Irma Santonil Adlawan (born March 7, 1962) is a Filipino stage, television and film actress. She is dubbed as the “''Queen of Independent Cinema''” for her acting prowess and exceptional contribution to Philippine film industry.
Adlawan is a FAMAS Award winner. She won "Best Actress" at the 9th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. In 2016, she won another "Best Actress" trophy at the Metro Manila Film Festival, winning against the Superstar
Nora Aunor
Nora Cabaltera Villamayor (born May 21, 1953), professionally known as Nora Aunor (), is a Filipino actress, recording artist, and film producer. Aunor has also appeared in several stage plays, television shows and concerts. She is known as P ...
. The same year, she won "Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Play" at the 8th Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards. Her performance in the MMK episode “Passport” was met with acclaims and praises from both critics and viewers, winning "Best Actress in a Single Drama Performance" at the 9th EdukCircle Awards. In 2020, she participated among the five entries for the European Philippine International Film Festival (EPIFF).
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital city, capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is Cities of the Philippines#Independent cities, highly urbanize ...
, the daughter of Conrada Santonil, a housewife, and Pedro Adlawan, a retired colonel. She attended St. Mary Magdalene School in Cavite and became a student of Speech and Drama at the University of the Philippines–Diliman, having transferred from its
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital city, capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is Cities of the Philippines#Independent cities, highly urbanize ...
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
's ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict ...
'', which she performed for Dulaang UP in 1983 under the direction of its founder, Tony Mabesa. He had asked her to audition, and she was subsequently cast. From then on she had become a regular of Dulaang UP, starring in productions such as Chekhov's '' Three Sisters'', Betti's ''The Queen and the Rebels'',
Fay
A fairy (also fay, fae, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic, Slavic, Germanic, English, and French folklore), a form of spirit, o ...
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...
's '' The Misanthrope'', as well as a multitude of other plays.
After UP, Adlawan became a member of Tanghalang Pilipino's Actors Company from 1991 to 1998, performing in numerous stage plays. Some of her most notable roles include a Chinese film producer, based on Regal Films matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde in Dennis Marasigan's ''Ang Buhay Ay Pelikula''; Zafira in
Francisco Balagtas
Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz (April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862), commonly known as Francisco Balagtas and also as Francisco Baltasar, was a Filipino Tagalog litterateur and poet during the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He i ...
' ''Orosman at Zafira''; Sisa in the Cayabyab- Lumbera musical adaptation of José Rizal's '' Noli Me Tangere''; and Teodora Alonso in Nonon Padilla and Rene O. Villanueva's ''Teodora''. For ''Buhay Ay Pelikula'' she was cited as Best Actress of the Year by the Young Critics Circle in 1992, while for ''Teodora'' her performance as the mother of Philippine hero José Rizal was praised by
National Artist National Artist is an honorary title issued by some states as a highest recognition of artists for their significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the nation.
An equivalent title, People's Artist, has been known in countries of the ...
for Dance Leonor Orosa-Goquingco for " ccomplishingher histrionic feat, her splendid tour de force ith such ease, passion, range, verisimilitude and transparency"
Some of Adlawan's early mainstream film roles include a victim of incestuous rape in Jeffrey Jeturian's ''Tuhog'' in 2001 and a public school teacher in '' Mga Munting Tinig'' in 2002, both of which earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Gawad Urian Awards."Actors. Mga Pusang Gala n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2015. Three years later, in 2005, during the advent of digital cinema, she starred in three independent films: ''ICU Bed #7'', where she played Eddie Garcia's daughter; ''Sa North Diversion Road'', which had been adapted for film and had her reprising her role from mid-90s theatre alongside John Arcilla, where they played 10 different couples dealing with infidelity; and ''Mga Pusang Gala'', based on the Palanca award-winning screenplay by Rody Vera and Jun Lana, where she played the role of Marta, a single middle-aged advertising practitioner. She received Best Actress nods for her performances in ''Sa North'' and ''Mga Pusang Gala''. She continued to act in indies, playing lead and supporting roles from 2006 onwards. Her performance as Aling Carmen in ''Ataul: For Rent'' in 2007 earned her a FAMAS Best Supporting Actress award.
Her early television credits include appearances in Cecile Guidote-Alvarez's ''Balintataw'', Behn Cervantes' ''Angkan'', and
Mario O'Hara
Mario Herrero O'Hara (April 20, 1946 – June 26, 2012) was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter known for his sense of realism often with dark but realistic social messages.Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan'', '' Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay'', '' Mga Anghel na Walang Langit'', and '' Encantadia''. In 2006, she was cast in the recurring role of Imelda Magsaysay, the mother of Celine Magsaysay (played by
Anne Curtis
Anne Curtis-Smith(; born 17 February 1985) is a Filipino-Australian actress, model, television host, entrepreneur and recording artist. She is dubbed as the "''Multimedia Superstar''" for her talent and influence.
Curtis has received numerou ...
), in the highly successful
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under L ...
teleserye, Maging Sino Ka Man. Her other TV credits include Clara Rivero in
Lobo
Lobo may refer to:
Places
*Lobo, Batangas, a municipality in the Philippines
*Lobo, Texas, a ghost town
*Lobo, Indonesia
*Lobo, Cameroon, a town in Cameroon
*Lobo Hill, near Belchite, Aragon, Spain
* Lobo, Ontario, near London, Ontario, Canada
Pe ...
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under L ...
and GMA Network's respective drama anthologies, '' Maalaala Mo Kaya'' and '' Magpakailanman''.
While regularly appearing in teleseryes and acting in independent films, Adlawan continued to perform on the stage, and in 2008 she was inducted into the Aliw Awards Hall of Fame for her three Best Stage Actress wins in ''100 Hundred Songs of Mary Helen Fee'', ''Speaking in Tongues'', and ''Ang Pokpok ng Ohio''. That same year, she starred in Tanghalang Pilipino's production of David Henry Hwang's ''The Golden Child'' and alternated with Missy Maramara as Desdemona in
Tanghalang Ateneo
Tanghalang Ateneo is the longest-running theater company of the Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University. The company weaves into its work the theatrical traditions of the university's sesquicentennial past: the devotion of the ''salon de actos ...
's adaptation of
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
's ''
Othello
''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cyp ...
''. The following year, in 2009, she portrayed the role of Candida Marasigan—which she would continue to reprise four more times in the next five years—in Nick Joaquin's '' A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino'' in a staging by Repertory Philippines.
That same year, Adlawan starred in Alvin Yapan's Cinemalaya film ''Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe'', for which she received another Best Actress nomination at the Gawad Urian Awards. She also reprised her role as Baby Magtalas, the mother of Laida Magtalas (played by Sarah Geronimo) in the sequel of '' A Very Special Love'', '' You Changed My Life''. In 2010, she starred in the Cinemalaya film ''Vox Populi'', playing the role of Connie de Gracia, a politician's daughter running for office. In the following years, she returned to Dulaang UP by way of
Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero
Wilfrido María Guerrero (January 22, 1910 – April 28, 1995) was a Filipino playwright, director, teacher and theater artist.
He wrote over 100 plays, 41 of which have been published. His unpublished plays have either been broadcast on the rad ...
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under L ...
Transit
Transit may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Transit'' (1979 film), a 1979 Israeli film
* ''Transit'' (2005 film), a film produced by MTV and Staying-Alive about four people in countries in the world
* ''Transit'' (2006 film), a 2006 ...
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
Jasmine Curtis-Smith
Jasmine Cassandra Curtis-Smith (; born April 6, 1994) is a Filipino-Australian actress, host, dancer, endorser, writer, and model. She is known internationally for her critically acclaimed performance in Hannah Espia's 2013 film ''Transit'', an ...
, Mercedes Cabral, Marc Justine Alvarez, and Yatzuck Azuz. In 2014, she starred in
Ronnie Lazaro
Ronnie Zabala Lazaro (born November 14, 1957) is a Gawad Urian Award-winning Filipino film and television actor, producer, casting and art director.
Biography
He has received many nominations throughout his career as an actor, nine of which ...
's directorial debut ''Edna'', a film that again tackles the stories of OFWs. She played the role of Edna dela Costa, a Filipino caregiver returning home to find a changed family. Adlawan was also part of ''The Janitor'', an entry in the Directors Showcase category of Cinemalaya X. Later in the year, she joined the cast of Liza Soberano and
Enrique Gil
Enrique Mari Bacay Gil V (; born March 30, 1992) is a Filipino actor, dancer, and commercial model. Gil has appeared in various films and television shows such as '' Mula Sa Puso'', '' Budoy'', '' Princess and I'', '' Muling Buksan Ang Puso'' ...
's launching teleserye '' Forevermore'', as Mirasol, one of the farmers in their community and a maternal figure to Soberano's character, Agnes.
In 2015, she continued to appear in ABS-CBN and GMA's drama anthologies, as well as their seasonal television specials and was cast in supporting roles in several films, including ''Sleepless'', a QCinema Film Festival offering and '' Walang Forever'', an entry to the
41st Metro Manila Film Festival
The 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the 41st edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival held in Metro Manila and throughout the Philippines. It organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA, a government agen ...
. In October of the same year, she returned to the stage, with much critical acclaim, through Tanghalang Pilipino's ''Mga Buhay na Apoy'', Kanakan-Balintagos' Palanca-award winning play. Adlawan was also cast in '' Destiny Rose'' as Bethilda Vitto, one of the show's antagonists. She also received a Best Supporting Actress nod for her performance as Mirasol in '' Forevermore'' at the
29th PMPC Star Awards for Television
The 29th PMPC Star Awards for Television (organized by Philippine Movie Press Club headed by current president and over-all awards chairman Joe Barrameda and produced by Airtime Marketing Philippines, Inc. headed by Tessie Celestino-Howard) awar ...
.
The following year, Adlawan took home the Gawad BUHAY! award for Outstanding Lead Female Performance in a Play for her performance as Soledad Santos in ''Mga Buhay na Apoy''. She continued to appear in various television shows and movies and made a return to the Virgin Lab Fest stage in Kanakan Balintagos' ''Loyalist''. Later in the year, Adlawan eventually replaced
Nora Aunor
Nora Cabaltera Villamayor (born May 21, 1953), professionally known as Nora Aunor (), is a Filipino actress, recording artist, and film producer. Aunor has also appeared in several stage plays, television shows and concerts. She is known as P ...
in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry, ''Oro'', and ultimately went on to win a Best Actress award for it.
Personal life
Adlawan married actor/writer/director Dennis Marasigan, whom she met during their time at the UP and with whom she has four children. He has directed her in several of his films: ''Sa North Diversion Road'', ''Tukso'', and ''Vox Populi''. They are separated.Reyes, William R. Dramatic actress Irma Adlawan reveals her heartaches as a mother of four " ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''. 29 May 2014. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith
Jasmine Cassandra Curtis-Smith (; born April 6, 1994) is a Filipino-Australian actress, host, dancer, endorser, writer, and model. She is known internationally for her critically acclaimed performance in Hannah Espia's 2013 film ''Transit'', an ...