SHE was born Alice Buenaflor Lake on November 23, 1924, in Pasay City, the daughter of an American father and a mother from Iloilo. Of course everybody knew her as Anita Linda, her chosen nom de guerre when she entered show business in the early 1940s after being discovered by National Artist Lamberto Avellana. Her last film credit was 2019’s Circa, an Adolf Alix Jr. drama for which Anita Linda won a Best Actress nomination. It was one of the many acting awards the actress had collected in a decades-long career.
In the early morning of Wednesday, June 10, Anita Linda passed away at the age of 95. The actress’s daughter, Francesca Legaspi, confirmed her death to the media. In a social-media post, Alix, who also directed Linda in Adela (2009) and Presa (2011), likewise confirmed her passing.
“The great Anita Linda…passed away this morning at 6:15 am at 95,” Alix wrote in his post on Wednesday morning. “This is a very sad day for me. I am trembling as I gather my thoughts…She [was] like my lola and part of my family.”
In a Facebook post, Liza Diño-Seguerra, the chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), said: “I just heard about the passing of the great Anita Linda from director Adolfo Alix Jr., and it’s heartbreaking. Last year, I posted my memorable encounter with her. A once-in-a-lifetime chance na makadaupang palad s’ya…this was what she said to me:
“‘Liza, life has been good to me. Matanda na ’ko, malabo na ang mga mata ko, hindi na ako masyadong makarinig. Pero hanggang ngayon, nandito pa rin ako. Ayokong iwanan ang buhay dahil masarap mabuhay.’
“It was such a humbling experience to have been able to spend a moment with one of our country’s living treasures. To Miss Anita Linda, the industry [has been] blessed to have you po. Thank you for being an inspiration to all of us. Your words will forever be in my heart. Paalam po. Hanggang sa muli…[heart emoji].”
In her seven decades as an actress, Linda created some of the most unforgettable performances ever to grace movie theaters. Her credits, include Sisa, Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo, Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, Isa Dalawa Tatlo, Bakit Bughaw ang Langit, Ang Babae sa Bubungang Lata, Mater Dolorosa, Adela, Lola Igna and Circa. Her awards include three from Gawad Urian, two from the FAMAS, and one each from the Young Critics Circle and the Cinemalaya, plus international honors from the Asia Pacific Film Festival, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival, and the Asean International Film Festival.
The great director Lino Brocka dubbed Anita Linda as “The Face,” as hers—as breathtaking and breathtakingly fragile as Dresden china—was the weapon with which she seduced generations of film audiences. It was her electrifying talent, however, that forever captivated generations of filmgoers.
Anita Linda will forever be missed.
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