Anita Linda (born Alice Bueñaflor Lake;[1] November 23, 1924 – June 10, 2020),[2] was a Filipino actress whose career spanned nearly eight decades and had done close to 400 motion pictures.

[3] A romantic lead in her early years, she gained widespread acclaim for her portrayals of maternal, elderly roles depicting Filipino struggles and their lifestyle.

[4] Often described as the face of Philippine cinema,[5] she was one of the top box-office draws for two decades[6][7] and has received numerous accolades from international film festivals and domestic award-giving bodies.

[10][9] Linda was discovered by renowned director Lamberto Avellana while watching a stage show at the Avenue Theater starring Leopoldo Salcedo, Lopito, among others.

Linda first did High School with no dialogue, then Biyernes sa Quiapo with Jaime dela Rosa as her leading man, then Aksesorya with Leopoldo Salcedo onstage.

[10] In the 1970s, Linda gained renewed critical acclaim in maternal roles she played for director Lino Brocka in Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (1974), Isa Dalawa Tatlo (1974) and Jaguar (1979).

In 2009, she returned to television, starring in the ABS-CBN drama Tayong Dalawa as Kim Chiu's ruthless Chinese grandmother Lily.

[18] In 2014, she made a comeback on primetime television in an ensemble drama Sana Bukas pa ang Kahapon as Paulo Avelino's grandmother Lola Patchi.