Nora Aunor
Nora Cabaltera Villamayor was a Filipino actress, producer and singer. Known for her leading roles with patriotic, feminist and socio-political themes, she has appeared in more than 170 motion pictures throughout her career that spanned over five decades. Regarded as the most awarded Filipino actress in history, she was known as the Philippines' "Superstar" and was conferred as a National Artist of the Philippines for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022.
Aunor started her career as a singer, after winning a local talent search. She rose to fame in the following years as both a singer and actress. After her film debut in All Over the World, she transitioned into heavy drama with highly acclaimed performances in films such as Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos , Minsa'y Isang Gamu-gamo , Ina Ka ng Anak Mo , Himala , Bulaklak sa City Jail , and Bona. In the following decades, her performances in The Flor Contemplacion Story, Bakit May Kahapon Pa?, Thy Womb, and Dementia gave her further international recognition and numerous international awards and nominations.
For her work, Aunor received 17 FAMAS Award nominations and was a "Hall of Fame" inductee, winning five Best Actress Awards. She is the most nominated actress in the history of the Gawad Urian Awards with 21 nominations, winning seven, and the only performer to be chosen as one of Gawad Urian's Best Actors and Actresses of the Decade in three different decades. She is the first and only Filipino to win the Asian Film Award for Best Actress. She won nine trophies from PMPC Star Awards for her work in film and television, as well as eight Metro Manila Film Festival Awards, four Luna Awards, five Young Critics Circle Awards, a Cairo International Film Festival award, an Asia Pacific Screen Award, an Asian Film Award, among others. The Hollywood Reporter called her "The Grand Dame of Philippine Cinema" for her performances in the films Taklub and Hustisya.
Early life and background
Nora Aunor was born on May 21, 1953, as Nora Cabaltera Villamayor in Barrio San Francisco, Iriga, Camarines Sur to Antonia Cabaltera and Eustacio Villamayor. She had nine siblings, including Eddie Villamayor, who was also an actor. When Aunor was growing up, her grandmother Theresa taught her to sing; the first song she learned was "The Way of a Clown". Her aunt, Belén Aunor, taught her diction, interpretation, and expression while singing, and gave her screen name.Aunor grew up in poverty, selling peanuts on buses and cold water in front of the Bicol Express Train Station to make ends meet. She became a champion at the Darigold Jamboree radio singing contest, singing her winning piece "You and the Night and the Music". After that, she won in another radio singing contest, The Liberty Big Show. She entered the national singing contest, Tawag ng Tanghalan, was defeated on her first try, but became champion on her second attempt on May 29, 1967, where she sang "Moonlight Becomes You".
Aunor went to Mabini Memorial College for first grade, and transferred to Nichols Air Base Elementary School on reaching second grade. She finished high school at Generosa de Leon Memorial College in Parañaque, an affiliate of Centro Escolar University.
Career
1960s
After winning Tawag ng Tanghalan in 1967, Aunor made her first appearance as a guest at Timi Yuro's Araneta Coliseum concert. She made her first TV appearance as a guest in An Evening with Pilita hosted by Pilita Corrales and Carmen on Camera hosted by Carmen Soriano.On October 2, 1967, Aunor signed an eight-picture non-exclusive contract with Sampaguita Pictures, with the assurance that she would be given a singing part. Aunor made several youth-oriented films like All Over The World and Way Out of the Country. From September to December 1967, Aunor had supporting and minor roles in six films. Meanwhile, she made several singles like "Moonlight Becomes You" and "There's Just Forever" for Citation Records, and "No Return, No Exchange" and "You Are My First Love" for Jasper Recording.
By the beginning of 1969, she appeared in films such as 9 Teeners, and Young Girl, where she was teamed up for the first time with Tirso Cruz III. That year her contract with Sampaguita Pictures expired and she made films with other studios, including Banda 24 and Drakulita for Barangay, Oh Delilah, Karate Showdown, Pabandying-Bandying and Adriana.
Tower Records gave Aunor her first starring role opposite Tirso Cruz III, the D' Musical Teenage Idols by Tower Productions, directed by Artemio Marquez and shown on September 23, 1969. Three days after, on September 26, 1969, Sampaguita Pictures released its 34th-anniversary presentation, Fiesta Extravaganza.
Superstar, Aunor's musical variety show began airing in 1967, which eventually held the record as the longest-running musical variety show on Philippine prime-time TV, staying on air for 22 years. During the coronation of Aunor as muse of Sampaguita Family Club, Tirso gave her a doll "Maria Leonora Theresa", which reportedly became the most popular doll in Philippine showbiz history.
1970s
Aunor continued to make teeny-bopper films alongside Tirso Cruz III. Together, they were known as Guy and Pip from their most successful film, Guy and Pip. The film stayed in the cinemas for six months, and was the top-grosser in the 1971 Manila Film Festival.Aunor eventually evolved from being a teen idol to dramatic actress when she received her first Best Actress award in 1972 for her film And God Smiled at Me from Quezon City Film Festival. She was first nominated as a best actress in FAMAS for A Gift of Love. Aunor was nominated 17 times and won 5 times by FAMAS for best actress, and was nominated 21 times by Gawad Urian, with 7 wins.
In 1973, Aunor established her own film production company, NV Productions and produced its first film titled Carmela. She was again nominated in the 1974 FAMAS Awards for Paru-parung Itim. She made Fe, Esperanza, Caridad another critically acclaimed film which was directed by three different directors namely Cirio H. Santiago and two National Artists for film; Gerardo de León and Lamberto V. Avellana. The film earned Aunor her third nomination at the 1975 FAMAS Awards.
She also produced and starred in the hit film Banaue: Stairway to the Sky which was directed by national artist Gerardo de Leon. She played a courageous Ifugao chieftain's daughter defending her tribe from nefarious outside forces. For this performance, Aunor received her fourth Best Actress nomination at the FAMAS Awards.
In 1976, Aunor produced the film Alkitrang Dugo through her own film production company, NV Productions. The film was based on the novel Lord of the Flies by the Nobel Prize-winning English author Sir William Golding. She continued to produce and act in films such as the period drama Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos. She played the role of a school teacher named Rosario, who experienced the atrocities of World War II. Her performance won her the very first best actress award given by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino and her first Best Actress Award from FAMAS. Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos has since been regarded by critics and audiences as one of the best Filipino films ever made.
Before the year ended, Aunor starred in the groundbreaking Minsa'y Isang Gamu-gamo , where she portrayed a would-be migrant to America whose brother is shot by an American soldier on the eve of her departure. Knowing that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos would not allow the public showing of any films criticizing the American presence in the Philippines, the producers tapped Aunor to star in the film believing the superstar had the support of Marcos and his wife, First Lady Imelda Marcos. The film from Premiere Productions won two awards at the 1976 Metro Manila Film Festival, and it also won Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Story and Editing at the 1977 FAMAS Awards. For Aunor's performance and the film's message, Minsa'y Isang Gamu-gamo is now considered as one of the all-time Filipino film classics.
In 1977, Aunor starred in the romantic-comedy film with Fernando Poe Jr. titled Little Christmas Tree. On December 25, 1977, her film Bakya Mo, Neneng was the official entry of JE Productions to the 1977 Metro Manila Film Festival. She was paired with Joseph Estrada, who would later become president of the Philippines.
At the 1978 FAMAS Awards, Aunor received her sixth nomination for her movie Bakya Mo Neneng, and also won the FAMAS Award for Best Picture. She also appeared in Ikaw Ay Akin, directed by Ishmael Bernal. This film gave Aunor her second nomination from Gawad Urian for Best Actress.
Later that year, her film Atsay was an official entry to the 1978 Metro Manila Film Festival. It was one of the two best entries of the film festival along with Rubia Servios directed by Lino Brocka. Atsay was the only film to have won Best Performer in the Metro Manila Film Festival history. That year, the organizers decided to give just one citation for performers — no best actor nor actress nor supporting actor nor actress award — only the Best Performer Award.
Aunor won the Best Performer award for Atsay. Amy Austria who played a supporting role in this film was a nominee for the Best Performer award. The film festival organizers wanted to adopt a sense of gender sensitivity by giving out a gender-neutral award. The award was scrapped the following year. Atsay also won Best Picture, Romeo Vitug for Best Cinematography and Eddie Garcia for Best Director at the Film Festival Awards. Aunor was nominated for the seventh time at the 1979 FAMAS Awards.
At the 1979 Metro Manila Film Festival, she had two films, Kasal-kasalan, Bahay-bahayan and Ina Ka ng Anak Mo. Both Aunor and Lolita Rodriguez, received the Best Actress award for Ina Ka ng Anak Mo, Lino Brocka won Best Director, Raoul Aragon Best Actor, and the film won Best Picture. Aunor was also nominated for the Gawad Urian for Best Actress and won at the 1980 FAMAS Awards for her role. This was Aunor's second FAMAS Best Actress Award.