Nelson Morales

'She authored my life': Louella Albornoz remembers Nora Aunor as more than a screen partner

Article (news)

TJ Manotoc

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745319797586465955851_10160634232901476_7290880585145892018_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Louella Albornoz (left) and Nora Aunor. Photo courtesy of Angeles"/>Louella Albornoz (left) and Nora Aunor. Photo courtesy of Angeles</div>Veteran actress Louella Albornoz Angeles, long remembered as Nora Aunor’s comedic and heartfelt on-screen sidekick, is mourning the passing of not just a co-star, but a true-life sister and soulmate.Their friendship goes back to the 1970s, when both actresses were part of the Philippine Educational Theater Association or PETA, a creative breeding ground that shaped an entire generation of Filipino artists. Together, they shared stages and sets with now-legendary names like Lino Brocka, Maryo J. de los Reyes, Jake Tordesillas, Soxie Topacio, and Bernardo Bernardo.&quot;We all came up in the same theater scene,&quot; Angeles recalled. &quot;We were just kids then, acting in whatever project came our way—TV, theater, film—you name it.&quot;Among their most beloved collaborations were cult classics like &quot;Annie Batungbakal,&quot; &quot;Bongga Ka &#x27;Day,&quot; and &quot;Totoo Ba ang Tsismis&quot; — films that captured the spirit of the era and made household names out of their ensemble casts.But for Angeles, her most unforgettable role came not from a script, but from a real-life moment orchestrated by Aunor herself.&quot;I got married because of Ate Guy,&quot; she said with a mix of laughter and gratitude. &quot;I wish I could say because Andrew proposed to me, but no — the only reason I am married is because of Ate Guy!&quot;It was Holy Week in 1981, in Aunor&#x27;s hometown of Iriga, Bicol. The Superstar woke up a priest in the middle of the night, bought the wedding rings herself, and arranged for Angeles and Andrew to be married right then and there — at her resort, with her entire town present.&quot;We were with director, scriptwriters, cinematographers — it was just like the movies, complete with background actors, food galore, setting — you would think we were filming a scene for a movie,&quot; she said. That impromptu wedding on April 14, 1981 led to a lifelong bond that included being godmothers to each other&#x27;s children — Matet for Angeles, Stephen for Aunor — and sharing everything from homes to heartbreaks.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745319861378SteveBaptismal2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Aunor (center) at the baptism of Angeles&#x27; child. Photo courtesy of Angeles"/>Aunor (center) at the baptism of Angeles&#x27; child. Photo courtesy of Angeles</div>&quot;She made me promise: &#x27;Huwag kayo maghihiwalay&#x27; (Don&#x27;t ever separate),&quot; Angeles shared. &quot;And to make sure, she flew the entire family—Andrew, Steve, and me—to the US in 1984 and told us, &#x27;Round trip ticket ito. It&#x27;s up to you what you want to do.&#x27;&quot;From drinking Fundador brandy together in Rallos, to late-night laughs and years of friendship in South San Francisco, theirs was a relationship that blurred the line between real and reel life.&quot;I doubled for her. Now I&#x27;m double her,&quot; Angeles said, tearfully reflecting on the loss. &quot;For a sidekick, I&#x27;m not even at her side right now.&quot;Angeles, still based in South San Francsico, wishes she could have traveled to bid farewell in person, a painful irony for someone who once shared everything with the Superstar.&quot;I thank God for her role in my life,&quot; she said. &quot;I thank her for portraying a role in my life. She is so good to us.&quot;As the Philippine entertainment industry says goodbye to its beloved Superstar, Angeles offers a more intimate farewell — one rooted in love, laughter, and a friendship that could&#x27;ve only been written by life itself.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/4/22/-paalam-at-salamat-nora-aunor-finally-laid-to-rest-1258">&#x27;Paalam at salamat&#x27;: Nora Aunor finally laid to rest</a></div>

Veteran actress Louella Albornoz Angeles, long remembered as Nora Aunor’s comedic and heartfelt on-screen sidekick, is mourning the passing of not just a co-star, but a true-life sister and soulmate.

Veteran actress Louella Albornoz Angeles, long remembered as Nora Aunor’s comedic and heartfelt on-screen sidekick, is mourning the passing of not just a co-star, but a true-life sister and soulmate.