Amy Austria

Amy Austria
• Esmeralda Diaz Tuazon-Ventura (born December 13, 1961), known professionally as Amy
Austria (Tagalog: [ˈɐmi ʊsˈʔtɾija bɛnˈtʊɾa]), is a Filipino film and television actress. She is a recipient of
a FAMAS Award, 2 Gawad Urian Awards, 3 FAP Awards and 4 MMFF Awards (including three Best
Actress wins).
• The Philippine Star listed Austria among the 15 Best Actresses of All Time.[4] In 2019, Austria was inducted
at the Hall of Fame at the Metro Manila Film Festival.
Life and career
• Esmeralda Diaz Tuazon was the second to the eldest among six children born in 1961 to an impoverished
family. She helped the family by selling chewing gum. She studied at the Rajah Soliman High School. She
was introduced to the producer Baby Martinez of MBM Productions through a common friend. She was
then cast in Bitayin Si Baby Ama (1976), the movie that made a star of Rudy Fernandez. After her second
film, Alas (1976), with Jun Aristorenas, she was given minor parts in several other pictures then dropped
out of the movie scene for almost a year. When she came back in mid-1977, contract star of Jesse Ejercito's
Seven Star Productions. She became quite visible in the 1970s, in such films like Dabiana (1977), Miss
Dulce Amor, Ina (1978), Atsay (1978), Menor de edad (1979), Gabun: Ama Mo, Ama
Ko (1979), Bedspacers (1979) and Swing It, Baby (1979). After acting in two very relevant films for
1979, Ishmael Bernal's Aliw and Lino Brocka's Jaguar, Ms Austria was finally a lead star in Nang Bumuka
Ang Sampaguita (1980).
• At a time when female parts in Filipino cinema were strong and revolutionary, Ms Austria became a busy
actress: Langis at Tubig (1980), Sugat sa ugat (1980), Goriong Butete (1980), Tondo Girl (1981), Pusong
Uhaw (1982) and Waywaya (1982). In the 1990s and well into the 21st century, she still gives powerful
supporting performances, in The Flor Contemplacion Story (1995), Muro-
ami (1999), Anak (2000), Pagdating ng Panahon (2001), a Sharon Cuneta starrer and I Will Always Love
You (2006) starring Richard Gutierrez And Angel Locsin. Anak is her second reunion movie with veteran
actress & close friend Vilma Santos, after Langis at Tubig & Paano Ba Ang Mangarap?.
• In the 2000s, Austria came back to acting Via small screen in 2000; she was part of the highly acclaimed
International Primetime drama Pangako Sa 'Yo or more well known as "The Promise" from 2000 to 2002 on
ABS-CBN as Lourdes in 2003, she starred in GMA-7 oriented programs such as Kirara Anong Kulay Nang
Pag Ibig? The Fantasy TV Series Mulawin from 2004 to 2005 and the movie adaptation turned Grand Finale
of the series which was featured in 2005's Metro Manila Film Festival in her reprising role. She also made
an appearance on another GMA program entitled Narito Ang Puso Ko.
• In 2006, she returned to ABS-CBN for its much-awaited and commercially successful remake of Bituing
Walang Ningning, which was extended for another month. She played a new character in the TV series
made by novelist and comic creator Nerissa Cabral as an antagonist and mother to Angelika Dela Cruz's
lead character Lavina as Barbara Arguelles the stage mother and con artist who has a share of her downfall.
The series attained 42% percent high share in TV ratings. This was her second screentime with Dela Cruz.
Austria accepted another for another Primetime Drama from a classic film and remake Walang Kapalit as a
supporting character again from 2008 to 2010. She took a break from offers from TV and film.
• In 2011, she accepted the military primetime drama Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin, which aired from March 7,
2011, to August 19, 2011. She took the role with the help from her cousin Lorna Tolentino and reunited her
fellow veteran screen actors, such as Boots Anson Roa, Ronaldo Valdez, and Tonton Gutierrez, and John
Estrada and her first with Coco Martin, and Maja Salvador and Andi Eigenmann.
• In 2012, she starred in Lorenzo's Time with Zaijan Jaranilla, In 2013, she was seen on the lifestyle
entertainment talk show Inside The Cinema with Boy Abunda on Cinema One (Movie Channel ABS-CBN
Subsidiaries) and in 2014, she became a part of Ikaw Lamang on its second Book as the older version of
Kim Chiu's character Isabel with fellow award-winning actors Joel Torre, Rio Locsin, Nonie Buencamino,
and Christopher de Leon and also her reunion with Coco Martin, on their second series appearances. In
2015, she was seen in remake of Pangako Sa 'Yo as the adoptive mother of Kathryn Bernardo's character.
• After she became part of the primetime television series Halik as the mother of Jericho Rosales' character,
Austria returned to GMA Network for One of the Baes and Hearts on Ice, respectively.