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Look back on the marvelous Darna actresses through the years 

Article (news)

Bea Kalaw

<p>Mars Ravelo’s comics superheroine Darna has been adapted to film and television series several times over 70 years, but seeing a new one come to life will always be a delight. Aside from getting new twists and plotlines, the actresses who play the coveted role intrigue fans and viewers the most.</p><p>As we await <a href='https://ent.abs-cbn.com/darna' target='_blank'><u><em><strong>Darna</strong></em></u></a>’s flight in the upcoming ABS-CBN series this August 15, let’s look back on the talented actresses who had protected the world with the powers bestowed upon by the heroine’s magical white stone.</p><div> </div><div><strong>Rosa del Rosario</strong></div><p>Rosa del Rosario portrayed Darna in the first two film adaptations.</p><p>“Darna,” the first film released in 1951 featured the origin story of the hero and her first battle with the evil snake-haired woman, Valentina. The second film, “Darna At Ang Babaing Lawin,” was released the following year. It was a continuation of Darna’s adventure, but this time facing a woman with hawk wings as her main nemesis.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Rosa del Rosario' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-1.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Liza Moreno</strong></div><p>More than 10 years later, it was time for a new face for Darna. Liza Moreno played the role in two movies in 1963. The first that came out was “Si Darna At Ang Impakta” where Darna fought a woman with a vile twin growing out of her back. The heroine was joined by her trusty sidekick and brother Ding. They continued the fight against evil in “Isputnik vs. Darna” where the heroine faced another supernatural being.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Liza Moreno' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-2.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Eva Montes</strong></div><p>Two years after, Darna’s story was presented to audience once again but with a new enemy – a powerful woman who could manipulate plants to terrorize others. In the film “Darna At Ang Babaing Tuod,” Eva Montes was tasked to become Darna. This was her first starring role in a film.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Eva Montes' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-3.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Gina Pareño</strong></div><p>Veteran actress Gina Pareño who we’ve seen act in the series <strong><a href='https://ent.abs-cbn.com/angprobinsyano' target='_blank'><em><u>FPJ's Ang Probinsyano</u></em></a> </strong>was also Darna once in her life. Her film “Darna at ang Planetman” was the last Darna film to be released in the 60s. It featured Darna and Ding taking on aliens with an evil plot against Earth.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Gina Pareño' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-4.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Vilma Santos</strong></div><p>Award-winning actress Vilma Santos is perhaps one of the most well-known Darna actresses to this day. She starred in not one nor two but four Darna films. With her successful portrayal of Darna in “Lipad, Darna, Lipad!” (1973), “Darna and the Giants” (1973), “Darna vs The Planet Women” (1975), and ”Darna At Ding” (1980), Vilma further proved that she is indeed the “Star For All Seasons. “</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Vilma Santos' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-5.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Lorna Tolentino</strong></div><p>Seasoned actress Lorna Tolentino brought Darna back but on the TV screens with the first series adaptation of “Darna.” Lorna began to venture into showbusiness in 1970, garnering several movie roles. But her first ever TV role was offered in 1977 when she’s just 14 years old. This was also the first time Darna donned a one-piece instead of the usual bikini.  She was 14 years old at the time and was the first Darna to wear a one-piece instead of a two-piece costume.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Lorna Tolentino' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-6.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Rio Locsin</strong></div><p>Former model Rio Locsin also played Darna in the 1979 film “Bira, Darna, Bira!” She was 18 years old and still a rising star in the industry when she took on the role. Now a widely loved actress in her prime, she is set to appear in the latest <a href='https://ent.abs-cbn.com/darna' target='_blank'><u><em><strong>Darna</strong></em></u></a><strong> </strong>series of ABS-CBN as Roberta.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='darna Rio Locsin' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-7.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Sharon Cuneta</strong></div><p>In the 1986 movie starring Edu Manzano, “Captain Barbell” shared the same world as Darna. Sharon Cuneta, who was gaining the moniker “Megastar” at the time, got the role of Darna and enticed fans to see her cameo in the film.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Sharon Cuneta' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-8.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Nanette Medved</strong></div><p>Model turned actress Nanette Medved was the top choice for Darna in the 1991 film helmed by Joel Lamangan. In this film, she faced two of Darna’s greatest enemies — Valentina and Impakta.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-9.jpg'></div><p>Nanette shared in a <a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/01/23/20/from-darna-to-builder-of-classrooms-the-many-lifetimes-of-nanette-medved-po'>2020 interview</a> that the role of Darna showed her how inspiring such a character could be. She could see her audiences filled with hopes and dreams. After the role of Darna and some soul searching, Nanette decided to leave the entertainment industry and focus on philanthropy efforts and her advocacies. Truly, she has embodied Darna in her real life!</p><div> </div><div><strong>Anjanette Abayari</strong></div><p>Actress and former beauty queen Anjanette Abayari was given the titular role in the 1994 film “Darna: Ang Pagbabalik.” This adaptation gives fans an interesting twist, as Darna lost her magical stone. With her nemesis Valentina on the loose, Anjanette’s Darna had to find a way to retrieve the stone and defeat the snake-haired woman.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Anjanette Abayari' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-10.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Regine Velasquez</strong></div><p>Sharon Cuneta wasn’t the only singer-actress to play Darna alongside Captain Barbell. Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez also got the iconic role in the 2003 film adaptation of Captain Barbell, portrayed by Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt='Darna Regine Velasquez' src='https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/darna/2022/08/07/Darna-11.jpg'></div><div> </div><div><strong>Iza Calzado</strong></div><p>In ABS-CBN’s <a href='https://ent.abs-cbn.com/darna' target='_blank'><em><strong><u>Mars Ravelo’s Darna</u></strong></em></a><u>,</u> we have only seen the teaser and trailers, but it’s clear that we will witness two Darnas in one setting.</p><p>Iza Calzado plays Leonor, who is considered the First Darna. However, her unfortunate fate causes her life to end, and passes on the magical stone to her daughter, Narda.</p><div><iframe allow='accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture' allowfullscreen='' frameborder='0' height='506' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8HPWsDAv8Rw' title='Abangan si Ms. Iza Calzado bilang Leonor | Darna Teaser' width='900'></iframe></div><div> </div><div><strong>Jane De Leon</strong></div><p>Leonor’s daughter Narda in <a href='https://ent.abs-cbn.com/darna' target='_blank'><em><strong><u>Mars Ravelo’s Darna</u></strong></em></a> takes on the responsibility of protecting Earth by fully awakening her powers with the magical stone passed on by her mother. This premier role was granted to the young and dedicated actress, Jane de Leon.</p><div><iframe allow='accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture' allowfullscreen='' frameborder='0' height='506' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/WxckpnBPZLU' title='Darna | Official Trailer' width='900'></iframe></div><p>“<a href='https://ent.abs-cbn.com/darna' target='_blank'><em><strong><u>Mars Ravelo’s Darna</u></strong></em></a>” will air on August 15 on <u><strong><a href='https://kapamilyachannel.com/' target='_blank'>Kapamilya Channel</a></strong></u>, A2Z, Jeepney TV, and TV5 and will also be available on <u><strong><a href='https://kapamilyaonlinelive.com' target='_blank'>Kapamilya Online Live</a></strong></u>, <u><strong><a href='https://app.iwanttfc.com/Mkr3OdLk6ab' target='_blank'>iWantTFC</a></strong></u>, and The Filipino Channel.</p>

Let’s look back on the talented actresses who had protected the world with the powers bestowed upon by Darna’s magical white stone.