Marlene Daudén (born November 9, 1937) is a retired Filipino actress widely regarded as one of the greatest dramatic actresses in Philippine cinema. She was a top box-office draw during the 1960s and appeared in 75 motion pictures over a career spanning from 1957 to 1978.
Life and Career
Daudén was born in Manila to a Spanish-Irish father and a Spanish-Filipino mother, and grew up in a Spanish-speaking household. She finished as a finalist in the 1956 Goldwin Girl of the Philippines competition. In 1957, after graduating high school from St. Scholastica's College, she was discovered by film producer Jose Roxas Perez and launched in the romantic drama Mga Ligaw na Bulaklak. As she only spoke English at school and Spanish at home, she had to learn the Filipino language with assistance from her co-stars early in her career.
She became a leading star of Sampaguita Pictures and was promoted as the "Sophia Loren of the Philippines" due to her expressive features. Daudén, together with frequent collaborators Lolita Rodriguez and Eddie Rodriguez, is credited with popularizing the love triangle drama in Philippine cinema.
In 1967, she was named Miss Philippine Movies. After the declaration of martial law in the Philippines in 1972, Daudén and her family permanently migrated to San Francisco, California. She appeared in her final film, Kung Kaya Mo Kaya Ko Rin, in 1978.
Accolades
Daudén received five competitive FAMAS Awards (including Best Supporting Actress for Anino ni Bathala, Kamandag, and Sapagkat Kami'y Tao Lamang, and Best Actress for Sa Bawat Pintig ng Puso and Kapag Puso'y Sinugatan), making her the first Filipino actress to achieve five competitive FAMAS Awards. She also won Best Actress at the 7th Manila Film Festival in 1972 for Babae... Ikaw ang Dahilan!, and was honored at the Gawad Parangal sa mga Ginintuang Bituin ng Pelikulang Pilipino in 2010.
