Filipino cinema’s biggest names and rising stars are sharing the spotlight following the announcement of the 49th Gawad Urian Awards nominees.Among the standout talent in this year’s roster are Maris Racal, Dolly de Leon, and Will Ashley, who each earned recognition in major acting categories for their powerhouse performances.

Amongst the line up of nominations is Will Ashley landed a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in Bar Boys: After School, joining a competitive lineup that includes Joshua Garcia, Enrique Gil, Rico Blanco, Iain Glen, Amado Babon, and Nanding Josef.

Meanwhile, Maris Racal is in the running for Best Actress for her performance in Sunshine. She faces off against veteran actress Odette Khan of Bar Boys: After School, Krystel Go of I’mPerfect, as well as Nour Hooshmand, EJ Jallorina, Rissey Reyes-Robinson, Ruby Ruiz, and Geraldine Villamil.

Adding another major name to the acting lineup is Dolly de Leon, who received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan. She joins a strong category featuring Alessandra de Rossi, Elora Españo, Jennica Garcia, Gina Pareño, Rochelle Pangilinan, and Eula Valdez.

The nominations also put several films in the spotlight, with Quezon leading the pack with 10 nominations. Cinemartyrs and Sunshine followed with eight nominations each, while Bar Boys: After School earned seven.

For Best Film, the nominees are Bar Boys: After School, Bloom Where You Are Planted, Cinemartyrs, Quezon, and Sunshine.

The 49th Gawad Urian once again highlights the range of Filipino filmmaking from historical dramas and socially driven stories to intimate character pieces while recognizing both established performers and exciting new voices in the industry.

With Will, Maris, and Dolly among this year’s nominees, the upcoming awards night is shaping up to be another celebration of standout performances in Philippine cinema.