Most Awarded Actors and Actress of 2011

Coco Martin is the most awarded actor for 2011. 

With the last award handed out at the conclusion of the MMFF awards night, I have also ended my tabulation, so now, I have the honor to present 2011's most awarded actors and actresses (in alphabetical order), whose performances ruled showbusiness and wowed the critics.

Joem Bascon

Joem Bascon shines in 2011 for his compelling role as Coco Martin's crippled brother in the indie movie, Noy. He won the Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actor, Gawad Pasado Award Best Supporting Actor, Gawad Tanglaw Award, Best Supporting Actor, Noy (tied with Rocky Salumbides, Muli), and ENPRESS Golden Screen Award for Movies Best Supporting for the said performance.

John Lloyd Cruz

Three-time Box-Office King of the Philippine Cinema John Lloyd Cruz scooped several awards in 2011 for his 2009 and 2010 performances. He was awarded Best Actor during the Gawad Genio Award for his role as Luis Manzano's gay lover in In My Life (2009). He was awarded Movie Actor of the Year by the Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Award and Best Actor during the Famas Awards for his role in the romantic-drama Miss You Like Crazy. He was also hailed as SM Cinema's Box-Office King.

Ai-Ai delas Alas

2011 is Ai-ai's banner year for awards. Among the feats she coveted included the Famas and Star Award for Movies for her role as the indefatigable single mom-turned-president-turned-celebrity in Ang Tanging Ina Mo, the third installment of the much-successful Tanging Ina film franchise. She also enjoyed a rear a feat as back-to-back winner at the Star Awards for TV after bagging the Best Actress Award for Comedy for M3: Malay Mo Madevelop, and Best Actress for Single Performance for her stint in Maalaala Mo Kaya. Her most glittering moment came, when she was crowned Box-Office Queen during the Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Award.

Eugene Domingo

Eugene Domingo, ever the loyal best friend of Ai-Ai's in many of her films, including Tanging Ina, also calls 2011 the best year of her career. Why not? Aside from starring in nine films for seven film outfits (a record unmatched by anyone), the Comedy Diva was also hailed one of the most awarded actresses of 2011. She won the Famas for best supporting actress for Here Comes the Bride, the Star Award for Movies for Ang Tanging Ina Mo, and best supporting actress at the Metro Manila Film Festival for My House Husband. She also won Best Actress at the Cinemanila Film Festival for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, the Philippine's official entry to the 2012 Academy Awards.

Coco Martin

Prince of Indie Films Coco Martin dominated 2011's award ceremonies, winning the most award for any actor. She scooped the Best Actor Award for movies from Star Award, Gawad Pasado, and Gawad Tanglaw for his performance in the indi flick, Noy. Meanwhile, he was hailed Prince of the Philippine Movies by the Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Award for his role in the family drama Sa 'Yo Lamang, while he was hailed as the Actor of the Decade by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino during the Gawad Urian Awards night. Coco Martin extended his winning streak on television after winning the KBP Golden Dove Awards and Star Awards for TV as Best actor for Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin. He also won the Golden Screen Awards Best Actor for Single Performance for his stint in Maalaala Mo Kaya. He was likewise honored with the Anak TV Seal Award as Most Admirable TV Personality.

Angelica Panganiban

Dubbed as the most versatile and most-awarded actress of her generation, Angelica Panganiban keeps her winner streak this year with her best actress wins. She bagged the USTv award for Best Actress in a Daily Soap Opera for her eponymous role in Rubi, ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards for Movies Best Comedy Actress for the box office comedy flick Here Comes the Bride, and a special citation as Comedy Actress of the Year during the Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Award.

Lorna Tolentino

The Grand Slam Actress continues to scoop more laurels on her already well-feathered cap with her several best actress wins in 2011. She won the Best Actress award at the FAP Luna Awards and Gawad Pasado Award for her role in the family drama Sa 'Yo Lamang. She was meanwhile honored Best Actress in A Drama Series during at ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards for TV.

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MMFF Showdown - Shake Rattle & Roll 13

Shake, Rattle, & Roll 13 is touted as the final installment of the long-running horror franchise.

Rain, Rain Go Away episode

Director Chris Martinez describes the first episode as being “the fear ng bawat Filipino. ‘Di ba takot na takot tayo sa baha, sa sakuna, sa disaster? Parang everytime na uulan, o may malakas na bagyo, lahat tayo napapraning kasi baka mamatay ang mga tao, malunod.

“It’s a revenge story; it’s about guilt. Hindi mo matatakasan ang kasalanan mo.”

This is Direk Chris’s first foray into directing a horror film and he is very happy to have this experience. “E, siyempre, Diyos ko ‘no, I grew up watching Shake, Rattle & Roll. Dream ko na makagawa ng isang Shake, Rattle & Roll episode kahit man lang isang beses.”

Tamawo episode

The Tamawo episode is the come backing film of Richard Somes who returns to SRR after six years of absence.

"Actually, ang tamawo is very much close din sa maligno,” he explains. “Tamawo is an Ilonggo word."

The episode is all about a man named Alan who brings his wife and stepson to a provincial ranch. The ranch was previously looked after by his uncle whose death remained mysterious. It’s there where the family experiences various encounters with supernatural creatures.

Direk Richard also injects a serious message in his film: “Actually ‘yong theme ko ng Tamawo is ‘yong tayo as human beings, kaya nating mang-invade ng territory na kung minsan, e, hindi na sa atin.

“Hindi natin nirerespeto ang boundaries. Napaka-greedy talaga ng tao. So, ang ganda ng lesson.”

Parola episode

The Parola episode is Director Jerrold Tarog second directorial stint with the SRR franchise. The filmmaker admits that this film came all along after making Aswang, starring Lovi Poe and Paulo Avelino.

“It’s pretty tiring,” Direk Jerrold bluntly admits. “But the good thing is that Parola is a totally different concept from Aswang, which makes visualizing the project easy.”

The director is very happy to be included in this year’s entry to the film festival. “The other episodes are going to be helmed by two directors whom I have great respect for. I’m not so much pressured as I am in awe.

“With [Chris] Martinez and [Richard] Somes in the line-up, I’m prepared to lie low in this installment. Those two are awesome. I look forward to seeing their episodes.”

Written by Gerry Ignacio, the film stars Eugene Domingo, in her first attempt to do a horror flick, Jay Manalo, Edgar Allan Guzman, Boots Anson Roa, Zanjoe Marudo, Maricar Reyes, Bugoy Cariño, Celia Rodriguez and introducing Ervic Vijandre, Kathryn Bernardo, Louise de los Reyes, Sam Concepcion, Hiro Magalona, Dimples Romana, Ina Raymundo, and Ara Mina.

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MMFF Showdown - My Househusband

Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo team up for the third time in My Househusband.

Real and reel life couple, Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo, comes back to MMFF with this year's entry My House Husband, this time forming a love triangle with versatile actress Eugene Domingo, is a hilarious and wacky family comedy that is set to leave audience laughing and rolling.

The film tells the story of a man “who is forced by circumstances to take care of his family and do house chores while his wife “has to be the one to take on a job,” describes the film's writer and director Jose Javier Reyes. The move is produced by OctoArts Films.

“This is a phenomenon na very current right now,” he adds. The plot follows the househusband’s journey toward enlightenment.

“In the end,” Direk Joey says, “he learns that it is hard to be a housewife and more important, he learns to respect his wife not only as a mother, somebody to take care of the house, but as an individual who is capable of being a professional.”

This is the third collaboration of Direk Joey Reyes with real-life married couple Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos. Their earlier made MMFF box-office front runners, Kasal Kasali, Kasalo in 2007 and Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo in 2008.

Joining Judai and Ryan are Mirriam Quiambao and Agot Isidro.

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Eugene Domingo, MMFF Queen of Philippine Cinema

Eugene stars in three MMFF entries this year. 

Nothing does like it than Comedy Diva Eugene Domingo. The past Metro Manila Film Festivals, she appeared in a number of films, and she did it again this year, as she lends her presence and talent to three entries: Enteng ng Ina Mo, My Houseband, and Shake, Rattle and Role XIII.

Indeed, it has been a long ride for Eugene Domingo, from her humble beginnings as a bit player in the 1990s, she has emerged as one of the country's most versatile actresses both on screen and on television.

However, she got frustrated within initial foray in showbusiness that she stopped acting and went back to school and attended college. “When I started as a bit player, talagang maghihintay ka kung kelan ka kukunan,  unlike in theater where there is a schedule to follow, and walang pa-star,” she said in an interview with Philippine Daily Inquirer.

But, there was a time, when, out of sheer frustration, she stopped acting for the TV-film cameras. “When I started as a bit player, talagang maghihintay ka kung kelan ka kukunan,  unlike in theater where there is a schedule to follow, and walang pa-star.”

After college, Eugene decided to act exclusively on stage, until lured by friend, TV director Andoy Ranay, give acting a second chance. She was cast by Wenn Derramas to appear as Claudine Barretto's protective friend Simang in the primetime series, Hanggang sa Dulo ng Wala Hanggan, which ran from 2001 until 2003.

“Acting for TV was really sweeter the second time around, kasi natagpuan ko ang  grupo na may respeto sa craft, kasi they also came from theater,” she recalled. While still on her role as Simang, she was cast in Ai-Ai delas Alas breakthrough movie, Ang Tanging Ina, in 2003, where she appeared as Rowena, Ai-Ai's best friend. More film and TV appearances followed. She played as the eccentric mermaid Lorelie in Marina (2004), hosted a cooking Show, Makuha Ka sa Tikim (2005-2006), starred as a witch on the guise of a nun in Kampanerang Kuba (2006), a nanny in Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang (2008), the main host in the comedy show Comedy Bar, and as the younger sister in the Nora Aunor comeback starrer Sa Ngalan ng Ina (2011).

In films, she continued appearing as Ai-Ai delas Alas' best friend in hit comedy blockbusters, including Volta (2004), Ang Cute ng Ina Mo (2007), and Ang Tanging Ina Niyong Lahat (2008).

Her biggest break came when she was cast as the two opposing twins in the Kimi Dora (2009), directed by Joyce Bernal. The movie was critically acclaimed box office success that earned Eugene Best Actress Awards from the PMPC and Golden Screen Awards.

Her success with the box office continued in 2010 with Here Comes the Bride, Petrang Kabayo, and Ang Tanging Ina Mo. She also starred in Mamarrazi, Working Girls (both 2010), Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi, and Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank, the country's official entry to the 2011 Academy Awards.

Way back 50s and 60s, when the Philippine Cinema was at its brightest, it is normal for the likes of Gloria Romero, Nida Blanca, and Susan Roces to appear in 5, 6 or 7 films in a year. Nora and Vilma did the same at the peak of their careers, but no star dared to repeat the same in the succeeding decades. Except for Eugene Domingo. From her stint in Tanging Ina, Uge has appeared in no less then three films a year, and her screen appearance reached its peak in 2011, when she appeared in six films; not to mention 3 more films set for this years Metro Manila Film Festival.

Of her success, Boots Anson-Roa, her co-star in Shake, Rattle and Roll said: “I’m happy for you. You’re no Anne Curtis, but you made it!”

Eugene is happy and thankful for the success that she enjoys, ”Natuwa ako kasi tama ‘yung timing. Handa na yung utak at katawan ko. Mature na ako nung na-launch ako. Hindi ako nasisilaw sa kasikatan.”

But she also keeps in mind that everything is temporarily and ends in time. “After doing your job, you have to save, you have to invest, because yung mga  award, wala nang makakaalala niyan. Naalala mo ba kung sinong nanalo last year? Baka ako na lang nakaalala na nanalo ako. And, when that happens, sana ‘di ka mapi-feature sa “Wish Ko Lang,” kasi wala ka nang pera! ”

Domingo's acting efforts both in comedy and in drama proved worthy of emulation. Among the awards she received include: best supporting actress at the MMFF for Bahay Kubo; Gawad Tanglaw Award for best supporting actress, Foster Child (2008); Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival best supporting actress, 100 (2008); best actress at the Golden Screen Awards for Kimmy Dora; Famas Award for best supporting actress, Here Comes the Bride; MMFF and Star awards for best supporting actress, Ang Tanging Ina Mo; and best actress for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank. 

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