After Gawad Urian, Maris Racal Clinches Back-to-Back Best Actress Titles Anew for “Sunshine”
With recognitions at the 2026 FAMAS Awards and PMPC Star Awards for Movies.
Sunshine is adding yet another feather—or two—to her cap.
Fresh off her first-ever Gawad Urian win, Maris Racal has won Best Actress of Distinction at the 74th FAMAS Awards for her stellar performance in Sunshine. On stage, she couldn’t help but get emotional as she dedicated the trophy to her sisters, whom she said were her very first supporters.
“Pinagdasal ko ‘to (I prayed for this),” Racal said in her speech Tuesday night. “I give this to my 16-year-old self na pinaghirapan lahat (who worked hard for everything). I am humbled.”
Just a day earlier, Racal also took home the Best Actress Award at the 42nd Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) Star Awards for Movies. She tied with Diamond Star Maricel Soriano, who was recognized for her performance in Meet, Greet & Bye.
The Sunshine actress shared the honor with the creatives behind her critically acclaimed film—which also won Indie Movie of the Year at the ceremony—and her management, as she recognized that all the challenges she experienced only made her stronger and shine as brightly as she does now. Soriano, for her part, thanked her co-stars Piolo Pascual, Joshua Garcia, Juan Karlos Labajo, and Belle Mariano, as well as director Cathy Garcia-Sampana and the rest of Star Cinema.
On October 8, Racal earned her first Gawad Urian Best Actress title—a dream years in the making—for Sunshine. Her performance was also earlier celebrated at the 6th Pinoy Rebyu Awards in June, where she received the Best Lead Performance of 2025 accolade from the Society of Filipino Film Reviewers.
Securing back-to-back Best Actress recognitions for her work in Sunshine, Racal continues to cement her status as one the finest performers in Philippine cinema today.