Legendary Actress Nora Aunor Passes Away at 71

The death has occurred of Nora Aunor, who, throughout the course of her seven-decade career, rose to prominence as one of the most recognised figures in Philippine cinema.

Aunor passed away on Wednesday, as stated by her children in posts on various social media platforms. Her age was 71. There was no immediate information provided regarding the cause of her death or the location of her passing.

Lotlot de León, an actor from the Philippines, stated on Instagram that her mother “touched generations with her unmatched talent, grace, and passion for the craft.” Because of her voice, presence, and artistic ability, she left behind a legacy that will last forever.

At a later time, De León stated that burial arrangements and other details will be disclosed.

During her childhood, Aunor, who was born Nora Cabaltera Villamayor to a family that was living in poverty in the eastern part of the province of Camarines Sur, worked as a water vendor in a train station in her hometown. When she was still in her teens, she began her career as a singer in the 1960s. Later, she moved on to a career in film. In addition to winning scores of acting honours, she earned more than 200 credits in film and television, which included a significant number of masterpieces from the Philippine film industry.

“Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos” (which translates to “Three Years Without God”), “Bulaklak sa City Jail” (which translates to “Flowers of the City Jail”), and “The Flor Contemplacion Story” (which was released in 1995) were among the memorable roles that he played.

The performance that she gave in the film “Andrea, Paano ba ang Maging Isang Ina?” in the year 1990 earned her a perfect score of best actress honours in the country. The question “Andrea, What Does It Feel Like to Be a Mother?” The role of a midwife that she played in the film “Thy Womb” from 2012 earned her the award for best actress at the Asian Film Awards.

Aunor continued to work in the entertainment industry as recently as the previous year, appearing in the film “Mananambal” (which translates to “The Healer”) and on the television series “Lilet Matias, Attorney-at-Law.”

2022 saw Aunor receive the highest honour that can be bestowed upon an actor in the United States: the title of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts. In 2014, the then-President of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III, had refused to grant her the honour due to a past drug arrest in the United States, which caused widespread outrage.

The attorney for Aunor stated that the reason for her detention in 2005 at the Los Angeles airport was due to the discovery of a pipe in a luggage that she had not packed. It was also mentioned that she was travelling with four assistants at the time. Following her successful completion of a diversion program in 2007, the charges against her were dropped, according to her attorney in 2014.

Beginning in 1975 and continuing until 1996, Aunor was married to the actor Christopher de León.

It is their children Lotlet, Ian, Matet, Kiko, and Kenneth de León who are the ones who will carry on her legacy.