Nora Aunor’s legacy remembered by celebrity friends; bread named after her
Filipino actress Nora Aunor poses with her trophy after winning the Best Actress Award of her movie “Thy Womb” at the Asian Film Awards as part of the 37th Hong Kong International Film Festival in Hong Kong Monday, March 18, 2013. Image: AP Photo/Kin Cheung
As the industry marks what would have been Nora Aunor’s 72nd birthday, here’s a revisit of the tributes from her colleagues that paint a portrait of the late superstar and the impact she left behind, all first shared on the last day of her wake.
Boots Anson Roa
“We want to celebrate her life because it was quite an exciting, colorful, glorious, meaningful life. I am the godmother of her son Ian […] I hope everyone will pray for Nora because the meaning and the significance of her life is so big for all of us.”
Sheryl Cruz
“She’s a very warm and funny person. Every time we are on set, she would accommodate her fans who want to take pictures with her. She’s very down to earth. She’s the same way with all the fans who love her. Then, she has a very beautiful voice that is good to listen to, it never gets boring no matter how many times you listen to it.”
Boy Abunda
“From someone who admires her, she’ll always be the greatest actor Philippine cinema has produced. She was big. She was huge. In everything. And, the only way for me to understand the phenomenon that was Nora Aunor was to love her.”
Judy Ann Santos
“She’s a big star. But once you get to work with her, it’s all nothing because she was one of the guys. From her I was able to see that it all can be done. She’s very down to earth. She talked with the crew candidly. But once the camera starts rolling, you will be surprised where all that comes from. She’s very professional.”
Ryan Agoncillo
“My impression of Miss Nora was, she was so tiny. Yet there was nothing fragile about her. She was so tiny yet she has such a powerful image. I don’t know how to describe it but I guess when you see her in person, she was really oozing with confidence, with power, and there’s this quietness about her that surprised me because she didn’t have to shout to command the room.”
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Meanwhile, a special screening of the tribute film “Faney,” starring Laurice Guillen with Gina Alajar, among others, will also be held on May 21 at Gateway Cinema 11 in time for Aunor’s birthday.
Kamuning Bakery, the historic Quezon City bakery, is also set to sell “Pan de Nora” today to pay tribute to the late National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts. This was confirmed by the owner, Wilson Lee Flores, via a social media post over the weekend.
The Pan de Nora is a butter and cheese-filled bread with raisins on top that made one think of Aunor’s iconic facial mole.
Aunor died of acute respiratory failure on April 16. As a National Artist, she was accorded a state funeral and a hero’s burial at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani in Taguig on April 22. /edv
