- The only Filipino and Asian actress apart from China's Gong Li to be featured by HBO, an American cable network, in a documentary film about the lives and achievements of the world's greatest actresses (1997).
- She is the first Filipino actor to win an International acting award in a Major Film Festival (Cairo 1995 for the movie "The Flor Contemplacion Story") and the most number of Best Actress wins and nominations in International awards (Cairo 1995, East Asia 1997, Brussels 2004, Italy 2012, Australia 2012), and nominations (Berlin 1983, Singapore 1997, Cairo 1999, Singapore 1999, Italy 2012, India 2012). She is the first and only Filipino actor to receive Certificate of Honors (Cannes 1981 and Berlin 1983).
- Arrested for possession of 6.69 grams of methamphetamine, found in her baggage at Los Angeles International Airport. The case was dismissed. (March 30, 2005)
- The first Filipino actor to win an international acting award in a Major Film Festival (Cairo 1995 for the movie "The Flor Contemplacion Story").
- The first Filipino actress to sit as juror in an International Film Festival (Hawaii 1996).
- The Filipino actor with the most "Best Performer" awards (5).
- Has a son named Ian De Leon with former husband Christopher De Leon. Adopted children include Lotlot De Leon, Matet De Leon, Kiko, and Kenneth.
- Although Doc Perez of Sampaguita Pictures was credited for giving her a break in the movies via All Over the World (1967), it was Artemio Marquez of Tower Productions who made her a lead star via D'Musical Teenage Idols (1969).
- The first and only Filipino actor to receive an acting nomination from a Top-Tier International Film Festival (Berlin 1983 for the movie "Himala").
- The first Filipino actor ever to win the "Best Performer" award (1978).
- The only actress included in the prestigious "Centennial Honor for the Arts" given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (1999).
- The first actress to be honored with the "Ten Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service" (TOWNS) award (1983).
- The only Filipino actress to win three successive best actress awards in the Film Academy of the Philippines (1989,1990,1991).
- The only Filipino actor to bag seven Metro Manila Film Festival best actress awards.
- The first actress to be crowned as "Box Office Queen of Philippine Cinema" (1971).
- The only actress to be directed by four Philippine National Artist Awardees, Gerardo de Leon, Lamberto Avellana, Lino Brocka, and Ishmael Bernal.
- Named by S Magazine as the "Philippines' Best Actress of All Time" in 2006.
- 2001 Ading Fernando Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award PMPC Star Awards for TV.
- The most-nominated actress in the leading role of FAMAS with 17 nominations before she was elevated to the Hall of Fame. She was nominated every year from 1972 to 1985.
- Youngest recipient of the Helen Vela Lifetime Achievement Award (2005).
- At the Cinema One Originals Film Festival 2009, she received the Cinema One Legend Award.
- Honorary Awardee for Pioneering Efforts in Independent Cinema, 7th Cinema One Originals Film Festival 2011.
- Won, Best Actress, Thy Womb (2012), 3rd Sakhalin International Film Festival "On the Edge".
- The only Filipino performer with the most number of International best actress awards (Cairo 1995, East Asia 1997, Brussels 2004, Venice 2012, Australia 2012, Hong Kong 2013, Russia 2013), and nominations (Berlin 1983, Singapore 1997, Cairo 1999, Singapore 1999, Venice 2012, India 2012, Dubai 2012, Macau 2012).
- The first Filipino actor to win the Best Performance by an Actress at the 2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the first Filipino actor to be inducted as a member of Asia Pacific Screen Academy.
- The first Filipino actress to win Best Actress at the Asian Film Awards.
- She won a National Amateur singing contest in 1967, She was only 14 years old.
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