Screenshots from Jeepney TV, ABS-CBN Entertainment & VIVA Films / YouTube
Jaclyn Jose has left her mark on Philippine cinema.
The veteran actress, whose real name is Mary Jane Guck, unexpectedly passed away on Mar. 3 due to a heart attack, with her colleagues in the showbiz industry and admirers alike mourning her loss.
Throughout her career, the veteran actress made everlasting contributions to the film and television industries—making a lasting impression on generations to come.
With her signature understated acting style, Jaclyn is a Philippine cinema icon, delivering unforgettable performances that showcase her range as an actress.
Let’s look at Jaclyn’s iconic film and television projects that have made her a household name in the Philippine entertainment scene.
Ma’Rosa (2016)
Helmed by internationally acclaimed Filipino director Brillante Mendoza, Ma’Rosa is a Filipino drama film that tells the story of an ordinary family who tries to make ends meet by selling small amounts of ice or crystal meth.
The parents, Rosa (Jaclyn) and Nestor (Julio Diaz) are hauled to the police station after being detained on a customer’s deception. Their children must now find the money to pay corrupt police officers to release the couple, setting off a terrifying race in the movie.
The film was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where Jaclyn won Best Actress, making her the first Filipino and Southeast Asian actress to win the award.
In 2017, she was also honored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for this achievement at the Ani ng Dangal ceremony.
In case you didn’t know, this movie is where the iconic meme of Jaclyn eating fishball comes from. Since then, it’s become a reshared image for when someone suffers from “petsa de peligro,” or those days when your money is dwindling before the next payday.
Takaw Tukso (1986)
Takaw Tukso paved the way for Jaclyn’s first Gawad Urian win for Best Actress. Aside from that, this controversial film concerning “an erotic female body” bagged six awards and seven nominations from the same award-giving body.
The film follows a whirlwind of events that began when Debbie (Anna Marie Gutierrez) chose to leave home and elope with Boy (Gino Antonio) following an incredibly frustrating argument with her mother. Debbie’s friend, Letty (Jaclyn), who has been in love with Nestor (Julio Diaz) for a long time, seizes the opportunity to get closer to him. After spending the night together, they get married and move into a room next to Boy and Debbie.
White Slavery (1985)
Directed by award-winning Filipino director Lino Brocka, White Slavery follows three young ladies from the province who move to the city. But things aren’t as easy as it seems as the girls learn that their city home was actually a sex den and they are tricked into the sex trade.
Flor Contemplacion (1995)
Though cast in a supporting role, Jaclyn earned her numerous acting accolades and nominations, including a FAMAS Best Supporting Actress nomination and Best Supporting Actress awards from Gawad Urian and Luna Awards in the 1995 movie Flor Contemplacion, directed by Joel Lamangan.
Jaclyn played the role of Neneng, the mistress of Flor’s husband, Efren Contemplacion. The film primarily tells the true story of Flor Contemplacion (Nora Aunor), a Filipino domestic servant in Singapore who was found guilty and executed for killing a four-year-old child and a fellow maid.
The full copy of the movie is publicly available here.
Private Show (1984)
Helmed by Chito S. Roño, Private Show is a 1984 adult film that kicked off Jaclyn’s career as an actress by earning her first FAMAS Awards nomination.
It narrates the tale of a young lady who descends into “hell” after getting involved in the obscene world of a torera, a live sex show performer.
Familia Zaragoza (1996)
Jaclyn made her television debut on ABS-CBN in 1995, a little over ten years after she began her career in show business with films in the 1980s. She was cast as Ester Lagrimas, one of the major characters in the beloved soap opera Familia Zaragoza.
Mula sa Puso (1997)
One of Jaclyn Jose’s iconic roles in Philippine television is in the 1997 Philippine primetime melodrama Mula sa Puso, where she played the role of Magdalena “Magda” Trinidad-Pereir.
The teleserye also starred Claudine Baretto, the late Rico Yan, Princess Punzalan, Diether Ocampo, Juan Rodrigo, among others.
Batang Quiapo (2023)
Recently, Jaclyn made her momentous return to ABS-CBN after nearly a decade when she portrayed the role of Dolores Espinas, a tough Jail Chief Supt, in the 2023 action TV series FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.
