Judy Anne Lumagui Santos-Agoncillo (born May 11, 1978 in Manila, Philippines), popularly known as Judy Ann Santos or Juday/Judai, is an award-winning and multi-nominated film and television actress, product endorser, recording artist, and film producer in the Philippines. She is dubbed as the Philippines Young Superstar.
Biography
Santos is a great granddaughter of Don Joaquin Singian Dayrit of San Fernando Pampanga and one of the granddaughters of the late businesswoman, Victoria Paras Dayrit-Santos of Pampanga, and late Tatang Miguel Santos, who died at his age of 88 years old, a proprietor of the defunct Victoria Supermarket (now owned by Alex Medina)and Victoria Building located in Caloocan City which is now on its 38th anniversary. Both are landowners of a big farm in Rizal and Tarlac. She has an elder brother, actor Jeffrey Santos (actor turned councilor of Caloocan City/married to Inah Santos), and an elder sister named Jackie married to Glenn Hoover. Her mother single-handedly raised them by working as a caregiver in Toronto, Canada. She also has half-siblings with her father who is now based in California, U.S.A. [1][2]
Actress and producer
Santos was discovered during her eighth birthday, when she passed the audition for Regal Films' Kaming Mga Ulila, a project that became a tv series instead for GMA. Santos' first title role is on IBC-13's Ula, Ang Batang Gubat at the age of 10 before forging a long-running television career with ABS-CBN. To date, she has starred in one episodic youth-oriented show (Gimik), two anthologies (Star Drama Theatre Presents, Judy Ann Drama Special), five tv specials (from 2002's A Birthday Wish to 2009's Kuwento Nating Dalawa), ten television series (from Kaming Mga Ulila to Habang May Buhay), and one sitcom entitled George and Cecil.
Santos is managed by Alfie Lorenzo. Although considered an exclusive contract artist of both ABS-CBN and Star Cinema, Santos is allowed to make guest appearances in rival station GMA Network and work with other movie companies. Santos has appeared in more than 60 films (OMG (Oh, My Girl!) is her 64th film), winning the Box Office Queen trophy at the age of 21, and amassing 12 Best Actress awards to date in the Drama, Fantasy, Horror, and Comedy genres. In November 2006, Santos was awarded her own star in the Philippines Walk of Fame. In March 2007, she was also inducted into the Paradise of Stars in the Mowelfund Compound. Both honors were spearheaded by German Moreno.
Santos became a first-time film producer via the independent movie Ploning where she also played the title role. The film is the official entry of the Philippines for the Best Foreign Language Film category to the 2009 Academy Awards.[3] So far, she has received two Best Film awards as co-producer of Ploning.
Product endorser
Santos' mass appeal enabled her to become one of the country's top and most reliable product endorsers. Her endorsement of the slimming pill Fitrum boosted the market for herbal supplements in the Philippines. Here is a list of the products Santos has endorsed through the span of her career: Palmolive Naturals Shampoo; King Flakes Crackers; 555 Sardines; AMA Computer College; Mark II Inhaler; Leonardo Bags; Anonymous Shop; Shield Insecticide; Pacific Blue Eyewear & Watches; Angel Milk; Angel Condensada; Angel Coffee Creamer; Fitrum; Juday’s Baby Products; M Lhuillier; Forever Flawless; Talk N’ Text/Smart-PLDT; Tuseran; Equitable-BDO Credit Card; Pride Detergent Soap; Selecta Ice Cream; Marcella Accessories; Extract Skin Whitener; Lock & Lock-Familia; Modess Feminine Napkin; Maggi; Bacolod Chicken Inasal; Pantene; Lactacyd; Datu Puti Vinegar; Tropicana Orange Juice Drink; Myra-400e; SUN Cellular; ForMe Apparel(GOLDEN ABC, Inc.) and Judy Ann Fragrance Collection by Scents and Blends. Santos ranked #2 based on the number of current endorsements (as of January 2009). Santos ranked #6 based on the total (approximate) amount paid to the celebrity (for the year 2008) according to YES! Magazine.
Recording artist
Star Records produced and released Musika Ng Buhay Ko in 2007. This CD chronicled Judy Ann's showbusiness career through personally handpicked film and TV theme songs as well as guest artists to interpret them. Santos sang on two tracks: Thanks To You and Ikaw Lang. This is her first solo recording venture after two certified platinum efforts (1999's self-titled debut and 2001's Bida Ng Buhay Ko) produced and released by Viva Records. [4]
Magazine cover
When Santos embraced magnificent transformation, she then became a regular fixture on the cover of the countless glossy magazines. In the early quarter of 2009, a special publication produced by ABS-CBN Publishing Inc. - the Star Studio Judy Ann Santos Special was released featuring her life, her joys, her loves, and her dreams. In that magazine, Santos exhibited her skills in writng as she was the Executive Editor on that particular issue. And like the other bestselling magazines where she appeared, said issue captured lots of readers, thus it was easily sold out.
Personal life
Marriage and family
Actor-TV host Ryan Agoncillo proposed marriage to Santos on her 30th birthday. Media confirmation followed only on June 19, 2008 because the couple wanted to keep the engagement to themselves. [5][6] Santos and Agoncillo were married in a private wedding ceremony on the early morning of April 28, 2009, in the San Juan de Nepomuceno Church in San Juan, Batangas in the Philippines.[7] Santos has an adopted daughter named Johanna Lois a.k.a Yohan that she has also kept away from the public eye. In her first sit-down interview after getting married, she revealed for the very first time that she had two short-lived showbiz relationships (no names were given) before dating Agoncillo. [8]
Education
Santos attended her kindergarten at Assumption Convent, Elementary at Our Lady of Peace Antipolo where she graduated with a Performer of the Year Award and she finished her High School at Mount Carmel College in Quezon City then went on to take up Culinary Arts Course at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies under the tutelage of Chef Gene Gonzalez where she graduated with distinction. She is now training for certification as a professional chef. She also had a crash course in International Cuisine in Chiang Mai,Thailand. She also took up the Exam for TESDA National Certification and just last July 06, 2009 she passed the exam and received a Certificate of Competency from TESDA. [1][9][10]
Foundations
Santos is head of the Touch A Heart Foundation (launched in 2004), which addresses the educational and agricultural needs of a community of Aetas in Bataan, and provides medical supplies for the hospital in Cuyo Island, Palawan. A housing project to help revive the careers of veteran actors, small-time comedians and action film sidekicks is also in the works. [11]
Santos, together with director Dante Nico Garcia, launched the Ploning Foundation on February 22, 2009. This foundation aims to inspire filmmakers to make quality projects intended for a global audience and to impart what the Ploning team learned during their Oscar campaign. [12]
Weight issues
Santos grew from a skinny little girl into a chubby teenager. Soon, she discovered the sport of kickboxing and started losing considerable weight during her training for the role of a boxer in Bakit 'Di Totohanin. Due to her transformation from a "chubby teen sweetheart" to a "sexy fitness guru".[13][14][15][16], she has become an image model for health and physical fitness. She regularly appears on television advertisements, endorsing pharmaceutical brands, herbal supplements, and weight management products.
Released December 25, 1997; First double-nomination (MMFF-P) in the Supporting Actress category
Nasaan Ang Puso?
Ria
MaQ
Chito Rono
Released December 25, 1997; First double-nomination (MMFF-P) in the Supporting Actress category; first FAMAS and FAP nominations in the Supporting Actress category; First Film with Christopher de Leon
Released June 9, 1999; First Philippine-produced movie in Philippine history to have reached and exceeded the PHP 100 million mark in the box office [18]; Last film with Fernando Poe, Jr.
Dito Sa Puso Ko
Ligaya Tatlonghari
Viva Films
Eric Quizon
Released November 10, 1999; First film of Santos shot in the United States
Esperanza: The Movie
Esperanza Estrera
Star Cinema
Jerry Lopez Sineneng
Released December 25, 1999; First Film with Ms. Charo Santos-Concio where they shared screen time
First MFF nomination in the Lead Actress category; First GAWAD URIAN and PMPC nominations in the Supporting Actress category; First Film with Sharon Cuneta
First ENPRESS nomination in the Lead Actress (Musical or Comedy) category; First film with Dina Bonnevie
June 23, 2004
Sabel
Sabel
Regal Films
Joel Lamangan
B
First GAWAD URIAN, FAP and ENPRESS nominations in the Lead Actress category; First film with Wendell Ramos and Iza Calzado; First Best Actress wins (URIAN and ENPRESS) in Drama
First PMPC and PASADO nominations in the Lead Actress category; First film of Santos set during the Japanese Occupation; First film with Raymart Santiago
First film of Santos as producer; First Best actress wins (TANGLAW and PASADO) in an Indie Film; Official entry of the Philippines for the Best Foreign Language Film category to the 2009 Academy Awards. [19]
Opening Film for the 48th anniversary celebration of Regal Films[21]; First film with Dennis Trillo (as leading man); 2nd film with TJ Trinidad (as leading man)
CEB stands for Cinema Evaluation Board in the Philippines. An A rating gives the film a 100% tax rebate on its earnings. A B rating gives the film a 65% tax rebate. For movies shown in the December filmfest, the tax rebate starts after the first two weeks of screening.
First action-serye on Philippine tv; 2004 ENPRESS Golden Screen Entertainment TV Outstanding Drama Series Winner; 2004 ENPRESS Golden Screen Entertainment TV Outstanding Direction For A Drama Series Winner; 2004 PMPC Star Awards For TV Best Primetime Drama Series Nominee; Last episode was broadcast live from the Luneta Park grounds (a first in Philippine tv history); Leading men were Robin Padilla and TJ Trinidad
Rory Quintos; Trina N. Dayrit; Mae Czarina Cruz; Nuel C. Naval
Played an original superheroine; Krystala also appeared in Komiks' Inday Bote; Leading men were Sid Lucero, TJ Trinidad and Ryan Agoncillo; First Best Actress win for a tv series to date
Jerry Lopez Sineneng (first episodes); Rory Quintos; Trina Dayrit
2006 PMPC Star Awards For TV Best Primetime Drama Series Winner; 2007 International Emmy Awards Semi-Finalist (Drama Series Category) Featured Article - ABS-CBN.com Leading men were Albert Martinez and Piolo Pascual; First tv series of Santos to be available on DVD
Jerry Lopez Sineneng (first episodes); Rory Quintos; Don Cuaresma
First cooking-serye on Philippine tv; Santos' real-life passion for cooking inspired the theme for this series; 2008 PMPC Star Awards For TV Best Primetime Drama Series Nominee; Leading men were Ryan Agoncillo and Derek Ramsay; Second tv series of Santos to be available on DVD
Santos' first sitcom (airs on Sunday primetime); Leading man is Ryan Agoncillo; Written and directed by Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo and Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo writer/director Joey Reyes
First nurse-serye on Philippine tv; Juday plays a nurse; Leading men are Joem Bascon, Will Devaughn, and Derek Ramsay; Mark Meily directed the scenes in San Francisco
This list does not include hosting stints in That's Entertainment, ASAP, SangLinggoNaPoSila, MTB, ASAP Fanatics, and SOP.
Maalaala Mo Kaya
Date
Title
Notes
1999
Agua Bendita
Played a "Linda Blair Exorcist-type" role; Leading man was Rico Yan
2000
Karnabal
Played the only regular-looking member in a family of midgets; Leading man was Wowie de Guzman; 2000 KBP Golden Dove Awards Best Drama Nominee
2001
Basket
Played an ungrateful daughter who shunned her Aeta roots; Caridad Sanchez played the forgiving mother; 2001 Catholic Mass Media Awards Best Drama Winner; 2001 KBP Golden Dove Awards Best Drama Winner; Finalist for the Magnolia Award for Best Film for TV during the 9th Shanghai Television Festival 2002 in China
2002
Pier 39
Played a caregiver beholden to a wheelchair-bound old man who fell in love with a wayward guy (Piolo Pascual); 10th Anniversary Presentation; First MMK episode filmed outside the Philippines (San Francisco, California)
August 4, 2005
Rosaryo
Played a struggling family breadwinner who fell in love with a spoiled rich kid (Ryan Agoncillo)
August 18, 2006
Swing
Played a dying cancer patient who fell in love with a young callboy (Jason Abalos)
December 13, 2008
Lason
Played an illiterate mother who fought against terrible life struggles causing her to almost kill her children.
Komiks
Date
Title
Character Name
Notes
February 4, 2006
Inday Bote
Inday
Role originated by Maricel Soriano; First season pilot episode
May 13, 2006
Inday sa Balitaw Part 1
Inday
Second season pilot episode
May 20, 2006
Inday sa Balitaw Part 2
Inday
Episode served as Judy Ann's 28th birthday presentation
GAWAD GENIO (Critics' Academy Film Desk of Zamboanga City)
Year
Movie
Category
2009
Ploning
Best Film Actress
2008
Ouija
Best Film Actress
held every December
GMMSF (Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation)
Year
Movie
Category
2009
Ploning
Film Actress of the Year
2007
Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo
Film Actress of the Year
Multiple Film Citations in One Year
Movie Release Year
Movie 1
Movie 2
Movie 3
2009
Ploning
Kulam
2007
Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo
Ouija
2006
Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo
Don't Give Up On Us
2004
Sabel
Aishite Imasu (Mahal Kita) 1941
I Will Survive
1998
Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay
Kasal-Kasalan...Sakalan
1997
Nasaan Ang Puso?
Babae
This list also includes film performances that were part of Top Ten Nominees released by award-giving bodies to the Philippine press even if these film performances did not end up in the Final Five Nominees.