Cannes award-winning actress Jaclyn Jose may have passed too soon, but she left a lasting legacy through her laid-back acting performances, which was prevalent in her numerous film appearances.
As coined by local film enthusiasts, her “no acting” acting style initially brought her local attention when Filipinos realized her somewhat emotionless line delivery in most of her film acting roles. Originally used as a prompt for skits and jokes, her style slowly garnered appreciation after she received numerous awards from highly respected award-giving bodies.
As we commemorate the life and stellar career of Jose, let us look back at some of her most iconic roles that cemented her mark in the Philippine showbiz industry.
Linet in White Slavery (1985)
With her breakout role in this Lino Brocka classic, she portrayed Linet, who tried her luck to seek opportunities in the bustling crowd of Manila along with two other women, only to be met with the harrowing truths of the sex trade in the 80s. After the film’s success, she went on to star in other more daring roles of the same genre.
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Letty in Takaw Tukso (1986)
In her early 20s, Jose established her flair as a critically acclaimed actress. She bagged her first major acting award win in the 1987 Gawad Urian for her outstanding supporting performance as Letty in this William Pascual film. She later became a sought-after actress by various local directors, booking multiple film roles in the succeeding years.
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Nayda in Serbis (2008)
Jose proved that she is no local talent as she secured a role in this Brillante Mendoza-directed Cannes Film Festival entry. Through her groundbreaking acting, she garnered her first international acting award nomination at the Asian Film Awards for her supporting portrayal of Nayda, who faced the struggles of a mother living below the poverty line.
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Rosa Reyes in Ma’Rosa (2016)
It would be a disservice to her career not to include the very film that engraved her international acclaim as an actress at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. In the competition, she bagged the coveted Best Actress award against industry veterans within the likes of Marion Cotillard and Charlize Theron. In the film, she co-starred with her real-life daughter Andi Eigenmann and Mercedes Cabral, another Mendoza favorite.
Iyay in Patay Na si Hesus (2016)
Within the same year, Jose top-billed this Victor Villuaneva film, where she learned Cebuano to play the widowed Iyay. Together with her family, Iyay takes the scenic route southwards of Cebu to visit her late husband’s wake in Negros. Surrounded by a predominantly Cebuano cast, Jose carried her role so well that she seemed like a true-blooded Cebuana herself.
With her numerous critically praised works, from her early promiscuous film to her acclaim as a world-class actress, Jaclyn Jose has placed herself as an icon in the local and global film industry, carrying no more than talent and her effortless acting style that captured the interests of filmgoers alike.
