Nora Aunor

Superstar Nora Aunor

Nora Aunor signs contract with GMA Network

Superstar Ms. Nora Aunor recently signed a contract for GMA Network's upcoming primetime drama series, Onanay.

Present in the contract signing were GMA Entertainment Content Group Senior Vice President Lilybeth G. Rasonable, GMA Assistant Vice President for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy and Senior Program Manager Helen Rose S. Sese.

Onanay is a heart-warming and different kind of story of love and acceptance between a mother who suffers from Achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that stunted her growth and her two daughters who grew up physically normal despite the mother’s condition. It shows the infinite and unconditional love that a mother has, and that there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her children.

Ms. Aunor plays a very special role in the series as Nelia, a loving and caring grandmother who is kind yet willing to fight for what is right and will do everything for her family.

The Superstar is proud to be part of the Network’s first series that tackles this disorder that will affect the lives of the main characters. “Napakasaya ko po dahil binigyan ako ng pagkakataon ng GMA 7 na magkaroon ng bagong show. Gusto ko 'yung teleserye at maganda 'yung istorya. Tungkol ito sa kung paano magmahal ang isang ina sa isang anak, at kung paano ipagtanggol ang isang anak ng ina,” she says.

Ms. Aunor is also very happy and excited to work with some of the Network’s sought-after and talented artists. “Dahil sa tagal na hindi ako gumawa ng mga ganitong serye, kabado po ako at dito sa bagong show, ‘yung mga bata na ang nakakasama ko. May kaba pero excited din dahil maganda ang kwento.”

She also adds that everyone is giving their very best in this project and the show will definitely tug the viewers’ hearts, “Sa aking palagay lamang, itong ginagawa namin, sabi nga nila, 'pag puso 'yung pinagsama sa isang proyekto, walang tatalo diyan, kasi andiyan 'yung pagmamahalan, 'yung tulungan, walang lamangan.”

Under the helm of Ms. Gina Alajar, Ms. Aunor will be joined by Mikee Quintos, Kate Valdez and Ms. Cherie Gil. The series also introduces newest Kapuso, Jo Berry who auditioned for the role of Onay, the vertically challenged daughter of Nelia.

Completing the cast are Gardo Versoza, Wendell Ramos, Rochelle Pangilinan, Vaness del Moral, Enrico Cuenca and special guest Adrian Alandy. (30)

Nora Aunor and Jackie Chan met during the 2nd Asean International Film Festival in Malaysia last month. Aunor was bestowed the Asean Lifetime Ahievement Award while Chan received the Asean Inspiration Award. Photo from Facebook

Nora Aunor (born Nora Villamayor y Cabaltera on May 21, 1953) is a Filipina actress, recording artist, and film producer. Aunor has also appeared in several stage plays, television shows, and concerts. She is known as Philippine cinema's Superstar and is regarded as the People's National Artist. "The Hollywood reporter" magazine, called her "The Grand Dame of Philippine Cinema" for her brilliant performance in the movie Taklub.

Aunor started her career in the Philippine entertainment industry as a singer after she won an amateur singing contest. She made her film debut with All Over the World (1967) and also guested in youth-oriented films produced by Vera-Perez Pictures and United Brothers Production. Aunor transformed herself into a serious actress and came to be regarded as an acting heavyweight, performing in films such as Tatlong taong walang Diyos (1976), Himala (1982), Bona (1980), The Flor Contemplacion Story (1995) and Thy Womb (2012) which gave her international and local awards and nominations.

Aunor received 17 FAMAS Award nominations and was elevated to the "Hall of Fame" after winning five Best Actress Awards. She is the most nominated actress of Gawad Urian Awards with 18 nominations, winning seven. She has more nominations as Best Actress than any other Filipino actor in both FAMAS and Gawad Urian award giving bodies. She has won eight trophies from PMPC Star Awards for her work in television and movies, eight Metro Manila Film Festival, four Luna Awards, five Young Critics Circle Awards, a Cairo Film Festival award, an Asia Pacific Screen Awards, an Asian Film Awards, amongst others.

In 1983, Aunor was recognized as one of the The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) in the Field of the Arts. In 1999, Aunor received theCentennial Honor for the Arts awarded by the Cultural Center of the Philippines(CCP). She was the only film actress included in the list of awardees. In 2010, she was hailed by the Green Planet Movie Awards as one of the "10 Asian Best Actresses of the Decade". She received the Ani ng Dangal Award (Harvest of Honors). from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, she received the "Light of Culture Awards from Philippine Centre of the International Theatre Institute and the ITI-Earthsavers UNESCO Dream Center for pioneering in the integration of theater, television, and film. In 2014, Aunor is the recipient of University of the Philippines College of Mass Communications, Gawad Plaridel.

Aunor is also one of the few Asian actresses to be nominated as best actress in three Asian film awards namely: 6th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) in Australia (winner), 55th Asia Pacific Film Festival (APFF) in Macau. and in the 7th Asian Film Awards (AFA) in Hong Kong (winner) for the movie Thy Womb.

Aunor was born in Baryo San Francisco, Iriga, Camarines Sur in Bicol Region. Her parents are Antonia Cabaltera and Eustacio Villamayor. She has nine siblings, including Eddie Villamayor, a former actor. When Nora was growing up, her grandmother (Lola Theresa) taught her to sing; the first song she learned was "The Way of a Clown." Mamay Belen (aunt) taught her diction, interpretation and expression while singing and took her under their custody and from whom she got her screen name. Nora became a champion at the Darigold Jamboree singing contest singing her winning piece "You and the Night and the Music." After that she won another singing contest, The Liberty Big Show. Nora entered the national singing contest, Tawag ng Tanghalan, where she was defeated on her first try and became a champion on her second. The Grand National Finals of Tawag ng Tanghalan was on May 29, 1967, where she sang "Moonlight Becomes You."

Nora went to Mabini Memorial College ('59-'60) when she was in grade I and transferred to Nichols Air Base Elementary School ('60-'62) when she reached grade II and III. She then entered Iriga Central Elementary School ('62-64') as a grade IV and V student. She went back to Mabini Memorial College ('65-'65) to finish her primary education and entered her first year in high school ('65-'66). She then transferred to Generosa de Leon Memorial School in Parañaque. The school is said to be a branch or adjunct of Centro Escolar University-Parañaque ('70-'71) where she graduated high school.

Aunor was married to award-winning actor Christopher de Leon on Jan. 25, 1975, in a civil ceremony. She and De León have five children: actor Ian de León in 1975, adopted daughters Lotlot De Leon and Matet de Leon, and adopted sons Kiko and Kenneth. Aunor and De León renewed their vows on January 27, 1976, in a religious service officiated by Rev Alleysius Rodríguez. The couple separated, and their marriage was annulled in 1996. According to Matet on her interview, Nora is very affectionate and tender as a mom and she treats them equally even though they are not blood related. Aunor became a permanent resident of the United States in 2008, but she retains her Philippine citizenship. In 2011, she came back to the Philippines to resume her acting and singing career after 8 years on hiatus.

Since the late 1960s up to the present, Aunor has made more than 180 films^[146] in different genres, from Musicals, Comedy,Romantic Comedy, Romance and Love story. Later on, she engaged herself in making mature genres such as Dram, Biopics,Film noir, Action, Thriller, Horror and Art film. Aunor was also a crowd drawer, filling up the theaters whenever she has a movie shown. In fact, she was the first Box-Office Queen of the Philippine Cinema for having 18 films in 1970 and they were all box office hits.

However, as agreat actress that she is, she would later sacrificed her Box Office status in exchange of making films that matters, thus, her detractors would say that she is now obsolescent and that her moniker as the country's "Superstar" does not fit her anymore. Still, Aunor continues to make films that would received countless international accolades and brought pride and honor to the country. Since returning from hiatus in 2011, Aunor collaborated with independent film producers and directors in making quality films. among them were Brillante Mendoza, Adolfo Alix Jr., Perci Intalan, Mes Guzman.

Aunor has received numerous national and international awards and nominations. She is the first Filipino actress to win an International acting award in a major Film Festival (Cairo 1995 for the movie The Flor Contemplacion Story). She has been directed by four Philippine National Artist Awardees, Gerardo de Leon, Lamberto Avellana, Lino Brocka, and Ishmael Bernal.