Eugenia "Eugene" Roxas Domingo-Bottoni (; born July 23, 1971), is a Filipino actress, comedienne and host. She has performed in lead and supporting roles in various genres of the Philippine film industry. She is popularly known as the "Comedy Star for All Seasons" and was a sidekick of the Philippine Queen of Comedy Ai-Ai delas Alas in the Ang Tanging Ina series (20032010), until her very first lead film role in Kimmy Dora in 2009. Domingo's films have collectively earned ₱1.81 billion, making her one of the highest grossing Filipino box office stars this century.
Domingo's other notable films include Bahay Kubo (2007) for which she received her first Best Supporting Actress award. Her most successful film to date is the Cinemalaya entry, Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank (2011), which is the highest-grossing independent film in Philippine history. The film was an official entry for various international film festivals in Vancouver, South Korea, Hawaii, Japan, and Italy. The film was also chosen by the Film Academy of the Philippines to represent the Philippines in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards. Domingo achieved "Best Actress" awards, at the Cinemalaya (2011) and 10th Gawad Tanglaw for Films (2012). She also received the "People's Choice Award for Best Actress" at the 6th Asian Film Awards (2012) in Hong Kong and "Best Actress" award at the 3rd Pau International Film Festival in France.
Domingo is the only actress in the Philippine entertainment history to have participated in six films (Working Girls, Here Comes the Bride, Mamarazzi, Petrang Kabayo, RPG: Metanoia, Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!)) produced by eight major Filipino production companies (GMA Films, Regal Films, Unitel Productions, OctoArts Films, Quantum Films, VIVA Films, Ambient Media, and Star Cinema) within a year (in 2010). Domingo holds the record of being the first lead actress in Philippine cinema to star in the most films — seven — in a year. She was a contract artist of GMA Network, appearing on various comedy shows like Jejemom (2010), drama shows like Ako si Kim Sam Soon (2008), Ang Babaeng Hinugot Sa Aking Tadyang (2009) and First Time (2010). She also hosted Cool Center (2009–2010), Comedy Bar (2010–2011), Celebrity Bluff (2012–2018) and Dear Uge (2016–2022).
Apart from her television and mainstream appearance, she also headlined theater show in Bona produced by the Philippine Educational Theater Association in 2012. She was nominated as "Best Actress in a Play award" for her role at the International Theater Award and eventually hailed as "Best Actress in Theater role" for Bona at the 25th Aliw Awards.
Life and career 1971–2003: Early life and career beginnings Eugene Roxas Domingo was born on July 23, 1971, in Malate, Manila to Reynaldo Aguinaldo Domingo and Cecilia Atad Roxas. According to her, she was fond of copying her teachers and other people during her childhood life. She became interested in acting when she witnessed a musical held at the CCP Complex. She studied Theatre Arts at the University of the Philippines Diliman, apprenticing as an actress and production staff under the university's theatre company, Dulaang UP. As a theatre major, she went through selling tickets, inviting students to attend their play, begging professors to require students to watch, ushering the audience in and out of the auditorium, rehearsing all night, and learning from the not-so-conventional styles of the most diva directors. She spent eight years in her university studies, including one year at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Domingo started her minor acting career through the movie Emma Salazar Case produced by Regal Entertainment in 1991. It was then followed by the biographical movie Maricris Sioson in 1993 and as a condominium maid in Sa Ngalan ng Pag-ibig in 1995. She was launched in television as Dolores in the series Valiente run by ABS-CBN and GMA Network in 1992 to 1997. In 1998, she appeared in a three films produced by Viva Films, Pagdating Ng Panahon, Ikaw Pa Rin Ang Iibigin and Pusong Mamon. She also appeared on the Book 1 of the GMA Network series Kirara, Ano Ang Kulay ng Pag-ibig? in 1999.
She had her first hosting role through D! Da in 1999. At one point however, she stopped went on hiatus because of frustration over her bit player roles. Domingo went back to school and finished her undergraduate thesis, performing the play 'night, Mother opposite Harlene Bautista. After finishing her degree, she continued to perform in several stage productions. Until a friend, television director Andoy Ranay, insisted that she give TV acting a second chance. She was immediately cast on ABS-CBN show, Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan in 2002. According to her, "acting for TV was really sweeter the second time around, because i found companions who are, with utmost respect to craft, knowing they also came from theater...".
Following that, she was cast as Rowena in the television series Ang Tanging Ina produced by ABS-CBN in 2003, opposite Ai-Ai delas Alas. In the same year, she reprised her role at in the series' film adaptation produced by Star Cinema. She became famous in television through her role as a crazy woman named "Lorelie" in the fantasy series Marina starring Claudine Barretto. She was also cast in films such as Lastikman and Malikmata.
2004–2009: Kimmy Dora and numerous films and awards Domingo became known as a sidekick of Ai-Ai Delas Alas appearing again on the latter's film, Volta in 2004. The next year, she appeared on three films, as Tacing in Star Cinema's Can This Be Love, VIVA Films' Purita and in a cameo role in Seiko Films' Bikini Open. She was cast as Sister Clara, a nun in the series Kampanerang Kuba and also joined Eula Valdez and Jean Garcia on hosting a reality cooking show, Makuha Ka sa Tikim in 2005. Domingo achieved breakthrough in 2006 starring on six films from different production outfits. She appeared as Tina on the film D' Lucky Ones, and as Dora on You Are The One, both produced by Star Cinema. She also had major roles on Regal Films's Kapag Tumibok ang Puso and on the "LRT" episode of her first Metro Manila Film Festival film, Shake, Rattle and Roll 8. She also starred on a horror film, TxT as Aling Kuring.
Domingo became an award-winning actress in 2007, winning Best Supporting Actress at the 33rd Metro Manila Film Festival through her role in Bahay Kubo: A Pinoy Mano Po! starring Maricel Soriano. She starred on a total of 10 films in 2007, including her Cinemalaya entry Pisay and Seiko Films' Foster Child which gave Domingo two Best Supporting Actress awards at the 6th Gawad Tanglaw in 2008. She also appeared on comedy films, including her reunion with Ai-Ai Delas Alas in Pasukob and Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo. Some of her films in 2007 also include Apat Dapat, Dapat Apat with three other comedians, Candy Pangilinan, Pokwang and Rufa Mae Quinto. She also appeared on the GMA film The Promise starring Angel Locsin and Richard Gutierrez, and on Paano Kita Iibigin with Regine Velasquez and Piolo Pascual. Domingo also appeared on two series, Palimos ng Pag-Ibig and on a series, Kokey adapted from a film of the same title.
In 2008, Domingo starred on a Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival entry, 100 which awarded her as "Best Supporting Actress", her fourth in a span of two years. She also appeared on the sequel of Ang Tanging Ina, an official Metro Manila Film Festival entry titled Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat. Domingo transferred from ABS-CBN to GMA Network in 2008, with I.T.A.L.Y. as her first project. She debuted as an official GMA Contract Artist through the comedy series Ako si Kim Sam Soon starring Regine Velasquez, a remake of a Korean series televised on the same network. She then appeared as Yaya Madel in the series Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang starring Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes. Domingo also appeared as Juaning on the Panoramanila Pictures film Ploning produced by Judy Ann Santos.
In 2009, Domingo appeared on her first lead movie role produced by Spring Films titled Kimmy Dora: Kambal sa Kiyeme, directed by Joyce Bernal and written by Chris Martinez. It tells the story of twin sisters Kimmy and Dora, both played by Domingo who are directly opposite each other in terms of characteristics and styles. Czeriza Valencia of Philippine Entertainment Portal noted that Domingo served as the funny factor in the film, since her skillful execution in playing the two roles made the situations hilarious. Lito Zulueta of the Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote that Domingo's performance "runs the gamut of comic inventiveness" and "confirms her status as the country's funniest comic ingénue". Although starring in her major role, Domingo stated that she is still open for supporting roles. She then appeared on the RVQ Production film Nobody, Nobody But... Juan starring Dolphy. In the same year, she appeared on the comedy series Adik Sa'Yo and on her third hosting role, Cool Center together with Allan K. She was also awarded "Bert Marcelo Award" for Comedians at the 2009 Guillermo Mendoza Foundation Awards.
2010–2012: Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, international exposure and other films Domingo reprised her role on the third installment of Tanging Ina, titled Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!) in 2008 wherein she won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival. Her voice, as Mercedes also appeared on the animated film, RPG: Metanoia. She again starred on her second lead role in Mamarazzi produced by Regal Films and as Paula in GMA Films' Working Girls. Despite being a contract artist of GMA, she managed to appear on the Star Cinema films Here Comes The Bride and Petrang Kabayo. She is the only actress in the Philippine entertainment history to have participated in six films (Working Girls 2010, Here Comes the Bride, Mamarazzi, Petrang Kabayo, RPG: Metanoia, Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'To!)) produced by eight Filipino production companies (GMA Films, Regal Films, Unitel Productions, OctoArts Films, Quantum Films, Viva Films, Ambient Media, and Star Cinema) within a year. Domingo holds the record of being the first lead actress in Philippine cinema to star in the most films — seven — in a year.
She had her two hosting stints in GMA Network, through Comedy Bar and on the kiddie show Wachamakulit. She also appeared on her first sitcom, JejeMom, inspired from a text messaging style alias, Jejemon. She made her last appearance on a GMA Network series through her minor role as guidance counselor in the teen-oriented series First Time. Domingo appeared on TV5 through her comedy show, Inday Wanda.
2011 marked another successful year for Domingo wherein she starred in nine domestic films. She was paired with matinee idol Richard Gutierrez in the "Gunaw" (Apocalypse) episode of the trilogy My Valentine Girls. She was also cast as Belinda Eduque on Who's That Girl? and as Precy in Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi. According to a review from PEP, "She (Domingo) was still able to make the material fresh and entertaining. Her punch lines, although sometimes buried under long dialogues, and antics elicited laughter from viewers...". She also appeared on independent films, Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings produced by Origin8media. Domingo appeared on three films at the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival through Enteng ng Ina Mo, Shake, Rattle & Roll 13 and My House Husband: Ikaw Na! wherein she won another "Best Supporting Actress" award.