Eugenia "Eugene" Roxas Domingo-Bottoni (; born July 23, 1971), is a Filipino actress, comedienne and host. She has performed in lead and supporting roles in various genres of the Philippine film industry. She is popularly known as the "Comedy Star for All Seasons" and was a sidekick of Ai-Ai delas Alas in the '' Ang Tanging Ina'' series (20032010), until her very first lead film role in '' Kimmy Dora'' in 2009. Domingo's films have collectively earned ₱1.81 billion, making her one of the highest grossing Filipino box office stars this century. Domingo's other notable films include ''

Bahay Kubo The ''báhay kúbo'', ''kubo'', or ''payág'' (in the Visayan languages), is a type of stilt house indigenous to the Philippines. It is the traditional basic design of houses among almost all lowlander and coastal cultures throughout the Phi ...

'' (2007) for which she received her first Best Supporting Actress award. Her most successful film to date is the Cinemalaya entry, '' Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank'' (2011), which is the highest-grossing independent film in Philippine history. The film was an official entry for various international film festivals in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, and Italy. The film was also chosen by the

Film Academy of the Philippines Established in 1981, the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) is the Philippines' official counterpart of the United States' Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The FAP was founded through Executive Order 640-A issued by the Presiden ...

to represent the Philippines in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the

84th Academy Awards The 84th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2011 in the United States and took place on February 26, 2012, at the Hollywood and Highland Center Theatre in H ...

. Domingo achieved "Best Actress" awards, at the Cinemalaya (2011) and 10th Gawad Tanglaw for Films (2012). She also received the "People's Choice Award for Best Actress" at the 6th Asian Film Awards (2012) in Hong Kong and "Best Actress" award at the 3rd Pau International Film Festival in France. Domingo is the only actress in the Philippine entertainment history to have participated in six films ('' Working Girls'', '' Here Comes the Bride'', '' Mamarazzi'', '' Petrang Kabayo'', '' RPG: Metanoia'', '' Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!)'') produced by eight major Filipino production companies ( GMA Films, Regal Films, Unitel Productions, OctoArts Films, Quantum Films,

VIVA Films Viva Films, Inc. (also known as Viva Films, stylized as VIVA Films) is a Philippine film production and distribution company owned by Viva Communications. It was founded in 1981 by Vic del Rosario Jr. and his sister Tess Cruz. Viva Films is o ...

, Ambient Media, and

Star Cinema ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc., trade name, doing business as Star Cinema and also known as ABS-CBN Films (since 2018), is a Philippines, Philippine film studio, film, television production company, production and distribution (marketing), di ...

) within a year (in 2010). Domingo holds the record of being the first lead actress in Philippine cinema to star in the most films — seven — in a year. She was a contract artist of

GMA Network GMA Network (an acronym of its legal name, Global Media Arts and commonly known as GMA) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine commercial broadcast network, serving as the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network (company), ...

, appearing on various comedy shows like '' Jejemom'' (2010), drama shows like '' Ako si Kim Sam Soon'' (2008), '' Ang Babaeng Hinugot Sa Aking Tadyang'' (2009) and '' First Time'' (2010). She also hosted '' Cool Center'' (2009–2010), '' Comedy Bar'' (2010–2011), '' Celebrity Bluff'' (2012–2018) and '' Dear Uge'' (2016–2022). Apart from her television and mainstream appearance, she also headlined theater show in ''Bona'' produced by the Philippine Educational Theater Association in 2012. She was nominated as "Best Actress in a Play award" for her role at the International Theater Award and eventually hailed as "Best Actress in Theater role" for ''Bona'' at the 25th Aliw Awards.

Life and career

1971–2003: Early life and career beginnings

Eugene Roxas Domingo was born on July 23, 1971, in

Malate Malic acid is an organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a dicarboxylic acid that is made by all living organisms, contributes to the sour taste of fruits, and is used as a food additive. Malic acid has two stereoisomeric forms ( ...

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

to Reynaldo Aguinaldo Domingo and Cecilia Atad Roxas. According to her, she was fond of copying her teachers and other people during her childhood life. She became interested in acting when she witnessed a musical held at the CCP Complex. She studied Theatre Arts at the

University of the Philippines Diliman The University of the Philippines Diliman (also called UPD; ), also referred to as UP Diliman, is a State university and college (Philippines), public, coeducational, Research university, research university located in Diliman, Quezon City, Ph ...

, apprenticing as an actress and production staff under the university's theatre company, Dulaang UP. As a theatre major, she went through selling tickets, inviting students to attend their play, begging professors to require students to watch, ushering the audience in and out of the auditorium, rehearsing all night, and learning from the not-so-conventional styles of the most diva directors. She spent eight years in her university studies, including one year at the

Polytechnic University of the Philippines The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP; ) is a public, coeducational, research university in Santa Mesa, Manila, Philippines. It was founded on 19 October 1904, as the Manila Business School (MBS) and as part of Manila's public sch ...

. Domingo started her minor acting career through the movie ''Emma Salazar Case'' produced by

Regal Entertainment Regal Entertainment Inc. (formerly and more commonly known as Regal Films) is a Philippine film, television production and distribution headquartered in New Manila, Quezon City. It was founded by Lily Monteverde on August 19, 1962. Regal Ente ...

in 1991. It was then followed by the biographical movie ''Maricris Sioson'' in 1993 and as a condominium maid in ''Sa Ngalan ng Pag-ibig'' in 1995. She was launched in television as Dolores in the series '' Valiente'' run by

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN is a leading Philippine media and content company. It serves as the flagship media brand of ABS-CBN Corporation, a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation. Once the country's largest free-to-air television network, ABS-CBN has since ...

and

in 1992 to 1997. In 1998, she appeared in a three films produced by

Viva Films Viva Films, Inc. (also known as Viva Films, stylized as VIVA Films) is a Philippine film production and distribution company owned by Viva Communications. It was founded in 1981 by Vic del Rosario Jr. and his sister Tess Cruz. Viva Films is o ...

, ''Pagdating Ng Panahon'', ''Ikaw Pa Rin Ang Iibigin'' and ''Pusong Mamon''. She also appeared on the Book 1 of the GMA Network series '' Kirara, Ano Ang Kulay ng Pag-ibig?'' in 1999. She had her first hosting role through ''D! Da'' in 1999. At one point however, she stopped went on hiatus because of frustration over her bit player roles. Domingo went back to school and finished her undergraduate thesis, performing the play '' 'night, Mother'' opposite Harlene Bautista. After finishing her degree, she continued to perform in several stage productions. Until a friend, television director Andoy Ranay, insisted that she give TV acting a second chance. She was immediately cast on ABS-CBN show, '' Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan'' in 2002. According to her, ''"acting for TV was really sweeter the second time around, because i found companions who are, with utmost respect to craft, knowing they also came from theater..."''. Following that, she was cast as Rowena in the television series '' Ang Tanging Ina'' produced by

in 2003, opposite

Ai-Ai delas Alas Martina Eileen Hernandez delas Alas-Sibayan (born November 11, 1964), known professionally as Ai-Ai delas Alas, is a Filipino actress and comedian. Referred to as the "Queen of Comedy" for her comedic talent, she is best known for her role as ...

. In the same year, she reprised her role at in the series' film adaptation produced by

. She became famous in television through her role as a crazy woman named "Lorelie" in the fantasy series ''

Marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...

'' starring Claudine Barretto. She was also cast in films such as '' Lastikman'' and ''Malikmata''.

2004–2009: ''Kimmy Dora'' and numerous films and awards

Domingo became known as a sidekick of

Ai-Ai Delas Alas Martina Eileen Hernandez delas Alas-Sibayan (born November 11, 1964), known professionally as Ai-Ai delas Alas, is a Filipino actress and comedian. Referred to as the "Queen of Comedy" for her comedic talent, she is best known for her role as ...

appearing again on the latter's film, '' Volta'' in 2004. The next year, she appeared on three films, as Tacing in Star Cinema's ''Can This Be Love'', VIVA Films' ''Purita'' and on a cameo role in Seiko Films' ''Bikini Open''. She was cast as Sister Clara, a

nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 5 ...

in the series '' Kampanerang Kuba'' and also joined Eula Valdez and

Jean Garcia Jessica Anne Rodriguez Maitim (born August 22, 1969), better known as Jean Garcia (), is a Filipino actress. She is known as Madam Claudia Buenavista in the original version of '' Pangako Sa 'Yo'' and as Miss Minchin in the 1995 live-action r ...

on hosting a reality cooking show, '' Makuha Ka sa Tikim'' in 2005. Domingo achieved breakthrough in 2006 starring on six films from different production outfits. She appeared as Tina on the film ''

D' Lucky Ones ''D' Lucky Ones!'' is a 2006 Cinema of the Philippines, Filipino romantic comedy film starring Sandara Park, Joseph Bitangcol, Eugene Domingo and Pokwang. This is the only film to feature Sandara Park without Hero Angeles since 2004's ''Bcuz of ...

'', and as Dora on '' You Are The One'', both produced by Star Cinema. She also had major roles on Regal Films's ''Kapag Tumibok ang Puso'' and on the "LRT" episode of her first

Metro Manila Film Festival The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival organized by the Metro Manila Development Authority and held nationwide in the Philippines. The festival, which runs from Christmas Day through New Year's Day and into first weeke ...

film, '' Shake, Rattle and Roll 8''. She also starred on a horror film, '' TxT'' as Aling Kuring. Domingo became an award-winning actress in 2007, winning Best Supporting Actress at the 33rd Metro Manila Film Festival through her role in '' Bahay Kubo: A Pinoy Mano Po!'' starring Maricel Soriano. She starred on a total of 10 films in 2007, including her Cinemalaya entry '' Pisay'' and Seiko Films' ''Foster Child'' which gave Domingo two Best Supporting Actress awards at the 6th Gawad Tanglaw in 2008. She also appeared on comedy films, including her reunion with Ai-Ai Delas Alas in '' Pasukob'' and '' Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo''. Some of her films in 2007 also include ''Apat Dapat, Dapat Apat'' with three other comedians,

Candy Pangilinan Maria Carmela "Candy" Espiritu Pangilinan (born May 8, 1972) is a Filipino film and television actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs " ...

Pokwang Marietta Tan Subong (born August 27, 1972), known professionally as Pokwang, is a Filipinos, Filipino comedian, actress, television host and singer. She started in a reality show on ABS-CBN and subsequently appeared in dramas and sitcoms of t ...

and

Rufa Mae Quinto Rufa Mae Ocampo Quinto (born May 28, 1978) is a Filipino actress, comedian, television presenter, producer and model. Known for her camp and signature comedic performances in film and television, she has been cited as a notable figure in Philip ...

. She also appeared on the GMA film '' The Promise'' starring

Angel Locsin Angelica Locsin Colmenares (born April 23, 1985) is a Filipino actress and humanitarian. She is known for her dramatic roles and portrayals of heroines and mythological characters in film and television. She is a recipient of various accolad ...

and

Richard Gutierrez Richard Kristian Gutierrez (born January 21, 1984) is a Filipino actor. He is regarded as the original "''Fantaserye King''" for top billing multiple hit television series. Gutierrez is a recipient of a FAMAS Award and three PMPC Star Awards fo ...

, and on '' Paano Kita Iibigin'' with

Regine Velasquez Regina Encarnacion "Regine" Ansong Velasquez-Alcasid ( ; born April 22, 1970) is a Filipino singer and actress. She is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and beltin ...

and

Piolo Pascual Piolo Jose Nonato Pascual (, born January 12, 1977) is a Filipino actor, model, singer, television host, comedian and film producer. Pascual began a career in 1993 after landing a bit role in the film ''The Vizconde Massacre Story (God Help ...

. Domingo also appeared on two series, '' Palimos ng Pag-Ibig'' and on a series, '' Kokey'' adapted from a film of the same title. In 2008, Domingo starred on a

Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, more commonly known as Cinemalaya, is a film festival in the Philippines held annually during the month of August, traditionally at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, but in rece ...

entry, "100" which awarded her as "Best Supporting Actress", her fourth in a span of two years. She also appeared on the sequel of ''Ang Tanging Ina'', an official Metro Manila Film Festival entry titled Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat. Domingo transferred from

in 2008, with '' I.T.A.L.Y.'' as her first project. She debuted as an official GMA Contract Artist through the comedy series '' Ako si Kim Sam Soon'' starring Regine Velasquez, a remake of a Korean series televised on the same network. She then appeared as Yaya Madel in the series '' Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang'' starring

Marian Rivera Marian Rivera Gràcia-Dantes (; born 12 August 1984) is a Filipinos, Filipino actress, television host, model and entrepreneur. She is known for her portrayals of Hero, heroines and roles in Romance film, romantic dramas. Her accolades includ ...

and Dingdong Dantes. Domingo also appeared as Juaning on the Panoramanila Pictures film '' Ploning'' produced by

Judy Ann Santos Judy Anne Lumagui Santos-Agoncillo (born May 11, 1978) is a Filipino actress and film producer. Prolific in film and television in the Philippines, and is known for her dramatic and comedic roles in blockbusters and independent films, as w ...

. In 2009, Domingo appeared on her first lead movie role produced by Spring Films titled '' Kimmy Dora: Kambal sa Kiyeme'', directed by Joyce Bernal and written by Chris Martinez. It tells the story of twin sisters Kimmy and Dora, both played by Domingo who are directly opposite each other in terms of characteristics and styles. Czeriza Valencia of Philippine Entertainment Portal noted that Domingo served as the funny factor in the film, since her skillful execution in playing the two roles made the situations hilarious. Lito Zulueta of the ''

Philippine Daily Inquirer The ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'' (''PDI''), or simply the ''Inquirer'', is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines. Founded in 1985, it is often regarded as the Philippines' newspaper of record. The newspaper is the most awarded broad ...

'' wrote that Domingo's performance "runs the gamut of comic inventiveness" and "confirms her status as the country's funniest comic ingénue". Although starring in her major role, Domingo stated that she is still open for supporting roles. She then appeared on the RVQ Production film '' Nobody, Nobody But... Juan'' starring

Dolphy Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. (July 25, 1928 – July 10, 2012), known professionally as Dolphy, was a Filipino comedian and actor. He is widely regarded as the country's "King of Comedy" for his comedic talent embodied by his long roster of works ...

. In the same year, she appeared on the comedy series '' Adik Sa'Yo'' and on her third hosting role, '' Cool Center'' together with Allan K. She was also awarded "Bert Marcelo Award" for Comedians at the 2009 Guillermo Mendoza Foundation Awards.

2010–2012: ''Ang Babae sa Septic Tank'', international exposure and other films

Domingo reprised her role on the third installment of ''Tanging Ina'', titled '' Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!)'' in 2008 wherein she won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival. Her voice, as Mercedes also appeared on the animated film, '' RPG: Metanoia''. She again starred on her second lead role in '' Mamarazzi'' produced by Regal Films and as Paula in GMA Films' '' Working Girls''. Despite being a contract artist of GMA, she managed to appear on the Star Cinema films '' Here Comes The Bride'' and '' Petrang Kabayo''. She is the only actress in the Philippine entertainment history to have participated in six films ('' Working Girls 2010'', ''Here Comes the Bride'', '' Mamarazzi'', ''Petrang Kabayo'', '' RPG: Metanoia'', '' Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!)'') produced by eight Filipino production companies ( GMA Films, Regal Films, Unitel Productions, OctoArts Films, Quantum Films,

, Ambient Media, and

) within a year. Domingo holds the record of being the first lead actress in Philippine cinema to star in the most films — seven — in a year. She had her two hosting stints in GMA Network, through '' Comedy Bar'' and on the kiddie show '' Wachamakulit''. She also appeared on her first sitcom, '' JejeMom'', inspired from a text messaging style alias, Jejemon. She made her last appearance on a GMA Network series through her minor role as guidance counselor in the teen-oriented series '' First Time''. Domingo appeared on TV5 through her comedy show, ''Inday Wanda''. 2011 marked another successful year for Domingo wherein she starred in nine domestic films. She was paired with matinee idol

in the "Gunaw" (

Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre originating in Judaism in the centuries following the Babylonian exile (597–587 BCE) but persisting in Christianity and Islam. In apocalypse, a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a ...

) episode of the trilogy '' My Valentine Girls''. She was also cast as Belinda Eduque on '' Who's That Girl?'' and as Precy in '' Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi''. According to a review from PEP, "She (Domingo) was still able to make the material fresh and entertaining. Her punch lines, although sometimes buried under long dialogues, and antics elicited laughter from viewers...". She also appeared on independent films, '' Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings'' produced by Origin8media. Domingo appeared on three films at the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival through '' Enteng Ng Ina Mo'', ''

Shake, Rattle & Roll 13 ''Shake, Rattle & Roll 13'' (titled onscreen as ''Shake Rattle Roll 13'') is a 2011 Filipino horror anthology film produced by Regal Entertainment, and the thirteenth installment of the ''Shake, Rattle & Roll'' film series. It is directed by ...

'' and '' My House Husband: Ikaw Na!'' wherein she won another "Best Supporting Actress" award. In the same year, she appeared on the critically acclaimed Cinemalaya entry '' Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank'', holding the record for the highest grossing Filipino independent film in history. The film was an official entry for the 2011

Vancouver International Film Festival The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for two weeks in late September and early October. The festival is operated by the Greater Vancouver International Film Festi ...

, Pusan International Film Festival,

Hawaii International Film Festival Hawaii ( ; ) is an island state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only state not on the North American mainland, th ...

Tokyo International Film Festival The is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biennially from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter. According to the FIAPF, it is one of Asia's competitive film festivals and the second largest film festival in Asia behind the ...

, and the Far East Asian Film Festival in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. The film was also chosen by the

to represent the country in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the

. Through the film, Domingo was awarded as "Best Actress" at the Cinemalaya (2011) and the 10th Gawad Tanglaw for Films (2012). She was also awarded the "People's Choice Award for Best Actress" at the 6th Asian Film Awards (2012) in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

. She was also nominated as Best Actress at the 35th Gawad URIAN Awards and 28th PMPC Star Awards for Movies in 2012. She was also named "Comedienne of the Year" at the Yahoo! OMG Awards. She also received the "Best Actress" award at the 3rd Pau International Film Festival in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. According to a review on Philippine Entertainment Portal, Domingo proved her versatility as an actress. In 2012, Domingo starred on the poorly-acclaimed sequel of Kimmy Dora, subtitled as '' Kimmy Dora and The Temple of Kiyeme'' shot in the Philippines and

. She also starred on the first Filipino musical film, '' I Do Bidoo Bidoo: Heto nAPO Sila!'' produced by Unitel in partnership with Studio 5. It was a tribute to APO Hiking Society, and received positive reviews from critics. She also hosted a game show under GMA Network, '' Celebrity Bluff'' with comic duo, Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola. Domingo also starred on theater through ''Bona'', produced by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). She was a call center agent obsessed with actor-wannabe Edgar Allan Guzman. She was nominated as "Best Actress in a Play award" for her role at the International Theater Award. She was also hailed as "Best Actress" for Bona at the 25th Aliw Awards in 2012. According to Gibz Cadiz of the ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'', Domingo is a tremendous actress, her theater background coming to the fore in her command of space, the way she deploys her vocal instrument, her ability to think on her feet (her every adlib is a hit with the audience).

2013–2018: Critically-acclaimed projects

Domingo was featured on another Cinemalaya entry for 2013, ''Instant Mommy'', a comedy film about a wardrobe mistress in TV commercials who fakes a pregnancy to keep her Japanese fiancé. The film was written and directed by Leo Abaya, and another team-up work with Chris Martinez as one of the producers, who directed Domingo on the two ''Kimmy Dora'' movies, ''Here Comes The Bride'', ''Ang Babae sa Septic Tank'' and ''I Do Bidoo Bidoo''. Co-produced by Quantum Films and Kris Aquino, ''Instant Mommy'' also stars Japanese actor Yuki Matsuzaki, who was part of the Hollywood films Letters from Iwo Jima and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. According to Matsuzaki, he was impressed by Domingo's performance in ''Ang Babae sa Septic Tank'' which made him agree to be her leading man. She worked again with

on the film ''Tuhog'', a black-comedy which also stars

Jake Cuenca Juan Carlos Cuenca (; born December 30, 1987), popularly known as Jake Cuenca, is a Filipino actor. He also played for United Football League Division 2 sides Team Socceroo FC. Career At the age of nine, Cuenca was discovered by talent scout ...

and Enchong Dee and directed by Ronnie Velasco, which was originally submitted for the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival, but failed to make the final cut. She also joined Maricel Soriano,

Billy Crawford Billy Joe Ledesma Crawford (born May 16, 1982) is a Filipino actor and singer. Crawford is a recipient of a NRJ Music Awards, a FAMAS Award and a special Aning Dangal award from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Crawfor ...

and Andi Eigenmann on the film '' Momzillas'', produced by

. The film was her second with Soriano. In an interview with

Manila Bulletin The ''Manila Bulletin'' () (also known as the ''Bulletin'' and previously known as the ''Manila Daily Bulletin'' from 1906 to September 23, 1972, and the ''Bulletin Today'' from November 22, 1972, to March 10, 1986) is the Philippines' largest ...

, she revealed that she will be doing her first lead role for '' MMFF'' in 2013. On June 18, 2013; MMDA Chairman

Francis Tolentino Francis Ng Tolentino (, born January 2, 1960) is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as a senator since 2019. He has been the Senate Majority Leader since 2024 and was formerly the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee from 2022 t ...

announced the eight official entries of the year's festival, which included the third installment of ''Kimmy Dora'' titled '' Kimmy Dora: The Quantum of Kiyeme''. Domingo also replaced Kris Aquino in the Jun Lana film '' Barber's Tales'' (''Kuwentong Barbero''). The second installment in Lana's small-town trilogy (the first being '' Bwakaw'' (2012)) is about a widow defying gender role expectations in the 1970s by running her late husband's barbershop. The film won four awards at the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), including the top prize ''HAF Award'', the ''ARRI Award'', which allows access to rental of camera and lighting equipment, the ''Technicolor Asia award'', which comes with post-production services from the Thai firm of the same name, and the second ''Catapooolt award''. Domingo also won as "Best Actress" at the 26th Tokyo International Film Festival in

. According to Domingo, the award is a stepping stone of the Filipinos to be recognized in Asian cinema. In 2013, Domingo was one of the ''Dekada'' awardees at the 10th Golden Screen Awards for Movies for their cumulative trophies on its past awards. Domingo also appeared on another Chris Martinez movie, for Regal Films titled as '' Status: It's Complicated'' with

Paulo Avelino Michael Paulo Lingbanan Avelino (born May 13, 1988) is a Filipino actor, singer, model, and film producer. He has starred in multiple hit television series such as '' Walang Hanggan'' (2012), '' Bridges of Love'' (2015), and '' The General's D ...

, Solenn Heussaff, and

. It is a reworking project of the classic

Ishmael Bernal Ishmael Bernal (September 30, 1938 – June 2, 1996) was a Philippines, Filipino filmmaker, stage and television director, actor and screenwriter. Noted for his melodramas, particularly with feminist and moral issues, he directed many landmark ...

comedy ''Salawahan''.Eugene Domingo has 4, possibly 6, movies set for release for second half of 2013
''InterAksyon''. By: Eric Cabahug. Retrieved September 16, 2013

2019–present: Recent projects

In 2019, Domingo starred in ''Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 3: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken'', the last installment for the ''Ang Babae sa Septic Tank'' trilogy. The film was streamed exclusive via iWantTV. From 2020 to 2022, Domingo was in hiatus due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. In 2023, she returned to the film industry through the

Amazon Prime Amazon Prime (styled as prime) is a paid subscription service of Amazon which is available in many countries and gives users access to additional services otherwise unavailable or available at a premium to other Amazon customers. Services inclu ...

exclusive mistress-murder-mystery film '' Ten Little Mistresses'', the first Filipino film on the platform. The film was directed by Jun Lana with

, Carmi Martin, John Arcilla and

Agot Isidro Maria Margarita Amada Fteha Isidro (born 20 July 1966), professionally known as Agot Isidro, is a Filipino actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in several telenovelas including '' Tayong Dalawa'', '' Tanging Yaman'', '' Nasaan K ...

as co-actors. Domingo starred in '' Here Comes the Groom'', an official entry for the 2023 Metro Manila Summer Film Festival held on April 8, 2023, and a sequel of the 2010 film ''Here Comes the Bride'', both directed by Chris Martinez. In 2024, she starred alongside

Vice Ganda Jose Marie Borja Viceral (born March 31, 1976), known professionally as Vice Ganda (), is a Filipino comedian, actor, host, singer and television personality. He is considered one of the most successful entertainers in Philippine show business ...

in the family comedy-drama film '' And the Breadwinner Is...'', which also competed in the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival. 2025 marks her year returning to ABS-CBN as being one of the resident judge of Pilipinas Got Talent season 7.

Personal life

Domingo is married to Danilo Bottoni, a Muslim Italian and a film critic, since 2016.

Artistry

Influences

Domingo admires Lolita Rodriguez, for the reason she states that, "...when she(Rodriguez) decided to walk away and just be a normal person, it meant that she was already satisfied and that she's made a mark and that she would never be forgotten..." She also cited the Superstar,

Nora Aunor Nora Cabaltera Villamayor (May 21, 1953 – April 16, 2025), known professionally as Nora Aunor (), was a Filipino actress, producer and singer. Known for her leading roles with patriotic, feminist and Political sociology, socio-political th ...

as her inspiration, but she admitted she doesn't want to be compared with Aunor who originally showcased Domingo's latest theater role, Bona. She also cited the Philippines Star For All Season,

Vilma Santos Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos-Recto (born November 3, 1953) is a Filipino actress and politician. In a career spanning over seven decades, she is recognized for her versatility in acting across various genres of film and television in the Philippine ...

as one of her idols. She also parodied some of the famous dialogues and looks of Santos in various films such as D' Lucky Ones. Domingo also announced admiration for the Philippine actress, Maricel Soriano who is dubbed as "The Diamond Star". She likes how she handled her career and all the issues being thrown at her and she was impressed by her class and elegance. Valenzuela16Dec2023_81

Styles

Domingo shows in her projects that her comic touch is still very much apparent as she delivers one-liners that elicit cheers from the appreciative crowd. According to Philippine Entertainment Portal, she gives no exaggeration in her roles, be it as a popular actress or a weary mother. Considering how her past films are, her acting styles just grabbed the audience senseless and ended up picking themselves up after rolling on the floor laughing. Domingo has a wide range of acting skill, from full-on hysterical to completely flat-line dramatic acting. According to her, "...everybody has a gift, some are developed. But the truly gifted are born with it. But they should never take it for granted. Acting workshops can help, but practice and exposure and training constitute the real deal...". She further added that her theater experience has given her the medium for her acting styles. According to GMA News, Domingo brings her signature style to her movies especially on the musical '' I Do Bidoo Bidoo: Heto nAPO Sila!'' as a no-nonsense yet loving mother. Also, as the stronger maternal figure, she gets to show it with some of the movie's best lines. Her timing on delivering her long lines also adds to her special aura as a comedian, and often steal spotlights because of her witty lines. Her humorous quips never fail to elicit thunderous laughter from the audience because she plays her character to maximum comedic effect.

Filmography

Television

Film

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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ABS-CBN Interactive, 2007 a banner year for Eugene Domingo
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Domingo, Eugene 1971 births Living people People from Malate, Manila Actresses from Makati University of the Philippines Diliman alumni Actresses from Manila Filipino film actresses Filipino television actresses Filipino women comedians Filipino game show hosts Filipino stage actresses Filipino television variety show hosts GMA Network (company) people ABS-CBN people People's Television Network people Radio Philippines Network personalities TV5 Network people Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation personalities Comedians from Manila Comedians from Makati