Antoinette Jadaone celebrates Maris Racal’s first Gawad Urian Best Actress victory
It was a dream years in the making, and for acclaimed filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone, seeing Maris Racal finally receive her first Gawad Urian Best Actress award was a moment filled with overwhelming pride, happiness, and emotion.
The actress earned the prestigious recognition for her powerful performance in the critically acclaimed film Sunshine, directed by Jadaone, during the 2026 Gawad Urian Awards held on October 8.
Shortly after the announcement, Jadaone expressed her excitement on social media, celebrating a milestone that she and Racal had once only imagined achieving.
"MARIS HAS JUST WON HER FIRST URIAN!!!!!!!!!! OH WHAT A FEELING!!!!!" the filmmaker enthusiastically declared.
Beyond the excitement of winning, Jadaone's message revealed the deep admiration and confidence she has always had in Racal's acting abilities.
"Pinapangarap lang natin ito dati tehhhhhhh!!! Pero hindi ako kailanman nagduda. SA’YO ITO," she wrote.
Her heartfelt words highlighted the special connection between the actress and her director, whose collaboration on Sunshine has become one of the defining achievements of their respective careers.
Jadaone also shared a video capturing Racal's emotional reaction as she received the coveted recognition from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino.
For Racal, the victory represented more than another addition to her growing collection of acting honors. It was a validation of the dedication, sacrifices, and determination she poured into bringing her challenging character to life.
Unable to contain her excitement, the actress celebrated the achievement through her Instagram account.
"MAY URIAN NA AKO!!!! Maraming Salamat PAPA GOD!" Racal exclaimed.
The touching exchange between the two artists quickly attracted congratulatory messages from supporters who celebrated their success.
"Congratulations, Maris & Direk 🥳," one netizen commented.
Another admirer acknowledged Jadaone's role in recognizing Racal's potential to portray the film's demanding lead character.
"Congrats, Maris! And thank you Direk Tonet for seeing Sunshine in her," the fan wrote.
Sunshine tells the story of a promising young gymnast whose aspirations of joining the national team face an unexpected crisis when she discovers that she is pregnant just days before an important qualifying competition.
Through its emotionally charged narrative, the film explores the difficult choices confronting a young woman whose dreams, future, and personal circumstances suddenly collide.
Racal's portrayal demanded not only emotional depth but also physical preparation to convincingly portray an athlete.
The actress previously disclosed that she devoted approximately one year to gymnastics training in preparation for the role.
"I really pushed my limits and trained for it. Even though it was hard, I pushed," she recalled in a 2024 interview.
She also spoke about the tremendous effort involved in developing the project, which had been years in the making.
"It was made through blood, sweat, and tears. We really worked hard. The script is from 2020. It made me very emotional because I trained for a year. I saw the movie, the trailer, and other things that were familiar to me. It's a great story."
The dedication eventually paid off as Sunshine attracted international attention and recognition.
In February 2025, the film received the Crystal Bear for Best Film in its category at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, further strengthening its reputation as an important contemporary Filipino production.
Racal's performance also earned recognition at the 6th Pinoy Rebyu Awards in June 2026, where she received the Best Lead Performance of 2025 award from the Society of Filipino Film Reviewers.
Her latest Gawad Urian victory adds another significant achievement to a career that has steadily evolved from music and television into critically acclaimed dramatic performances.
The actress is also expected to revisit her celebrated character in the upcoming theatrical adaptation of Sunshine, bringing the emotionally demanding story to a new audience through live performance.
For Jadaone, however, the greatest reward may be witnessing the fulfillment of a dream she had long believed was possible for her leading lady.
Their journey with Sunshine has now produced one of the most memorable moments in Racal's acting career, proving that years of preparation, artistic trust, and perseverance can lead to extraordinary recognition.
And as Racal celebrates her first Gawad Urian Best Actress trophy, Jadaone's message carries a particularly meaningful reminder: she had believed in her star long before the award became a reality.