Vilma Santos

Vilma Santos

Born 1953-11-03 (age 72) Tondo, Manila, Philippines
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Biography

Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos-Recto (born November 3, 1953) is a Filipina actress, singer, dancer, TV host, producer, and politician. She has currently serving as Governor of Batangas since 2025, which she previously served from 2007 to 2016.

Her career as an actress has spanned more than five decades, beginning when she debuted as a child actress in the 1963 film Trudis Liit, for which she won her first FAMAS Award (Best Child Performer). She won the FAMAS Award for Best Actress for her dual role in "Dama de Noche" (1972). She has portrayed the superhero Darna in four films beginning with "Lipad, Darna, Lipad!" in 1973. Santos produced "Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak" (1978), which won both the FAMAS Award for Best Picture and the Gawad Urian for Best Film.

In local media, she has been referred to as "Star for All Seasons" for the varied genres of her films and holds the titles of Grand Slam Queen, Queen of Queens, and the Longest Reigning Box Office Queen of Philippine Cinema. She was hailed as the enduring Grand Dame of the Philippine Film Industry by a foreign critic at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, the first Filipina actress to be bestowed such a tile.

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Known For

Dripping Blood
Dripping Blood

1987

as Josefina 'Pina' Ramos Regala

The Healing
The Healing

2012

as Seth

Broken Marriage
Broken Marriage

1983

as Ellen

Karma
Karma

1981

Haplos
Haplos

1982

as Christy

Ipagpatawad Mo
Ipagpatawad Mo

1991

as Selina

Iskorokotoy
The Child
The Child

2000

as Josie

An Affair
An Affair

1982

as Maria Lourdes 'Marilou' Castañeda

Uncensored: Sex In Philippine Cinema 3
Uncensored: Sex In Philippine Cinema 3

2005

as self (archive footage)

Young Love
Masarap, Masakit... ang Umibig
The '70s
The '70s

2002

as Amanda

Lipa 'Arandia' Massacre
Lipa 'Arandia' Massacre

1994

as Helen Arandia

In My Life
In My Life

2009

as Shirley Templo

The Bit Player
The Bit Player

2013

as Loida Malabanan

Because I Love: The Dolzura Cortez Story
All for You
All for You

1982

as Divina

Only You
Only You

1993

as Celina

Kampus?
Kampus?

1978

as Suzette Sandejas