Susan Roces

Susan Roces
Name	Susan Roces
Birth name	Jesusa Purificacion Levy Sonora
Birth date	July 28, 1941
Birth place	Bacoor, Cavite, Commonwealth of the Philippines
Death date	May 20, 2022
Death place	Manila, Philippines
Occupation	Actress, film producer
Years active	1952–2022
Spouse	Fernando Poe Jr. (m. 1968–2004)
Children	Grace Poe

Susan Roces was a Filipino actress and film producer whose career spanned seven decades across Philippine cinema and television. Renowned for performances in melodrama, action, and romance, she became an icon alongside contemporaries and collaborators from the studio era through independent productions. Her public profile extended into civic life through her marriage to a prominent actor and political figure, and through advocacy tied to cultural institutions and public welfare.

Early life and education

Born Jesusa Purificacion Levy Sonora in Bacoor, Cavite, she came from a family with roots in Cavite and grew up during the final years of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Her early schooling took place in local institutions in Cavite before she entered the entertainment industry as a teenager. During the 1950s she transitioned from juvenile roles to leading parts under the auspices of production outfits such as Sampaguita Pictures and Lebran International, working within the studio system that also cultivated stars like Nida Blanca, Gloria Romero, and Dolphy.

Acting career

Roces debuted in the early 1950s and rose to prominence in films produced by LVN Pictures and Royal Productions. Her breakout roles included parts in melodramas and romance features opposite actors such as Fernando Poe Jr., Dolphy, and Eddie Garcia. In the 1960s and 1970s she headlined box-office hits and became associated with directors like Lamberto V. Avellana, Lino Brocka, and Ishmael Bernal through character-driven projects and mainstream fare. She starred in enduring films including titles that competed at festivals such as the Metro Manila Film Festival and engaged audiences in the same circuits as works by Cecile Guidote-Alvarez and Pepe Diokno.

During the 1980s and 1990s Roces expanded into television with roles on networks including ABS-CBN and GMA Network, appearing in teleseryes and anthology programs that paired veteran performers like Coney Reyes and Vilma Santos. She also produced films and programs under her own production affiliations, collaborating with producers from Seiko Films and independents active in the Philippine New Wave. Into the 2000s she continued to act in film and television, sharing screens with contemporary stars such as Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz, and Vilma Santos-Recto in projects that bridged generations.

Personal life and marriage

Roces married actor Fernando Poe Jr., a leading figure in Filipino action cinema and scion of the Poe family, in 1968. Their partnership linked Roces to the broader cultural and political life in the Philippines, intersecting with figures like Imelda Marcos, Corazon Aquino, and later political events involving the Commission on Elections. The couple had one daughter, Grace Poe, who pursued a career in public service and media and later served as a senator after affiliating with institutions such as Nationalist People's Coalition and engaging with electorates in Manila. Roces maintained friendships across the entertainment community, including ties to stalwarts like Nora Aunor, Sharon Cuneta, and Charo Santos-Concio.

Awards and honors

Throughout her career Roces received numerous accolades from Philippine award-giving bodies including the FAMAS Awards, the Gawad Urian Awards, and the Metro Manila Film Festival jury recognitions. She was granted lifetime achievement and hall of fame distinctions by organizations such as the Film Academy of the Philippines and cultural institutions like the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Her contributions were acknowledged in retrospectives alongside honorees like Dolphy and Lino Brocka, and she received civic commendations from municipal and national entities, reflecting intersections with agencies such as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Philanthropy and advocacy

Roces was active in charitable work and advocacy, aligning with relief efforts coordinated by groups like the Philippine Red Cross during natural disasters that affected regions including Samar and Mindanao. She supported cultural preservation initiatives tied to Philippine cinema through entities such as the Film Development Council of the Philippines and partnered with educational campaigns involving organizations like the Department of Education (Philippines). Her visibility aided fundraising for health and social service programs connected with non-governmental organizations and foundations associated with fellow artists and institutions such as the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation.

Death and legacy

Roces died in Manila in 2022 after a long illness, prompting tributes from political leaders including figures from the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives of the Philippines, as well as from colleagues in the entertainment industry. Her passing occasioned memorials and retrospectives at venues like the Cultural Center of the Philippines and coverage by broadcasters ABS-CBN, GMA Network, and TV5. Roces's legacy endures through her filmography housed in archives and through the ongoing public service of family members who engage with institutions such as the Senate of the Philippines and civic organizations. She is remembered alongside peers such as Nida Blanca, Dolphy, and Celia Rodriguez as one of the defining figures of Philippine screen history.

Category:Filipino film actresses Category:1941 births Category:2022 deaths