More Urian repeaters

(Second of two parts)

In the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino honor roll, there are quite a number of actors and actresses who have managed to win more than one Urian trophy. Here, for instance, are the Urian awardees who have won twice: Christopher de Leon (Ikaw ay Akin, My Other Woman), the late Jay Ilagan (Kisapmata, Sister Stella L.), Michael de Mesa (Unfaithful Wife, Ikasa Mo, Ipuputok Ko), Gabby Concepcion (Makiusap Ka sa Diyos, Narito ang Puso Ko), Aga Muhlach (Napakasakit, Kuya Eddie, Sana Maulit Muli), Raymond Bagatsing (Milagros, Kriminal ng Bo. Concepcion), Joel Torre (Batang Westside, Bayaning Third World), Ricky Davao (Ipaglaban Mo, Saranggola), Albert Martinez (Segurista, Magnifico), Daria Ramirez (Sinong Kapiling, Sinong Kasiping?, Aguila), the late Nida Blanca (Miguelito, Magdusa Ka), Amy Austria (Jaguar, Narito ang Puso Ko) and Gloria Romero (Tanging Yaman, Magnifico).

The list of three-time Urian winners include: the late Vic Silayan (Ligaw na Bulaklak, Kisapmata and Karnal), Phillip Salvador (Cain at Abel, Karnal and Kapit sa Patalim Richaard Gomez (Hihintayin Kita sa Langit, Saan Ka Man Naroroon and Wating), the late Charito Solis (Ina, Kapatid, Anak, Kisapmata and Karnal) and Elizabeth Oropesa (Milagros, Bulaklak ng Maynila and Laman). Vic Silayan, Phillip Salvador and Richard Gomez, incidentally, were also declared Actors of the Decade by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino.

Incredibly enough, there are four actresses who have won in the Urian four times or even more. Gina Alajar, aside from having been declared as one of the Actresses of the Decade, won twice for Best Actress (Brutal and Salome) and also twice for Best Supporting Actress (Biktima and Mulanay).

Jaclyn Jose also achieved the same feat. She was also declared Best Actress twice (Takaw-Tukso and Itanong Mo sa Buwan) and two times for Best Supporting Actress (Macho Dancer and The Flor Contemplacion Story).

The top-notchers in the race for having the most number of Gawad Urian trophies are the two superstars of Philippine Cinema: Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos. Both were also declared Actresses of the Decade twice.

Aunor already made history by being the first to win the Urian Best Actress Award (for Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos) in 1976. After this initial victory, she won five more times for Bona (1980), Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit (1989), Andrea, Paano Ba Maging Isang Ina? (1990), The Flor Contemplacion Story (1995) and Bakit May Kahapon Pa? (1996).

On the part of Vilma Santos, it took her a long time to get the Manunuri’s nod. She just kept getting nominated, but never won until she did Relasyon in 1982. (She also scored a grand-slam for that by winning in all the other award-giving bodies). But after that, she just kept winning and winning and couldn’t be stopped. In fact, in the history of the Urian, she is the only performer to have won three times in a row. After Relasyon in 1982, she also won for Broken Marriage in 1983 and Sister Stella L. in 1984.

She tied for Best Actress with Nora in 1989 (for Pahiram ng Umaga) and two years later won again – solo – for Ipagpatawad Mo. Then, after another two years, she scored another grand-slam for Dahil Mahal Kita (The Dolzura Cortez Story).

Motherhood made her lie low in show business in the mid-’90s, but she made a spectacular comeback in 1998 by doing Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa? and won another Gawad Urian Best Actress trophy (plus another grand-slam win).

In 2002, she received her eight acting trophy from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino for Dekada ’70.

Tonight at the 28th Gawad Urian to be held at the AFP Theater (to be telecast at 9 p.m. on RPN 9, both Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos are in the running again for Best Actress and – who knows?– may yet add another Urian trophy to their already big collection. This is going to be an exciting race because it had been quite sometime since the two superstars were in an acting contest together in the same year.

And then you add two princesses (actually they should already be classified as queens) of soap – Claudine Barretto and Judy Ann Santos – and this makes tonight’s competition even more exciting.

So would it be a repeater or a first-time winner in the Best Actress race? Tune in for the answer in tonight’s Gawad Urian.