The most talented actor wins the prize. That may not be true in every occasion, and for every actress, but taking home the top acting honors more than once, is surely a legendary feat.
We look through the winners of the five biggest film awards: FAMAS, Urian, Luna, Star Awards, Young Critics Circle in the country, and of the Metro Manila Film Festival–to come up with this list of local actresses with most wins for ‘Best Actress’ from 2000 to 2020.
Vilma Santos, won nine times.
The crown belongs to the Star for all Seasons for having the most wins for Best Actress in the last two decades.
In 2001, Santos won Best Actress from Philippine Movie Press Club during Star Awards for Movies 17th awarding ceremony. She won for her performance in the film, Anak. She earned four more best actress trophies from Star Awards, for her performances in Dekada ’70 (2003), Mano Po 3: My Love (2005), In My Life (2010), and Everything About Her (2017).
For her performance in Anak, she earned a Best Actress trophy, each from Gawad Urian, Luna Awards, and the Youth Critics Circle. For her role in Mano Po 3: My Love, the Metro Manila Film Festival, gave her another Best Actress trophy in 2004.
Maricel Soriano, won seven times.
Diamonds are forever, so does Soriano’s legendary acting career.
In the two decades of her career, the undisputed Diamond Star took home seven Best Actress awards from the biggest acting awards in the country.
Soriano won the Luna Awards’ best actress trophy twice, one in 2004 for her role in Filipinas, and another in 2008 for her role in Bahay Kubo.
The Metro Manila Film Festival, handed her a total of four Best actress titles for her performances in the following films: Filipinas (2003), Bahay Kubo (2007), Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (2011), and Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy (2013). Lasty, Soriano took home the top acting accolade from the Young Critic Circle, for her magnificent performance in Inang Yaya (2007).
Judy Ann Santos, won seven times.
Hailed as the young superstar, Santos lives up to her title by being one of only two Philippine actresses to score seven Best Actress Awards from the local entertainment scene’s biggest award-giving bodies.
She took home Film Academy of the Philippines’ top acting prize twice for her performances in Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2007) and Mindanao (2020)–with the latter film also giving her an MMFF Best Actress award. She won her first and only FAMAS, MMFF, and PMPC Star Awards for Movies, Best Actress trophies in 2007–both for her role in Kasal Kasali, Kasalo.
She won her first Gawad Urian in 2005 for her role in Sabel.
Gloria Romero, won six times.
Veteran actress, Romero, has been around in showbusiness for nearly seven decades.
Her performances in the last twenty years bear no difference in her greatness since the onset of her phenomenal movie career. She scored the top award for an actress in a lead role, from the Youth Critics Circle, FAMAS, Film Academy of the Philippines’ Luna Awards, the Gawad Urian, and the Metro Manila Film Festival–all for her performance in the ensemble family drama, Tanging Yaman.
Her last Best Actress win was in 2018, following her unforgettable performance in the film, Rainbow’s Sunset.
Nora Aunor, won five times.
The last twenty years of one and only Superstar is no doubt different from the rest of her phenomenal movie career. She took home the top prize from various acting awards since 2000.
Aunor won her seventh Urian in 2013 for her role in Thy Womb, which she also gave her the top acting prize from the Youth Critics Circle.
She won the Best Actress trophy from PMPC Star Awards, twice for her performances in Dementia (2015) and Kabisera (2017), respectively. The latter film also handed her a Best Actress trophy in 2016.
Ai-Ai de las Alas, won five times.
Other than her Box-Office Queen titles, de las Alas scored top acting awards, too.
PMPC in 2004, named her as Best Actress for her stellar performance in the film, Ang Tanging Ina. She again took home Star Awards for Movies’ top acting award in 2008, following her performance in Ang Cute ng Ina Mo. In 2009, she scored the Luna Awards’ Best Actress title for her performance in Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat. The following year, she was again named Best Actress at the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival for her performance in Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last Na ‘To!).
For the same performance, she received her first FAMAS Best Actress Award in 2011.
Lorna Tolentino, won four times.
Currently, appearing as one of the major antagonists in the long-running TV series, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano–Tolentino has arguably among the most impressive acting portfolio in the local entertainment industry.
In the last twenty years, she scored two Best Actress trophies each from FAMAS and Luna Awards. The drama film Abakada Ina gave her two best actress awards—one from FAMAS, and another from Luna Awards.
FAP’s Luna Awards handed her another best actress trophy in 2011 for her performance in the Star Cinema family drama, Sa’yo Lamang.
Elizabeth Oropesa, won four times.
Oropesa’s jawdropping performance in the film, Bulaklak ng Maynila (1999), gave her five Best Actress wins. She received four of those wins in 2000 from the Young Critics Circle, Star Awards for Movies, Gawad Urian, and Luna Awards–making her one of just a few actresses to take home the top acting award for her performance in the same film.
Claudine Barretto, won four times.
Considered to be one of her generation’s biggest stars, Barretto is also known for her incredible feats in various local award-giving bodies.
She scored two FAMAS Best Actress Awards, while PMPC and the Film Academy Awards each handed her one trophy. Barretto won her first Luna and FAMAS Best Actress awards for her incredible portrayal in the film, Milan in 2005.
Prior to these wins, she scored grand slam Best Actress nominations from the four biggest film awards in the country for her performance in Kailangan Kita (2004). In 2006, Star Cinema’s drama-thriller Nasaan Ka Man, gave her her first FAMAS and PMPC Star Awards for Movies’ Best Actress awards.
Angel Locsin, won four times.
This talented Kapamilya actress won PMPC Star Awards’ Best Actress trophy for two consecutive years. In 2012, she was named Movie Actress of the Year for her performance in In the Name of Love. The film One More Try, gave her the same award the following year.
One More Try also scored Locsin her first FAMAS Award in 2012, as well as her first Luna Award in 2013.
Nadine Lustre, won three times.
The youngest actress in this list, Lustre won three of her biggest acting awards through her remarkable take on her role in the film, Never Not Love You.
She earned the top accolade from the Youth Critics Circle, FAMAS Awards, and Gawad Urian for her performance in the said film.
Joanna Ampil, won three times.
Theater actress, Joana Ampil scored her sole Luna, Urian, and MMFF Best Actress awards for her stellar performance in the same film—Ang Larawan.
In the world of the theater, however, she definitely had a much better number—from performances on many play titles—to brag about.
Cherry Pie Picache, won three times.
Picache’s rich filmography sprawls across three decades. She had her first major acting award via Star Cinema’s family drama, Tanging Yaman, which brought home major awards in 2000.
For her performance in the said film, she, alongside many members of the cast, brought home the top acting honor from the Young Critics Circle. Three years later, she scored the top acting awards from Urian in 2003 and 2007 for her performances in the films, American Adobo and Foster Child, respectively.
Take note that the list tallied wins from these award-giving bodies: Youth Critic Circle, Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards ‘ FAMAS Awards, Film Academy of the Philippines (Luna Awards), Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino’s Gawad Urian Awards, Philippine Movie Press Club’s Star Awards for Movies, and the Metro Manila Film Festival.
Did you think we missed someone who should be in the list? Let us know in the comments.
