Gladys Reyes, Barbie Forteza attest to Nora Aunor’s humility, warmth

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Those who were privileged to have worked with Nora Aunor are testament to her humility as they remember her not just for being a prolific actress but also a genuine and warm human being

MANILA, Philippines – For someone who is synonymous with the term “superstar,” Nora Aunor never made the people around her feel that she was one.

Those who were privileged to have worked with Aunor are testament to her humility as they remembered her not just for being a prolific actress but also a genuine and warm human being.

While there are horror stories in show business about prominent stars mistreating the people behind the scenes, that was never the case with Aunor, according to Gladys Reyes.

“She had a humble presence as if she was not aware how big her contributions were to film and television,” said Reyes on Sunday, April 20, as she paid Aunor her respects at The Chapels at Heritage Park in Taguig.

“Every time I saw her, she was always smiling. And she was not just smiling, her eyes were also smiling. So it came as a big surprise when we all found out that our one and only superstar is gone.”

Reyes got a chance to work with Aunor in the GMA drama series Little Nanay, which ran for four months from 2015 to 2016.

Nearly a decade later, when Reyes won Movie Supporting Actress of the Year and Aunor shared the Movie Actress of the Year honors with fellow icons Vilma Santos and Maricel Soriano during the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) Star Awards for Movies in 2024, the 47-year-old said “Ate Guy” remained just as modest.

“It is impossible to count how many trophies she had, and yet, from then until the last time I saw her, she stayed the same, still extremely humble,” said Reyes.

Barbie on Nora

Starring alongside Aunor in the 2016 independent film Tuos, Barbie Forteza experienced how “nurturing” and “generous” the National Artist was, even recalling the time Aunor cooked the “best” Bicol express for the cast and crew.

“The thing I learned from her was to never forget to greet the people on the set, from the highest to the lowest ranks,” said Forteza.

“She was very down to earth, which was something you would not expect from a superstar.”

For Forteza, the fact that the stories about Aunor follow a similar thread is proof that she treated the people she encountered with reverence.

“We all have the same experiences and that makes you believe that she gave everyone equal treatment,” said Forteza.

Reyes said the way Aunor carried herself — unassuming, considerate, and pleasant — should serve as an inspiration to the current crop of entertainers.

“There are a lot of great actors, they come and go, and the way you get along with other people is a big thing — how good you were to your coworkers, not just to your fellow artists, but to the staff, crew, everyone,” said Reyes.

“Ate Guy showed that from the beginning until the [end].” – Rappler.com