This is evident when she received deafening applause from the audience when she went on stage to claim her award and after she delivered her acceptance speech. Jun Lana originally offered Uge’s award-winning role to Kris Aquino, who turned it down. So Kris’ loss is definitely Uge’s gain.
The story is set in a remote town during the Marcos years and Uge plays Marilou, the wife of Daniel Fernando, the town’s one and only barber who treats her more like a servant. When Daniel suddenly dies, Uge as his widow inherits his job as the town’s barber but the town’s men reject having a lady barber, until the town’s mayor discovers that Uge really has a special gift for cutting hair. Complications occur when Uge start helping rebels against the Marcos regime. The movie also stars Eddie Garcia, Iza Calzado, Gladys Reyes, Nonie & Shamaine Buencamino, Nicco Manalo and Nora Aunor in a cameo role.
This is the first award Uge got for a drama movie. Last year, she won the People’s Choice Best Actress Award in the 6th Asian Film Awards in Hongkong for her hilarious portrayal of the lead actress in “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank”. Locally, she has won best supporting actress awards for “Bahay Kubo”, “Pisay”, “100”, “Tanging Ina Mo, Last Na ‘To” and “My Househusband”. Aside from “Septic Tank”, she has also won the best actress award for “Kimmy Dora”.
Uge also plays one of the leads in Regal’s new sex-comedy, “Status: It’s Complicated”, where she plays the role of a liberated sexologist paired with Paulo Avelino. Chris Martinez, who directed “Status: It’s Complicated”, is very proud of Uge’s achievement in the Tokyo International Filmfest. He has previously helmed Uge in “100”, “Here Comes the Bride” and “Kimmy Dora 2”. “Uge is really so talented kaya hindi na nakakatakang hindi lang siya dito sa sarili nating bansa nananalong best actress but also in other countries,” he adds.
