Career
She started her career as a child actress. Later, she portrayed the young Susan Roces in Divina Gracia and has a total of at least 60 movies. She has won eight film awards and garnered 20 nominations (mostly for Best Actress in FAMAS).
Her notable performances were Uod at Rosas (1981), Moral (1982), Sinasamba Kita (1982), Init sa Magdamag (1983), Somewhere (1984), Huwag Mo Kaming Isumpa (1986), Nakagapos Na Puso (1986), Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa (1987), Natutulog Ba ang Diyos (1988). In 2002, Tolentino starred in her first Primetime Drama Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay the first time Tolentino starred in a teleserye. In 2004-2008 she went to GMA Network to star in Hanggang Kailan and host Startalk to replace Rosanna Roces.
Tolentino returned to ABS-CBN to star with an ensemble cast in Dahil May Isang Ikaw, which earned her more praise. In 2010, she starred in the TV drama Momay, and in 2011, she starred in Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin with an ensemble cast.
She is also one of the Grandslam actresses in Philippine Cinema together with Vilma Santos, Elizabeth Oropesa, Nora Aunor and Sharon Cuneta. She won her Grandslam Best Actress for Narito ang Puso Ko (1993). She went back to her original network, GMA Network, to star in the upcoming heavy drama series Pahiram ng Sandali.
In May 2001, Tolentino participated in the protests of EDSA III, which called for Joseph Estrada's return to the Philippine presidency.
Tolentino is also known for her dramatic roles in television dramas. In 2002–2003, she was cast in the suspense drama series Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay as Lorrea/Lorrinda Guinto/Red Butterfly, a lead role which successfully set Philippine Primetime TV Standards and a successful finale.
In 2009–2010, Tolentino stopped doing TV series and instead focused on full-length films. On occasions, she participated as a TV host. She came back to reclaim her throne when she played the role of Atty. Tessa Ramirez in the popular soap opera Dahil May Isang Ikaw which won her more accolades in the New York Television Awards for Best Telenovela.
In 2011, she starred in the action-drama television series Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin, where she played a villain as Alondra Sebastiano. She later left the network and starred in the television drama Glamorosa.
In 2012, Tolentino did the soap opera Pahiram ng Sandali with GMA-7 with actor Dingdong Dantes, Christopher de Leon and Max Collins. She was included in the cast of Valiente and the weekly series Third Eye both airing on TV5.
In 2014, Tolentino had a small part in the GMA Network series, Genesis again with Dingdong Dantes.
In 2015, she starred with Ruffa Gutierrez and Gelli de Belen in Misterless Misis on TV5.
In 2018, Tolentino came back to ABS-CBN after five years to do the daytime series Asintado. After Asintado, Tolentino played the villainous and authoritarian bureaucrat-first lady turned warlord Lily Ann Cortez-Hidalgo on ABS-CBN's FPJ's Ang Probinsyano, topbilled by Coco Martin and reunited again with Martin in FPJ's Batang Quiapo as the anti-heroic syndicate leader Amanda Salonga.
