- Mimi Juareza, Quick Change (2013)
Character: Dorina Pineda, a transwoman running an illegal cosmetic-surgery business
“The idiosyncratic Quick Change fields superlative portrayals from its whole ensemble, led by Mimi Juareza in an indelible, career-making performance.” – Rito Asilo
“Mimi Juareza’s brave performance in Quick Change should make all gender-specific Best Actor/Best Actress categories irrelevant. As Dorina, a transgender who beautifies fellow transgenders by injecting their skins with a dangerous black-market substance, Juareza is all woman, even with that thing dangling between her legs. As the film’s lead character, it would have been very tempting for Juareza to upstage the many colorful supporting characters surrounding her by playing it big, but she refuses that easy route and goes instead for the subtle approach, imbuing Dorina with a quiet grace even as she shows us her character’s silent suffering as her world slowly unravels.” – SCL
- Angeli Bayani, Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan (2013)
Character: Eliza, wife of a man wrongfully accused of murder
Bayani’s trademark serene underacting is given full focus whenever she’s in a Lav Diaz film and it’s clearly evident here as she plays a suffering mother at her wit’s end. Despite her small frame, she lends Eliza a solemn dignity and pride.
- Kristoffer King, Oros (2012)
Character: Makoy, a saklaan operator who prolongs funerals so he can make more money
“The film is buoyed by the natural grace of King, who’s fantastic. He navigates Baseco as though he isn’t acting.” – Cathy Peña
“King defines naturalistic acting so much that you will second-guess yourself whether you’re watching a fictional film or a documentary. Acting coaches would benefit from using Oros as instruction material.” – SCL
- Cherry Pie Picache, Isda (2011)
Character: Lina, a woman living in a dumpsite who gives birth to a fish
“Carrying her ‘fish child’ around with a desperate sense of affection has got to be one of the hardest things to parlay.” – Cathy Peña
“Kahit wala s’yang masyadong ipinakitang bago, na-maintain naman n’ya ‘yung pagiging consistent sa delivery. Hindi n’ya nilagyan ng butas ang storytelling na maaaring kasingitan ng pagkutya mula sa audience. Natatawa ang manonood hindi dahil sa kanyang dilemma kundi sa irony ng kanyang sitwasyon.” – Manuel Pangaruy
- Jericho Rosales, Alagwa (2012)
Character: Robert Lim, a widowed father of a young boy who goes missing
“Rosales finds his best role yet in Robert. He’s in almost every scene yet he never once hits a false note. It helps that he has great chemistry with Bugoy Cariño who plays his son.” – SCL
- Angelica Panganiban, That Thing Called Tadhana (2014)
Character: Mace Castillo, a young woman who finds solace from her heartbreak in a kind stranger
Straddling that fine line between comedy and drama in a single film can be a tricky job. A common tendency of actors is to magnify the extremes to showcase their range. Panganiban wisely downplays her efforts in generating laughter or tears from viewers by just playing it right, respecting the character’s realness and relatability.
“All of Panganiban’s previous roles prepared her for her performance as Mace. Panganiban expertly pulls back her usual babaeng bakla antics and does not go the all-the-way commercial-melodrama route to create a perfect portrait of a recovering heartbroken woman.” – Carl Joseph Papa
- Shamaine Centenera Buencamino, Niño (2011)
Character: Merced, a spinster who reluctantly takes on the burden of taking care of her aging mother and bedridden uncle in a household sliding to ruin
For Buencamino, considered by many as a goddess of modern Philippine theater, no role is too small. As a family caregiver with burdens of her own, she effortlessly slides into her character, essaying an empathetic performance that will be remembered in years to come.
- Fides Cuyugan Asensio, Niño (2011)
Character: Celia, once the darling of Philippine opera, who holds a tertulia, inviting her aging opera singer friends, as a last-ditch effort to awaken her bedridden brother
“Asensio gave the best performance in 2011’s Cinemalaya, and it is saddening that she does not get the recognition she deserves. She was an all-around threat. She is perfect in the role: she is funny, she is heartbreaking, and she sings REAAAAALLLY beautifully. I can go all day singing her praises.” – Carl Joseph Papa
- Eugene Domingo, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (2011)
Character: Herself as a wealthy movie star who gets cast as Mila, an impoverished mother of seven
“It was a high-wire act that showcased Domingo’s versatility. The degree of difficulty is considerable: there’s drama, comedy and even a dash of musical. There’s even social statement thrown into the fray – and they all worked quite well.” – Cathy Peña
“Sa kaso ni Eugene Domingo, wala namang kokontra na s’ya lang ang maaaring maka-pull off ng ganitong materyal.” – Manuel Pangaruy
- Angelica Panganiban, Here Comes the Bride (2010)
Character: Stephanie, a young bride who gets possessed by the spirit of a flaming queen in a mysterious solar eclipse
“Her wacky antics and over-the-top performance as a babaeng bakla is a spectacle you shouldn’t miss. I’ve never seen such an effective sexy comedienne since Rufa Mae Quinto played the endowed dimwit in Booba and Boobita Rose.” – Fidel Antonio Medel
“Panganiban is once again a revelation. She relishes her lividly gay persona with spirited brio. Her gay-speak deliveries are, in fact, pleasurable linguistic cadences, deliciously frivolous to inspire streetwise mimics. Yes, Angelica is even gayer than John Lapus in his pinkest moments! What a joy!” – Cathy Peña
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