Eugena Roxas Domingo-Bottoni (Tagalog: [ˈjudʒin ˈɾɔhas dɔˈmiŋgɔ]; born July 23, 1971)[1][4] is a Filipino actress, comedienne and host.
She is popularly known as the "Comedy Star for All Seasons"[5] and was a sidekick of Ai-Ai delas Alas in the Ang Tanging Ina series (2003–2010), until her very first lead film role in Kimmy Dora in 2009.
Domingo's films have collectively earned ₱1.81 billion, making her one of the highest grossing Filipino box office stars this century.
Domingo is the only actress in the Philippine entertainment history to have participated in six films (Working Girls, Here Comes the Bride, Mamarazzi, Petrang Kabayo, RPG: Metanoia, Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!))
[10] Domingo started her minor acting career through the movie Emma Salazar Case produced by Regal Entertainment in 1991.
Domingo went back to school and finished her undergraduate thesis, performing the play 'night, Mother opposite Harlene Bautista.
[14] Following that, she was cast as Rowena in the television series Ang Tanging Ina produced by ABS-CBN in 2003, opposite Ai-Ai delas Alas.
She became famous in television through her role as a crazy woman named "Lorelie" in the fantasy series Marina starring Claudine Barretto.
[19][20] She was cast as Sister Clara, a nun in the series Kampanerang Kuba and also joined Eula Valdez and Jean Garcia on hosting a reality cooking show, Makuha Ka sa Tikim in 2005.
[27] She also appeared on comedy films, including her reunion with Ai-Ai Delas Alas in Pasukob and Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo.
[29] She also appeared on the GMA film The Promise starring Angel Locsin and Richard Gutierrez, and on Paano Kita Iibigin with Regine Velasquez and Piolo Pascual.
[citation needed] In 2008, Domingo starred on a Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival entry, "100" which awarded her as "Best Supporting Actress", her fourth in a span of two years.
[37][38] She then appeared as Yaya Madel in the series Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang starring Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes.
[40] In 2009, Domingo appeared on her first lead movie role produced by Spring Films titled Kimmy Dora: Kambal sa Kiyeme, directed by Joyce Bernal and written by Chris Martinez.
[41][42] It tells the story of twin sisters Kimmy and Dora, both played by Domingo who are directly opposite each other in terms of characteristics and styles.
[43] Czeriza Valencia of Philippine Entertainment Portal noted that Domingo served as the funny factor in the film, since her skillful execution in playing the two roles made the situations hilarious.
[52][53][54] Despite being a contract artist of GMA, she managed to appear on the Star Cinema films Here Comes The Bride and Petrang Kabayo.
[55][56] She is the only actress in the Philippine entertainment history to have participated in six films (Working Girls 2010, Here Comes the Bride, Mamarazzi, Petrang Kabayo, RPG: Metanoia, Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!))
[citation needed] In the same year, she appeared on the critically acclaimed Cinemalaya entry Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank, holding the record for the highest grossing Filipino independent film in history.
[76][77] She also hosted a game show under GMA Network, Celebrity Bluff with comic duo, Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola.
[82] According to Gibz Cadiz of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Domingo is a tremendous actress, her theater background coming to the fore in her command of space, the way she deploys her vocal instrument, her ability to think on her feet (her every adlib is a hit with the audience).
[83] Domingo was featured on another Cinemalaya entry for 2013, Instant Mommy, a comedy film about a wardrobe mistress in TV commercials who fakes a pregnancy to keep her Japanese fiancé.
According to Matsuzaki, he was impressed by Domingo's performance in Ang Babae sa Septic Tank which made him agree to be her leading man.
The second installment in Lana's small-town trilogy (the first being Bwakaw (2012)) is about a widow defying gender role expectations in the 1970s by running her late husband's barbershop.
[102][103] Domingo also appeared on another Chris Martinez movie, for Regal Films titled as Status: It's Complicated with Paulo Avelino, Solenn Heussaff, and Jake Cuenca.
[108] The film was directed by Jun Lana with Pokwang, Carmi Martin, John Arcilla and Agot Isidro as co-actors.
[115] Domingo admires Lolita Rodriguez, for the reason she states that, "...when she(Rodriguez) decided to walk away and just be a normal person, it meant that she was already satisfied and that she's made a mark and that she would never be forgotten..."[116] She also cited the Superstar, Nora Aunor as her inspiration, but she admitted she doesn't want to be compared with Aunor who originally showcased Domingo's latest theater role, Bona.
[119] Domingo shows in her projects that her comic touch is still very much apparent as she delivers one-liners that elicit cheers from the appreciative crowd.
Considering how her past films are, her acting styles just grabbed the audience senseless and ended up picking themselves up after rolling on the floor laughing.
[124][125] Her humorous quips never fail to elicit thunderous laughter from the audience because she plays her character to maximum comedic effect.