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Vice Ganda recalls shock from MMFF Best Actor win

Article (news)

Reyma Deveza

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — “I wasn’t prepared!” exclaimed Vice Ganda as she recalled the shock of winning Best Actor for Call Me Mother at the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal.</p><p>In Friday&#x27;s episode of &quot;It&#x27;s Showtime,&quot; Vice took the chance to thank the show’s hosts, her co-stars, and the fans whose support helped make the film a hit.</p><p>&quot;Maraming-maraming salamat, madlang people. Mula sa kaibuturan ng puso at kaluluwa ni Mother Twinkle, maraming-maraming salamat po,&quot; she said</p><p>&quot;Ang saya-saya ko. Hanggang ngayon ay cloud 9 pa rin ang pakiramdam ko, nakakatuwa. Lahat sa inyo pinasasalamatan ko. Sa aking mga little ponies thank you very much. Maraming salamat sa madlang people na sumugod sa sinehan unang araw pa lang, December 25, pumila nang mahaba, nag-antay dahil maraming sold out. Maraming salamat sa pagtitiis niyo para lang panoorin ang pelikula. Maraming-maraming salamat,&quot; Vice added.</p><p>The comedian also acknowledged the positive reviews that the film received.</p><p>&quot;Maraming-maraming salamat din sa mga nag-review, sa film critics saan mang platforms. ... Ano mang uri ng critique, maraming-maraming  salamat because generally positive feedback ang nakuha ng &#x27;Call Me Mother,&#x27;&quot; she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DS_xYkuE2Ac/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A15725925.200000018%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1107" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong>A good surprise</strong></div><p>Vice revealed that she really had no intention of attending the Gabi ng Parangal but it was ABS-CBN executive Cory Vidanes who reminded her to attend the event to show her support for the movie industry, her film and co-stars.</p><p>&quot;First day pa lang ng shooting, sinabi ko, &#x27;Direk, hindi ako pupunta ng awards night.&#x27; Hindi ako pumupunta ng MMFF, bihirang bihira, most of the time umaalis kami ng nanay ko. So hindi ako pupunta. December 27 kasi &#x27;yon, hanggang December 26, kinausap ako ni Tita Cory, &#x27;Hindi ka raw a-attend?&#x27; &#x27;Tita hindi kasi baka ipahinga ko ang araw na &#x27;yon kasi pagod na ako. Saka hindi naman ako nananalo sa MMFF.&#x27; Sabi ni Tita Cory, &#x27;You go to the awards night, you attend not because you are expecting to win but because you support the industry and you support the festival and you support your movie and co-actor,&#x27;&quot; Vice narrated.</p><p>&quot;Siyempre kapag nagsalita si Tita Cory parang si Sister Faustina na ang kumakausap sa akin o kaya si Mother Ignacia, siya talaga si Mother Ignacia dito sa Quezon City,&quot; she recalled. </p><p>But during the ceremony, Vice admitted that she did not believe that she will win a major award.</p><p>&quot;Tapos &#x27;yung mga set of awards puro sa iba napupunta kaya sabi ko &#x27;ay wala na ito.&#x27; &#x27;Yung mawawalan ka talaga ng pag-asa. Tapos nag-a-apologize rin ako sa mga jurors kasi jinudge ko rin sila. Noong sinabi &#x27;yung mga jurors, lumalabas &#x27;yung pangalan nila &#x27;ay puro lalaki.&#x27; Eh siyempre sanay ako na hindi ako biased ng mga lalaki, puro lalaki. Tapos may pari. &#x27;Ay, may pari.&#x27; Sorry jinudge ko sila. Kinukuwento sa akin ng organizers na sobra nilang fair at ako talaga ang pinipili nila,&quot; she shared.</p><p>After taking a restroom break, Vice returned to the venue and was shocked when her name was called as best actor.</p><p>&quot;Pagpasok ko na award na &#x27;yung Best Actress agad. Tapos Best Actor na. So hindi talaga ako emotionally and psychologically prepared. Kaya noong tinawag ako gulat na gulat ako, hindi ako nakaarte,&quot; Vice said.</p><p>&quot;Hanggang leeg na &#x27;yung kaba ko. Gulat na gulat talaga ako tapos hindi ako nag-prepare ng speech, buti na lang talaga kahit hindi ako nagpi-prepare haba lagi nang sinasabi ko. Ang sarap ng pagkagulat. Ang sarap ng experience. Sabi ko hindi ako sanay sa ganoon. Sa edad kong ito ang dami ko pang hindi nararanasan na masasarap at ang sarap-sarap nang naranasan ko noong gabing &#x27;yon,&quot; the best actor added.</p><p>In the noontime program, Vice also received video messages from his &quot;Call Me Mother&quot; co-stars including Nadine Lustre, and her family who congratulated her.</p><p>Apart from Vice, &quot;Call Me Mother&quot; child actor Lucas Andalio, took home the Best Child Actor award. </p><p>Directed by Jun Lana, the film also won the Gender Sensitivity Award and was named Third Best Picture.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/12/29/ion-perez-tells-best-actor-vice-ganda-i-m-here-to-stay-forever-1109" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ion Perez tells &#x27;best actor&#x27; Vice Ganda: &#x27;I&#x27;m here to stay forever&#x27;</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2025/12/28/vice-ganda-call-me-mother-win-big-in-51st-mmff-gabi-ng-parangal-0041" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vice Ganda, &#x27;Call Me Mother&#x27; win big in 51st MMFF Gabi ng Parangal</a></div><div><a href="http://Emotional Vice Ganda on &#x27;Call me Mother&#x27;: &#x27;Ipagmamalaki ko talaga to!&#x27;" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Emotional Vice Ganda on &#x27;Call me Mother&#x27;: &#x27;Ipagmamalaki ko talaga to!&#x27;</a></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7Rs9m40jCK0?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6CeMH0XTaag?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CxWMov7zcBw?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fCKNXztDEOg?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Vice Ganda was “gulat na gulat” when his name was called for Best Actor at the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival, admitting he had not prepared a speech and had no expectation of winning for '<i>Call Me Mother</i>.'</p>

Vice Ganda was “gulat na gulat” when his name was called for Best Actor at the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival, admitting he had not prepared a speech and had no expectation of winning for ' Call Me Mother .'

‘I wasn’t prepared!’ Vice Ganda recalls shock from MMFF Best Actor win

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‘I wasn’t prepared!’ Vice Ganda recalls shock from MMFF Best Actor win

Reyma Deveza,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 02, 2026 02:23 PM PHT

|

Updated January 10, 2026 08:33 AM PHT

Read More:

Call Me Mother

Vice Ganda

best actor

MMFF

Metro Manila Film Festival

movie

It's Showtime

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