyan in 1981 (Octo Arts International / EMI Music Philippines). The album became a Gold Record and was named Album of the Year, a remarkable achievement for an actress’s musical debut.
Awards & Nominations
- FAMAS Best Supporting Actress, Tinik sa Dibdib (1985)
- FAP Best Supporting Actress, Tinik sa Dibdib (1985)
- FAMAS Best Actress, Magdusa Ka! (1986)
- FAP Best Actress, Magdusa Ka! (1986)
- Catholic Mass Media Awards Best Actress, Magdusa Ka! (1986)
- Multiple FAMAS, FAP, URIAN, and Luna Award nominations across her career
- FAP Best Supporting Actress Nomination, The Breakup Playlist (2015)
Social Media
Dina Bonnevie maintains an active presence on Instagram and Facebook, where she shares personal updates, career news, and philanthropic efforts with her loyal fan base. She is among the most followed Filipino celebrities of her generation on social media.
- Facebook: @dinabonnevie0127
- Instagram: @dinabonnevie
Personal Life
Dina Bonnevie has had a complex romantic life that has been frequently covered by the Philippine entertainment press. In 1981, while filming Age Doesn’t Matter, she began a relationship with comedian Vic Sotto, one of the Philippines’ most beloved entertainers. Their relationship became one of the most popular celebrity pairings in the country, and they married in 1995. Together they have two children: daughter Danica Sotto (born May 9, 1982) and son Oyo Boy Sotto (born January 12, 1984). Both children followed their parents into the entertainment industry. Dina and Vic separated in 2007, and their marriage was annulled in 2009.
She was subsequently briefly married to Ricardo Penson, a Filipino businessman and social activist (1996–1999), and later to DV Savellano. Her romantic life has been the subject of considerable media scrutiny over the years.
Net Worth
Dina Bonnevie’s estimated net worth ranges from $2 million to $10 million based on her extensive entertainment career spanning over four decades in film, television, and radio.
Her income sources include acting fees, television endorsements, hosting engagements, and business ventures. Some social media sources have cited higher figures, though these are unverified.
Filmography
| Under-age | 1980 | Debut Film |
| Temptation Island | 1980 | Film |
| Katorse | 1980 | Film – Nene (FAMAS nominee) |
| Tinik sa Dibdib | 1985 | Film – FAMAS & FAP Best Supporting |
| Magdusa Ka! | 1986 | Film – FAMAS, FAP, CMMA Best Actress |
| Gumapang Ka sa Lusak | 1990 | Film (Dir. Lino Brocka) |
| Tanging Yaman | 2000 | Film – URIAN Best Supporting nominee |
| American Adobo | 2001 | Film – URIAN Best Actress nominee |
| Abot-Kamay na Pangarap | 2023–2024 | TV Drama |
FAQs
Who is Dina Bonnevie?
Dina Bonnevie is a Filipino actress known as the “Drama Queen” of her generation, celebrated for her intense dramatic roles in film and television spanning over four decades.
How old is Dina Bonnevie?
She was born on January 27, 1961, making her 64 years old as of 2025.
Who are Dina Bonnevie’s children?
Her children are Danica Sotto and Oyo Boy Sotto, both from her relationship/marriage with comedian Vic Sotto.
What is Dina Bonnevie’s nationality?
She is Filipino, though she has Swiss, French, and Italian ancestry through her parents and grandparents.
Conclusion
Dina Bonnevie’s career is a masterpiece of longevity, versatility, and emotional authenticity.
From her glamorous debut in the early 1980s to her award-winning dramatic work and enduring television presence, she has remained one of Philippine entertainment’s most beloved and respected figures.
Her multicultural heritage, her legendary screen presence, and her willingness to take on complex, challenging roles have cemented her place as one of the finest actresses Philippine cinema has ever produced. She is, truly, the Drama Queen of her generation.
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