Nora Aunor Biography
Born as Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, a critically acclaimed 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, The Grand Dame of Philippine Cinema, Cultural Icon, and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts.
May 21, 1953: Aunor was born in Baryo San Francisco, Iriga, Camarines Sur in Bicol Region. Her parents are Antonia Cabaltera and Eustacio Villamayor,
1959: Aunor first attended Mabini Memorial College's elementary school before transferring to Nichols Air Base Elementary School for grades two and three.
1962 - 1966: Aunor attended Iriga Central Elementary School from Grades 4 to 5, but she then transferred to Mabini Memorial College (Elementary), where she completed her primary education and began her first year of high school.
1965: At the age of 12, Nora works as a water vendor at the train station of Iiriga, Nora became a Champion at the Darigold Jamboree Singing Contest singing her winning piece is "You and the Night and the Music" and after that, she won another singing contest. The Liberty Big Show
1971: Aunor completed high school at Centro Escolar University's Generosa de Leon Memorial College in Paranaque.
May 29, 1967: Nora won in The Grand National
Finals of Tawag ng Tanghalan singing her signature
song " Moonlight Becomes You." She was only 14 years old.
October 2, 1967: Aunor agreed to a non-exclusive eight-picture deal with Sampaguita Pictures on the condition that she would have a singing role.
1967: She first appeared in the Eddie & Nora Show, then the Nora Aunor Show, and lastly the longest-running musical variety show in the Philippines, "Superstar," which ran from 1971 until 1989.
September 3, 1969: In the film "D' Musical Teenage Idols," Aunor received his first leading role from Tower Records opposite Tirso Cruz III. The film "Fiesta Extravaganza," starring Nora-Tirso, was released three days later as part of Sampaguita Pictures' 34th-anniversary presentation.
December 9, 1969: Tirso gave Nora a doll as a
gift for her during the coronation of Nora as the
Muse of Sampaguita Family Club. The name of the
doll is Maria Leonora Theresa.
1970: Nora Aunor received her first acting nomination from the Citizens’ Council for Mass Media (CCMM) for the movie "Nasaan ka Inay?"
1971: Aunor graduated from High School at "Centro Escolar University - Paranaque"
May 21, 1971: Aunor celebrated her 18th birthday at the Sampaguita pictures compound. The celebration was attended by so many people including the big bosses of movie production companies.
June 21, 1971: Guy and Pip was screened in theaters as a part of the Manila Film Festival. Guy and Pip would be the highest-grossing movie ever in the Philippines if we calculated box office revenue based on ticket inflation. More than 4 million Filipinos saw it during its six-month run in theaters, which brought in an astounding box office haul.
1972: Nora Aunor received her first best actress
award from the Quezon City Film Festival for the
the movie "And God Smiled at Me." She also received
her first acting nomination from FAMAS for the
the movie " A Gift of Love."
1973: Aunor founded her own film production firm, "NV Productions," and "Carmela" was the first film it produced. She adopted Lotlot de Leon and collaborated on a film with Joseph Estrada.
January 25, 1975: Aunor married Christopher de Leon in a civil ceremony, with whom she has one child who was born on December 11, 1975, actor Ian Kristoffer de Leon.
1977: Aunor won her first best actress grand slam from FAMAS and Gawad Urian for her movie "Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos."
November 25, 1977: The movie "Little Christmas Tree"
was shown in the cinemas, this is the first and the
only collaboration of the 2 biggest stars in
Philippine cinema, Fernando Poe Jr. and Nora Aunor.
It was a box office success.
December 1978: The Metro Manila Film Festival's 1978 Best Performer Award went to Nora Aunor. The decision to only award one acting award that year was made by the organizers in an effort to be gender sensitive.
December 25, 1979: "Ina Ka ng Anak Mo." the first collaboration of Lino Brocka, Lolita Rodriguez and Nora Aunor was screened as part of the 1979 Metro Manila Film Festival.
1980: "Nora made 2 more movies with Lino Brocka, "Nakaw na Pag-ibig" and "Bona" which was an entry to the Director's Fortnight in 1981 Cannes International Film Festival. In September 1982, the film competed at Figueira da Foz International Film Festival in Portugal and won the Premio de le Juri de la Federacion Internationale des Cine Clubs (Jury Prize of the International Federation of Cinema Clubs. It is the only Filipino Film cited as one of "The Best 100 Films in the World" by the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, USA (1997). and the only Filipino film to be archived at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
1981: "Nora won her first Catholic Mass Media Award best Actress Trophy for "Bakit Bughaw ang Langit"
1982: "Ismael Bernal directs Nora in "Himala" and her portrayal was considered by most Filipino critics as a benchmark for acting and the movie is undoubtedly one of the best ever. The film also competed with the Best in the World at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival.
1983: She received recognition as one of the Ten Outstanding Women in National Service in the field of performing arts (TOWNS).
May 18, 1991: Nora stages her first-ever concert "Handog" at the Araneta Coliseum. It was well attended that she filled the big dome with more or less 30,000 people that came to witness the momentous event.
1995: Nora Made a Biographical Film, "The Flor Contemplacion Story", about a Filipino domestic Helper who was sentenced to die in Singapore. Aunor won her first International Acting award from Cairo International Film Festival.
1998: Won her second international best actress award from the 1st East Asia Television and Film Festival in Penang, Malaysia.
1999: Aunor received the Centennial Honor for the Arts awarded by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). She was named "Actress of the Century"
September 23, 2002: Nora returned to primetime TV with her nightly drama Show "Bituin." It was one of the highest-rated shows ever in the Philippine Television History
May 13, 2003: Nora celebrated her 50th birthday with a concert entitled "GOLD" at the Araneta Coliseum.
May 21, 2004, Honored by the City and county
of San Francisco, USA through the office of
Mayor Gavin Newson with the Nora Aunor Day
December 1, 2005: Aunor received her own star at the Philippine walk of fame which was patterned after the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was one of the first inductees. the project was spearheaded by German Moreno. For the first time after she was inducted, Aunor visited her star on August 7, 2011.
August 10, 2011: Came back to the Philippines after eight-year of Hiatus in the United States of America.
September 2012: Her film, "THY WOMB" was screened at the 2012 Venice International Film Festival. Aunor was chosen by independent film critics, the “Premio Della Critica Indipendiente” as their best actress, and gave her the Bisato d’Oro.
November 2012: Aunor won the most coveted Best Actress Award from the 6th Asia Pacific Screen Award.
March 2013: Aunor won the Best Actress Award at the 7th Asian Film Awards.
August 2013: Aunor won her 7th International Best Actress Award from the 3rd Sakhalin International Film Festival In Russia.
August 25, 2014: Aunor was conferred the Gawad Plaridel from the University of the Philippines.
April 11, 2015: Aunor was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards in Malaysia.
June 16, 2015: The Gawad Urian bestowed her the Tanging Gawad Urian for her contribution to the Philippine Cinema.
September 17, 2015: The Cultural Center of the
The Philippines conferred her the Gawad CCP
para sa Sining for Film and Broadcast Arts.
June 10, 2022: Nora Aunor has been conferred the
Order of National Artists of the Philippines for Film
and Broadcast Arts.
