Judy Ann Santos is a Filipino film and television actress, host, product endorser, recording artist, and film producer.
Life and Career[]
Born in Manila City, Philippines, Santos is the daughter of Carolina Lumagui (née Fontanela), a bank officer and Manuel Dayrit Santos, a businessman. She is the granddaughter of Victoria Dayrit-Santos, an eminent businesswoman and Miguel Santos, proprietor of the defunct Victoria Supermarket and Victoria Building in Caloocan, Philippines. She has two older siblings, brother Jeffrey (b. 1971), an actor and politician, and Jacqueline (b. 1975), a registered nurse.
After her parents' separation in 1981, Santos and her siblings lived with their mother, who raised them single-handedly. When she was six years old, her mother left for Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and worked as a personal care assistant to provide for their needs. Santos was educated at Assumption Convent, in Antipolo, Rizaland later moved to Our Lady of Peace, also in Antipolo. She attended secondary education at Mount Carmel College, in Quezon City, Philippines.
Santos began as a child actress and made her professional television debut in Kaming Mga Ulila (1986) before her screen debut in the film Silang Mga Sisiw Sa Lansangan (1988) where she appeared as part of the ensemble playing a supporting role. Her first leading role in a television series was in Ula, Ang Batang Gubat (1988), she was also part of German Moreno's That's Entertainment, but she received media recognition in her breakthrough television series Mara Clara (1992). She has since spawned highly rated television series, amongst these are Esperanza (1996), Basta't Kasama Kita (2003), Sa Piling Mo (2006) and Ysabella (2007).
Santos starred in commercially successful films in the early 1990s following motion picture adaptations of Mara Clara (1996) and Esperanza (1999). She further achieved television and film success with pairings opposite Wowie de Guzman, Rico Yan, and Piolo Pascual.
Santos' performance in the film Sabel (2004) received critical acclaim and earned her the Gawad Urian for Best Actress. In 2006, her film Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo gained both critical and financial success, Santos won the Metro Manila Film Festival for Best Actress, PMPC Star Awards for Movies Lead Actress and FAMAS Award for Best Actress among others. Santos' other notable films include Till There Was You (2003), Don't Give Up on Us (2006), Ouija (2007), Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo (2007), Mag-ingat Ka Sa...Kulam (2008) and My Househusband (2011). Santos also earned television honors including a PMPC Star Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series for Krystala (2005) and KBP Golden Dove Award for Best TV Actress for Habang May Buhay (2010).
Santos debuted as producer for the film Ploning (2008), the Philippines' entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film received international acclaim and was shown at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Newport Beach Film Festival.
Santos is an occasional recording artist and has released three albums, Judy Ann Santos (1999), Bida Ng Buhay Ko (2001), and Musika Ng Buhay Ko (2007). On 28 April 2009, she married Ryan Agoncillo. Santos and Agoncillo have three children, Yohan, Lucho and Luna.