Jose Mari Hontiveros Avellana (May 6, 1941 – June 26, 2011) was a Filipino actor, screenwriter, director, and production designer.

Biography

Avellana was the son of National Artists director Lamberto V. Avellana and actress Daisy Avellana.

While still in college, he started out as a Radio announcer for DZFM Radio before turning to the stage and to acting. His first major movie role was that of evil drug lord Ming in Cirio H. Santiago's Blaxploitation epic TNT Jackson (1974).

This marked the beginning of a decade-long professional relationship with influential producer-director Cirio H. Santiago, during which Avellana took on various responsibilities. In many productions, he worked simultaneously as an actor, production designer and assistant director. Some of the more notable productions in which he acted include successful action-adventure outings such as Wheels of Fire (1985), Death Force (1978) and Bloodfist II (1990). In these movies made for an international audience he was mostly playing antagonists.

Later in his career, Avellana directed movies in Tagalog for the local market such as the family drama Kung Mawawala Ka Pa (1993) that won Best Picture at the 1993 Metro Manila Film Festival, Labanang Lalaki (1996) and the patriotic revolution tale Damong Ligaw (1997) that was awarded the FAMAS Centennial Award.

He was also a highly regarded theater actor. Until shortly before his death, he was seen on stage at the Repertory Philippines as Morrie Schwartz in a play based on Mitch Albom's book Tuesdays With Morrie, and in Nick Joaquin's A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino. He died on 26 June 2011 due to aneurysm. Avellana was 70.

Stage names Jose Mari Avellana also used the stage names Joe Mari Avellana and Joe Avalon.

Awards and nominations Year Award Giving Body Category Nominated work Result 1994 FAMAS Award Best Director Kung mawawala ka pa (1993) 1998 FAMAS Award Best Director Damong ligaw (1997) 1998 FAP Awards Best Story Adaptation Damong ligaw (1997) 1998 YCC Award Best Screenplay Damong ligaw (1997) 1998 Gawad Urian Award Best Direction Damong ligaw (1997) 1998 Gawad Urian Award Best Screenplay Damong ligaw (1997) 2003 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Supporting Actor Operation Balikatan (2003) 2010 Gawad Urian Award Best Supporting Actor Colorum (2009)

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