Movie critics, and even showbiz celebrities themselves, admit that the Philippines already has too many actors. A newcomer can easily go down if he/she does not take care. There are always others who await their turn patiently and can immediately replace them. The worst that can happen is when viewers forget these talents in a snap, especially when they have not yet made a mark in the industry.
On the other hand, there are those who have been in showbiz for many years and have constant movie and television projects. They take on supporting roles that are vital to a story but their acting skills are not recognized. Since viewers are more focused on the lead actors and actresses, most of these secondary actors remain in their shadow.
Tiya Pusit and Eugene Domingo, for example, are both incredible comediennes yet they were given an award only last year. Although, for some actors, awards do not really matter as long as they do they job well, the public recognition inspires them to work harder and be more easily recognized by audiences.
Starting off with two actresses, PEP now gives you the other actors who also deserve your attention while you’re watching a local movie or TV show. Do you remember them?
Ronaldo Valdez. Ronaldo Valdez is the famous father of actor-singer Janno Gibbs, who is fond of imitating his father’s actions.
For younger generations, Ronaldo is better known as a comedy actor. But this veteran actor has already played different roles, like villains in his earlier years and dramatic roles in the teleserye Mula sa Puso (1997) and Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan (2001).
Ronaldo’s ability to do dramatic roles has been proven by several awards and nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He won in Gawad Urian and FAMAS for May Minamahal (1994), and in the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Awards for the movie Nasaan ang Puso (1998).
In 2006, Ronaldo was seen in a different movie genre. He played a secondary role as Fred, the father of Kris Aquino and Claudine Barretto, in the horror-suspense movie Sukob. Although it was just a supporting role, his character was significant in revealing the origin of the family curse.
His role as Nene Mulingtapang in Bahay Mo Ba 'to? (2005) was perfectly combined with that of the more popular comedienne Tessie Tomas whose character was Baby Mulingtapang-Benoit. Their team-up not only made the viewers laugh but also taught some lessons about siblings.
Ronaldo now plays the role of Lolo Pepe in the telefantasya Kamandag. He is the father of Alicia (Eula Valdez), who is the mother of Vergel/Kamandag.
Eva Darren. Eva started appearing in movies during the early ‘60s, mostly in supporting roles. Unlike Tiya Pusit, recognition for Eva’s acting talent did not take more than a decade. FAMAS which gave her the Best Supporting Actress for the movie Ang Pulubi (1969).
Eva usually plays the role of a mother. In 1998, the veteran actress was again nominated for Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actress in the movie Ligaya ang Itawag Mo sa Akin (1997). Eva played the mother of Ricky Davao, a loving husband to his wife (Rosanna Roces), who left him for another man (Gardo Versoza).
Another memorable mother role of Eva was in the hit teleserye Pangako Sa’Yo (2000). She played the adoptive mother of Yna Macaspac (Kristine Hermosa). As a mother, she saw the hardships that Ina went through in the hands of the powerful landlady Claudia Buenavista (Jean Garcia).
If not a mother, Eva would be the trustworthy household maid. In the recently concluded sineserye Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara, Eva was the old “kasambahay” who was also a fortuneteller. She predicted that something bad would happen to Barbara (Kris Aquino) and told that her younger sister Ruth was trying to take revenge.
This year, Eva will be part of the movie Ate, which stars the sisters Ara Mina and Cristine Reyes.
Daria Ramirez. Daria Ramirez is the mother of comedian-actor Keempee de Leon. She’s been part of several movies since the ‘70s, mostly drama films like Lumayo Ka Man sa Akin (1992), Paminsan-minsan (1992), and Goodbye America (1997).
Like Eva Darren, Daria Ramirez was also known as an actress who could play the mother role effectively. For almost five years, people who followed the teen-oriented Sunday show titled Tabing Ilog knew Daria as Aling Esper, the mother of Eds or Ponyang (Kaye Abad).
Although she gets only supporting roles, Daria has already been acknowledged for her fine skill in acting.She may not be a very popular actress but Daria already has two Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actress Awards for Aguila (1980) and Sino’ng Kapiling? Sino’ng Kasiping? (1977).She also had four nominations under the same category, three of which were in Gawad Urian (for the movies Damong Ligaw (1997), Hubad na Bayani (1977), and Nunal sa Tubig (1976); the other nomination was from the Film Academy of the Philippines Award for Panaghoy sa Suba.
Daria’s last project, which also required her to be a mother, was the movie Batanes that topbilled Iza Calzado and Taiwanese actor Ken Zhu.
Soliman Cruz. Soliman Cruz is more popular outside mainstream filmmaking. Most of his recent projects are independently produced films.
Soliman bagged the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role when he perfomed as the father of Maxi, the teenage boy in the highly popular indie film Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005).
The following year, Soliman got busy with different indie films. Some of these were Lasponggols, Rotonda, Kubrador, Imahe Nasyon, Seroks, and Selda.
Soliman proved that he can also do good in mainstream movies when he was cast as the father of Judy Ann Santos in Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2006). His stint in this movie earned him a nomination in the 2007 Gawad Urian for Best Supporting Actor.
His role was followed by another movie, of course, when Star Cinema did the KKK sequel Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo last year in time for the 33rd Manila Film Festival.
Right now, Soliman is part of GMA-7’s fantaserye Kamandag as one of the Ambog, a half-human and half-ape creature.
Susan Africa. Susan Africa became popular in the longest-running teleserye, Mara Clara (1993). She was the troubled mother of long-suffering Mara (Judy Ann Santos).
Unlike the artists mentioned earlier, Susan has not won any
award. Yet her many projects over the past decade are proof enough of her
competence as an actress.
Susan always gets a role in teleseryes, especially in ABS-CBN. After Mara Clara, she became part of some popular primetime soap operas like Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan (2001), It Might Be You (2003), Krystala (2004), Palimos ng Pag-ibig (2007), and Walang Kapalit (2007).
She is now part of the fantaserye Lobo, which opened last month in ABS-CBN Primetime Bida.
Juan Rodrigo. Juan Rodrigo started in showbiz in the early ‘80s.His early projects include memorable films like Annie Batungbakal (1979), Kisapmata (1981), and Moral, which earned him the Best Supporting Actor Award from FAMAS in 1983.
Mara Clara followers would also remember Juan as Amante, a disciplinarian to his daughter Clara (Gladys Reyes) and a loving husband.
Juan Rodrigo also played supporting roles in several telenovelas. Among these primetime soap operas were Mula sa Puso (1997), Saan Ka Man Naroroon (1999), Pangako Sa’Yo, Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan (2001), Forever in My Heart (2004), and Ysabella (2007).
Juan started the New Year by playing the character of Don Augusto, father of Rosita (Nadine Samonte), in the afternoon teledrama Maging Akin Ka Lamang.
Nonie Buencamino. Although
Nonie Buencamino already has received several distinctions from known
award-giving bodies in the country, some viewers do not recognize him because
most of the characters he played were only secondary.
He became part of the multi-awarded film Milagros in 1997, which also gave him an opportunity to grab a Best Supporting Actor award from Star Awards. Nonie also bagged the same award for the movies Batad sa Paang Palay (2006)and Sibak (1994).
Nonie is also a regular in the indie scene. Among the independently produced films he participated in were Cinemalaya’s ICU Bed #7 (2005), Gawag-Kalinga film Paraiso: Tatlong Kwento ng Pag-asa (2007), and Ataul for Rent (2007)
Today, Nonie is part of the cast of GMA-7’s E.S.P., which replaced Magpakailanman shown every Thursday.
Irma Adlawan. Irma Adlawan first became prominent in theater. However, armed with her training on the stage, Irma easily made it to movies and television.
Irma’s remarkable performance in the sexy dramatic movie Tuhog, which stars Ina Raymundo and Klaudia Koronel, won her a Best Actress Award from Gawad Urian in 2001.
In another indie drama, Irma was nominated as Best Actress in the 2006 FAMAS Awards for her character Marta in the movie Mga Pusang Gala. Marta was the tenant-neighbor of Boyet (Ricky Davao) and they both intended to take revenge on people they used to love.
Irma also performed well in the soap operas Encantadia (2005), Maging Sino Ka Man (2006), Marimar (2007). Presently she plays the character Clara Rivero in Lobo.
Pen Medina. Pen Medina was in PEP’s Top List of villain roles. Among the featured artists, Pen may one of the busiest supporting actors in television today yet he does not get much attention from the audience.
Pen is currently plays a part in the new fantaserye Joaquin Bordado and in the suspense show E.S.P., which replaces the Thursday drama Magpakailanman.
His role as a bully to Cogie Domingo in the movie Death Row earned him an award from Film Academy of the Philippines for Best Supporting Actor. His stint in Muro-ami earned him recognition as Best Supporting Actor in the 1999 Metro Manila Film Festival and two other nominations in the FAP Awarda and Gawad Urian.
Other films he joined that got him nominated for movie awards were Sakay (1993), Segurista (1996), Ligaya ang Itawag Mo Sa Akin (1997), Lagarista (2000) and Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino(2004).
Caridad Sanchez. Caridad can be considered as the most veteran among the actors featured in this Top List. Starting out in the late ‘50s, Caridad has done more than 70 films, mostly in supporting roles.
Caridad had 12 nominations for Best Supporting Actress in the FAMAS Awards and in Gawad Urian. She has won two Best Supporting Actress awards from FAMAS for the movies Maalaala Mo Kaya: The Movie (1994) and Bagong Buwan (2001). Star Awards for Movies gave her a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.
Today, Caridad often gets the role of either a grandmother or an old mother.
In the CineManila entrySaan Nagtatago si Happiness, Caridad played the character of Sotela Esteban, the mother of the main character named Tikyo. In the teleserye Marimar, the drama actress played the role of Marimar’s (Marian Rivera), Lola Cruz, the wife of Lolo Pancho (Leo Martinez).
The latest project of Caridad was the recently concluded suspense-drama titled La Vendetta.Here she was seen as Nana Mildred, an old trusty nanny who knows the darkest secret of the Cardinale family.
Other actors that the PEP staff short-listed were Bembol Roco, former sexy actor Allen Dizon, Allan Paule, Ronnie Lazaro, Joel Torre and Jaclyn Jose. These actors always play support to the main actor but viewers probably are more familiar with them, compared to the actors in this Top List.