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The Best Actresses and their First Gawad Urian

1986 – Pilar Pilapil for “Napakasakit Kuya Eddie” – “…By the mid-’80s, Pilar agreed to do mother roles and was amply rewarded for her efforts. In 1986, she and Aga Muhlach played mother and son in the Lino Brocka film Napakasakit Kuya Eddie and were declared Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor the following year in the Urian. She also played mother to Lorna Tolentino in 1989 in another Brocka film, Kailan Mahuhugasan ang Kasalanan, and received an acting nomination from the Manunuri. (In 1997, she was excellent in her portrayal of a Mrs. Robinson type of character in Star Drama Theater Presents Diether)…” – The Philippine Star (READ MORE)

1986 – Anita Linda (supporting actress) for “Takaw tukso” – “…Anita Linda is the recipient of several acting awards, among them, Best Actress of the Maria Clara Awards in 1951 for Gerardo de Leon’s Sisa, where she played the title role, which she considers her most challenging and memorable. “Of course when I made Sisa…Sisa, the crazy woman, in our Noli Me Tangere written by Jose Rizal is a role I can’t forget. It’s my first award – the Maria Clara award…it’s very intense…Sisa in our history represents the Philippines itself (because) Sisa was …being maltreated by the Spanish…She represents the country itself, ‘yung kanyang pinagdaanan (what she had gone through). Iyon ang feeling ko (That was how I felt).” She again won critical acclaim in the role she played for director Lino Brocka’s Tinimbang Ka Nguni’t Kulang (You Were Weighed But Found Wanting) 1974; Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa (Three, Two, One), 1974; and Jaguar 1979, the first Filipino film to compete at the Cannes Film Festival. Other leading films she had appeared in the 80s and 90s included Mike de Leon’s Sister Stella L., 1984; William Pascual’s Takaw Tukso (Flirting with Tempation), 1986; Chito Rono’s Itanong Mo sa Buwan (Ask the Moon), 1988; Brocka’s Gumapang Ka Sa Lusak (A Dirty Affair) 1990; and Mario O’Hara’s Ang Babae Sa Bubungang Lata (Woman on a Tin Roof)1998…” – Mila Astorga-Garcia, The Philippine Reporter, 16 September 2008 (READ MORE)

1985 – Nida Blanca for “Miguelito, Ang Batang Rebelde” – “…I did, however, have the privilege of writing the scripts for two movies in which she acted–Miguelito, ang Batang Rebelde (1985), where she played a young Aga Muhlach’s oppressed mother, and Tayong Dalawa, a few years later, where she played the comic foil as housemaid to career girl Sharon Cuneta. She won a raft of well-deserved awards for her performance in Miguelito, which was a relatively low-budget movie that the late Lino Brocka had been asked by Aga’s dad to do to launch his teenage son’s career, and which turned out to be one of my personal favorites among the 14 or 15 scripts I wrote for Lino…” – Butch Dalisay (READ MORE)

1982 – Vilma Santos for “Relasyon” – “…Noticeably ignored many times by the Manunuri, Vilma Santos was nominated for her sympathetic mistress role in Relasyon. She is up against Nora Aunor’s epical role for Himala, Gina Alajar and Lorna Tolentino’s feminist film Moral. The Manunuri surprised everyone by declaring Vilma Santos as their 7th best actress winner. The other award giving bodies (FAMAS, Film Academy of the Philippines, CMMA) also declared Vilma Santos as their best actress and the term “grand slam” were born in local entertainment industry. As for the other acting categories, Philip Salvador won the lead actor and Baby Delgado, supporting actress both for Cain At Abel, and Mark Gil won the supporting actor for Palipat-lipat, Papalit-palit. The Manunuri gave the Natatanging Gawad Urian to veteran actress, Anita Linda, who is still very active today. She starred in this year’s Venice Film Festival entry, Lola…” – RV (READ MORE)

1981 – Gina Alajar for “Brutal” – “…Alajar was already recognized for her acting talent even when she was a child star. In the mid—’70s, Sampaguita Pictures tried to launch her as a teen star via a remake of Cofradia, but this film bombed at the box-office. In 1980, Regal took a chance on her by re-launching her in Diborsyada, a certified box-office hit. While she gave a decent performance here (she’s always good at anything she does on screen), the very exploitative material that capitalized on her even then shaky marriage didn’t sit well with the critics. Two months after the commercially successful exhibition of Diborsyada, however, Brutal was entered in the Metro Filmfest and she won Best Supporting Actress for playing the liberated friend of the heroine (Amy Austria). In the Gawad Urian, a few months later, she was adjudged Best Actress for the same film and she was on her way to becoming one of the finest actresses produced by the Philippine movie industry. Salome – Prior to the 1981 Gawad Urian, Armida Siguion-Reyna, who produced Salome, was already predicting that Gina Alajar was going to be a runaway winner for Best Actress in this film. Armida didn’t have to be a psychic to know that because that was really an unbeatable performance that Ms. Alajar gave in this Laurice Guillen movie where she played a femme fatale. True enough, she was proclaimed Best Actress (the first to win two years in a row) by the Manunuri…” – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

1979 – Charito Solis for “Ina, Kapatid, Anak” – “…the film that defined her 1970s career was not an adult film, but a dramatic film, her specialty. Pitted with the “other dramatic empress” Lolita Rodriguez, she contrasted her usual acting style with Rodriguez’ restrained, quiet style in Ina, Kapatid, Anak (1979). At that time already acknowledged as Philippine Cinema’s Hall of Famer for Best Actress, Charito Solis showed her acting prowess in a way that did not swallow Rodriguez nor did not allow to be shadowed by Rodriguez’ subtle style. Come FAMAS time, she had another Best Actress nod but lost to Nora Aunor for Ina Ka ng Anak Mo, but the “other” awards, the Gawad Urian, granted her its Gawad para sa Pinakamahusay na Pangunahing Aktres (Best Actress). Interesting enough, her penchant for top-billing persisted: the usual tool for billing two actresses demanding top billing was employed (see left). She also appeared with Vilma Santos in Modelong Tanso, a pale competitor to Rodriguez’ and Nora Aunor’s Ina Ka ng Anak Mo. Because Vilma Santos was another actress known for her penchant with billing, the same tool was used…” – Gypsy Baldovino and Yolly Tiangco, Philippine Daily Inquirer; IMDb (READ MORE)

1979 – Amy Austria for “Jaguar” – “…The 49-year-old actress claimed spotlight after joining Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar” in 1979 where she won Gawad Urian best supporting actress award. Meanwhile, Austria’s outstanding performance for film “Brutal” made her clinched her first best actress award for Film Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) and Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). The pride of Tondo was part of notable movies “Hinugot sa Langit”, “Anak”, “Bagong Buwan”, “Muro Ami” and “Beautiful Life.” Aside from her drama classics, Austria joined several hit TV series including “Walang Kapalit”, “Bituing Walang Ningning” and “Pangako Sa’yo.” Austria was previously married to late actor Jay Ilagan. She later settled down with Filipino-Korean Duke Ventura…” – ABS-CBN News, 13 December 2010 (READ MORE)

1978 – Chanda Romero (supporting actress) for “Boy Pana” – “…The last time I bumped into Chanda Romero, she was socializing with friends at the Cebu Country Club. My niece, Rovi, asked me, “Le conoces (Do you know her)?,” after the award-winning Cebuana actress greeted me rather fondly. “Yes.” I replied. “We go back a long way.” I can’t remember which Joey Gosiengfiao or Elwood Perez film I first appeared in with Chanda, as the flamboyant filmmakers had the “habit” of casting me in their productions, either as a temperamental director or a bitchy movie critic. With Chanda, the film I remember most is Eddie Romero’s multigenerational tale, “Aguila,” shot in 1979 and considered the epic to end all screen epics. Fernando Poe Jr., then the country’s Box Office King, was cast as the lead character. Appearing with him and Chanda were many other screen luminaries, like Amalia Fuentes, Elizabeth Oropesa, Jay Ilagan, Christopher de Leon, Charo Santos, Orestes Ojeda, Joonee Gamboa and Roderick Paulate. (I think even Aga Muhlach appeared in it as the young Ronnie)…” – Behn Cervantes, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 09 July 2011 (READ MORE)

1978 – Beth Bautista for “Hindi Sa Iyo Ang Mundo, Baby Porcuna” – “…If Zialcita was the master of improvisation on the set, he also had the knack for casting the right actors, choosing the right material, and pleasing his producers. One of his favorite actors was Dindo Fernando whom he termed “the compleat actor” and cast him in such movies as Langis at Tubig, Karma, Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan, Mahinhin at Mahinhin, its sequel Malakas, si Maganda at si Mahinhin and Ikaw at ang Gabi which gave Dindo his first Urian Best Actor trophy. Other favorites were Vilma Santos cast in Karma, T-Bird at Ako, Langis at Tubig; Pinky de Leon; Laurice Guillen; Ronaldo Valdes; and Beth Bautista who won Best Actress award in Hindi sa Iyo ang Mundo Baby Porcuna…” – Bibsy M. Carballo, The Star, 12 May 2008 (READ MORE)

1977 – Daria Ramirez for “Sino’ng Kapiling, Sino’ng Kasiping” – “…“…The 70s saw the rise of several talented and sexy stars besides the so-called Crown Seven beauties namely Chanda Romero, Elizabeth Oropesa, Daria Ramirez, Alma Moreno, Lorna Tolentino, Beth Bautista and Amy Austria. Stars like Vivian Velez, Leila Hermosa, Carmen Ronda, Barbara Luna, Janet Bordon, Trixia Gomez and Rio Locsin also made their mark in the movie world in the 70s. They were launched to stardom though most of them had a brief and short movie career…” – Simon Santos, Video 48 (READ MORE)

1976 – Yvonne (supporting actress) for “Ligaw na bulaklak” – “…Yvonne, one of the most daring stars during the “bomba” films period in the 1970s, is back on the movie screen after 30 years. Yvonne, who was named best supporting actress by the Gawad Urian in 1976 for her performance in Ishmael Bernal’s “Ligaw na Bulaklak,” finished shooting an independent film with Eddie Garcia and Boots Anson Roa about senior citizens. Directed by Neal “Buboy” Tan, “Talo, Tabla, Panalo” features Yvonne, 59, in the role of a nun. “Imagine, madre ang role ko. Hindi ba kapani-paniwala?” Yvonne said in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBNnews.com. Yvonne gained notoreity when she walked to a movie house in Manila during the pre-Martial Law days in her naked glory and proclaimed to all and sundry that she shaves her pubic hair….” – ABS-CBN News, 04 July 2012 (READ MORE)

1976 – Maya Valdez (supporting actress) for “Lunes, Martes, Miyerkules, Huwebes, Biyernes, Sabado, Linggo” – “…Actor and singer; her roots began in the theatre, working as props person, costume mistress, and stage manager before she became an actor. She won acclaim for her acting and singing as Magdalene in the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar (1971), directed by Behn Cervantes. She made her mark as a comedian in the television shows Super Laff-ins (1971-72); Cleofatra (1974); Champoy (1980) and U.F.O. (Urbana, Felisa, and Others) (mid-1980s). After a period of lull in her career, she appeared in the musical stand-up comedy act Tit for Tat (1984-85), the first in the string of hit shows with singer-comedian Nanette Inventor. Valdes’ first appearances in the movies were in roles, which displayed her comedic prowess, like Hoy, Wala Kang Paki and Anomalya ni Andres de Saya. She showed she was equally good as a dramatic actor in films such as Oro Plata Mata (1982) and then in Bulaklak sa City Jail (1984). She showed she could combined her considerable talents as actress and singer in her highly praised performance as Katy de la Cruz in the hit musical Katy! (1988), staged at the Rizal Theatre and later at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, under the direction of Nestor U. Torre. Valdes won the best supporting actress award from the Urian for the Lino Brocka film, Lunes, Martes, Miyerkules, Huwebes, Biyernes, Sabado, Linggo in 1976. At present she is the president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM)…” – he Performers’ Rights Society of the Philippines (READ MORE)

1976 – Nora Aunor for “Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos” – “…The Manunuris further enhanced their image as “champions of the underdog” with the following selections: bomba star Yvonne, as best supporting actress (Ligaw na Bulaklak); stage actress Maya Valdez, as best supporting actress (Lunes, Martes. . .), and villain-type Ruel Vernal, as best supporting actor (lnsiang). The most significant choice, however, was Nora Aunor, who was voted best actress for her performance in “Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos” (directed by Mario O’Hara). The Manunuri can claim without blushing that the Urian made Nora Aunor and Nora Aunor made the Urian. Her winning emphasized the group’s complete disregard for stereotypes. Aunor’s image as “bakya” idol had typecast her as a non-actress, but this did not hinder the Manunuri’s collective judgment that she had the makings of a serious actress. With her triumph, the critics clarified their standard of performance and accidentally won over the obstinate movie scribes…” – The Urian Anthology 1970-79 (READ MORE)

The Gawad Urian Awards are annual film awards in the Philippines held since 1977. It is given by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (the Filipino Film Critics) and is currently regarded as the counterpart of the United States’ New York Film Critics Circle. – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

• Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP)
• Gawad Urian Recognitions
• Who cares about movie awards?
• Gawad Urian Awards, A Night To Remember
• Clean sweep for indies in 2007 Gawad Urian
• Urian’s Ten Best Films of the 70’s
• Gawad Urian Best Pictures
• The First Grand Slam Best Actress in the Philippines
• CLIPS – Best Actress – Dolzura Cortez – Vilma Santos (Video)