She was born Nora Villamayor to a large and poor family in Iriga City, Camarines Sur. At the age of five, she was selling water at the railroad station. The family lived in a nipa house with only one gasera to provide light, and sometimes Nora went to school barefoot. But then, tinseltown beckoned. She began to make movies, and was paired with Tirso Cruz III. As Guy and Pip, they were a popular pair for many years, but then came a professional parting of the ways. From musicals, Nora graduated to dramatic roles. And what an actress she turned out to be! She remains one of the very best.
Has a son named Ian De Leon with former husband Christopher De Leon. Adopted children include Lotlot De Leon , Matet De Leon , Kiko and Kenneth.
(30 March 2005) Arrested for possession of 6.69 grams of methamphetamine, found in her baggage at Los Angeles International Airport. The case was dismissed.
Although Doc Perez of Sampaguita Pictures was credited for giving her a break in the movies via All Over the World , it was Artemio Marquez of Tower Productions that made her a lead star via DMusical Teenage Idols.
The first Filipino actor to win an International acting award in a Major Film Festival (Cairo 1995 for the movie "The Flor Contemplacion Story").
The first and only Filipino actor to receive an acting nomination from a Top-Tier International Film Festival (Berlin 1983 for the movie "Himala").
The first Filipino actress to sit as juror in an International Film Festival (Hawaii 1996).
The only Filipino and Asian actress apart from Chinas Gong Li to be featured by HBO, an American cable network, in a documentary film about the lives and achievements of the worlds greatest actresses.
The Filipino actor with the most "Best Performer" awards (5).
The first Filipino actor ever to win the "Best Performer" award.
The only actress included in the prestigious "Centennial Honor for the Arts" given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
The first actress to be honored with the "Ten Outstanding Women in the Nations Service" (TOWNS) award.
The only Filipino actress to win three successive best actress awards in the Film Academy of the Philippines (1989,1990,1991).
The only Filipino actor to bag seven Metro Manila Film Festival best actress awards.
The first actress to be crowned as "Box Office Queen of Philippine Cinema".
The only actress to be directed by four Philippine National Artist Awardees, Gerardo de Leon, Lamberto Avellana, Lino Brocka, and Ishmael Bernal.
Named by S Magazine as the "Philippines Best Actress of All Time" in 2006.
2001 Ading Fernando Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award PMPC Star Awards for TV.
The most nominated Actress in the leading role of FAMAS with 17 nominations before she was elevated to the Hall of Fame. She was nominated every year from 1972 - 1985.
Youngest recipient of the Helen Vela Lifetime Achievement Award.
She is the first Filipino actor to win an International acting award in a Major Film Festival (Cairo 1995 for the movie "The Flor Contemplacion Story") and the most number of best actress wins and nominations in International awards (Cairo 1995, East Asia 1997, Brussels 2004, Italy 2012, Australia 2012), and nominations (Berlin 1983, Singapore 1997, Cairo 1999, Singapore 1999, Italy 2012, India 2012). She is the first and only Filipino actor to receive Certificate of Honors (Cannes 1981 and Berlin 1983).
At the Cinema One Originals Film Festival 2009, she received the Cinema One Legend Award.
Honorary Awardee for Pioneering Efforts in Independent Cinema, 7th Cinema One Originals Film Festival 2011.
Won, Best Actress, Thy Womb , 3rd Sakhalin International Film Festival "On the Edge".
The only Filipino performer with the most number of International best actress awards (Cairo 1995, East Asia 1997, Brussels 2004, Venice 2012, Australia 2012, Hong Kong 2013, Russia 2013), and nominations (Berlin 1983, Singapore 1997, Cairo 1999, Singapore 1999, Venice 2012, India 2012, Dubai 2012, Macau 2012).
The first Filipino actor to win the Best Performance by an Actress at the 2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the first Filipino actor to be inducted as a member of Asia Pacific Screen Academy.
She has 1 biological son and 4 adopted kids.
The first Filipino actress to win Best Actress at the Asian Film Awards.
She won a National Amateur singing contest in 1967, She was only 14 years old.
