Maria Luisa "Angelu" De Leon-Rivera (born August 22, 1979), better known by her stage name Angelu de Leon, is a Filipino actress and politician.

Angelu de Leon
Member of the
Pasig City Council
from the 2nd district
Assumed office
June 30, 2022
Personal details
Born
Maria Luisa Angela Martinez de Leon

(1979-08-22) August 22, 1979 (age 45)
Manila, Philippines
Political partyIndependent (2024–present)
Other political
affiliations
Aksyon Demokratiko (2021–2024)
Giting ng Pasig (local party; 2021–present)
Spouse
Wowie Rivera
(m. 2010)
RelationsIan De Leon (cousin)
Joseph De Leon (cousin)
Blue De Leon (cousin)
Katrina De Leon (cousin)
OccupationActress, politician

Early and personal life

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Angelu de Leon is the youngest daughter of Luis and Flora de Leon. She attended St. Joseph's College, Holy Spirit and Siena College. She made her first commercial, without her father's knowledge, when she was just ten years old. Her father eventually gave his blessing to her acting career before his death from colon cancer.[1]

De Leon became a born again Christian and is an active member of a church in Ortigas where she has attended for a number of years.[2]

In 2016, De Leon disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Bell's palsy in 2009.[3]

De Leon is married to Lorenzo “Wowie” Rivera.[4] They married on September 17, 2010. They have three children together: Nicole, her daughter with actor Joko Diaz; Loise, her daughter with businessman Jojo Manlongat; and Rafa, her son with husband Wowie.[1]

Acting career

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De Leon started acting on television at the age of 12. She was discovered by Johnny Manahan for a kiddie gag show Ang TV, aired on ABS-CBN. Among her batchmates were Claudine Barretto, Jolina Magdangal and Rica Peralejo. After about a year on the said youth-oriented comedy variety-show, she transferred to GMA Network, where she became part of Ober Da Bakod with Janno Gibbs and Anjo Yllana. In the same year, she became a talent of Viva Films, with Di Na Natuto as her theatrical debut. During her early years, she mostly played younger sister to more established stars. In 1994, she bagged her first major role in Kadenang Bulaklak, where she starred alongside Ana Roces, Vina Morales, and Donna Cruz.[1]

In 1995, de Leon got her break when she was included in teen oriented shows like T.G.I.S. (Thank God It's Sabado) and Growing Up with Onemig Bondoc, Ciara Sotto, Raven Villanueva, Michael Flores, Rica Peralejo and Red Sternberg. She became the highest-paid actress on T.G.I.S. These shows gave her a chance to team up with Bobby Andrews, and their partnership became one of the hottest onscreen love teams of her generation in the mid-1990s. Among the noted Angelu-Bobby team-up movies were: Takot Ka Ba Sa Dilim, T.G.I.S.: The Movie, Laging Naroon Ka and Wala Na Bang Pag-ibig, as well as their first drama series Ikaw Na Sana, which was also turned into a movie.[1]

In 1998, at the peak of her career, de Leon became pregnant by fellow Viva talent Joko Diaz. This caused her to go on maternity leave, with projects lined up for her either shelved or passed on to other young stars. A year later, she made a comeback on film, this time bagging mature roles in Bulaklak ng Maynila and Abandonada. Her career was put on hold again when she got pregnant again in 2001 by businessman Jojo Manlongat. Among the films she starred outside Viva were 'Elmer Jamias and Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita.

In late 2001, de Leon started bagging mother roles, beginning with Sana ay Ikaw na Nga. In 2006, she went back to GMA's rival station ABS-CBN, where she played supporting roles, including Super Inggo, its sequel Super Inggo 1.5: Ang Bagong Bangis and Parekoy.

In 2010, she returned to GMA with Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang, starring Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes. It was for her work in the said soap that she was given rave reviews, complemented with the fact that she was back to her sexy figure and can give other young actresses a run for their money.[5] De Leon is a talent of Viva Artists Agency since 2021.

Political career

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De Leon entered into politics when she filed her candidacy for councilor in Pasig's 2nd district for the May 2022 polls under Aksyon Demokratiko. She was included in the Giting ng Pasig coalition of Mayor Vico Sotto.[6][7] She garnered 138,427 votes, making her as the topnotcher councilor for Pasig's 2nd district.[8]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Network
1992–1993 Ang TV Various roles ABS-CBN
1993 Home Along Da Riles Episode Guest[9]
1994 Ober Da Bakod Kuting GMA Network
1995–1997 T.G.I.S. Ma. Patrice "Peachy" Real-Torres née da Silva
1997–1999 Growing Up
1997–1998 Ikaw na Sana Blanca Rosales Perez / Susan Saavedra
2000–2001 May Bukas Pa Irene Buencamino IBC/RPN
2001–2003 Sana ay Ikaw na Nga Agnes Consuelo Villavicer GMA Network
2003–2004 Buttercup Cloe ABS-CBN
2004 Te Amo, Maging Sino Ka Man Colette Camacho GMA Network
2006–2007 Super Inggo Pacita Jacinto ABS-CBN
2007 Super Inggo 1.5: Ang Bagong Bangis
2009 Parekoy Angelique
Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang Heleen Barrientos GMA Network
2010 The Last Prince [10] Mayang
Love Bug Presents: Exchange of Hearts [11] Fina
2010–2011 Koreana Nerissa Rosales-Jung
2011 Sisid Alicia Cordelia
2012 Hindi Ka na Mag-iisa Jordana Montenegro
2012–2013 Teen Gen Ma. Patrice "Peachy" Real-Torres née da Silva
2013 Pyra: Babaeng Apoy Merly Lucente
2014 Niño Leny Inocente
2015–2016 Buena Familia Bettina Agravante-Buena / Sally Rosales
2016 Encantadia Amanda Reyes-Quizon
2017 Mulawin vs. Ravena Lourdes
Road Trip Herself / Guest
2018 Sirkus Liza
The Stepdaughters Brenda Salvador
Inday Will Always Love You Rica
2019 Inagaw na Bituin Aurora Mendoza-Dela Cruz
2021 Di Na Muli Grace TV5
2024 Pulang Araw Carmela Borromeo GMA Network

Talk show

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Year Title Role Network
2003–2004 Celebrity DAT Com Host IBC

Film

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Year Title Role
1993 Di Na Natuto Elisa
1993 Kadenang Bulaklak Daisy Abolencia / Tricia Hidalgo
1994 Ober da Bakod: The Movie Kuting
1994 Forever Cindy Valdez
1995 P're Hanggang Sa Huli Jing-jing
1995 Okey si Ma'am Ida
1995 Jessica Alfaro Story Lorraine
1996 Takot Ka Ba sa dilim? Carly
1996 Where 'D' Girls 'R' Demetria
1997 T.G.I.S: The Movie Ma. Patrice "Peachy/Pancakes" Real
1997 Isinakdal Ko Ang Aking Ina Karen Ilagan
1997 Wala Na Bang Pag-ibig Gemma Caringal
1997 Laging Naroon Ka Patricia Gomez/Tricia/Trixie
1998 Ikaw na Sana: The Movie Blanca
1998 Ang Lahat ng Ito'y Para Sa 'yo Catherine Mendoza/Cathy
1999 Bulaklak ng Maynila Ada
2000 Col. Elmer Jamias: Barako ng Maynila Goody Ramirez Jamias
2000 Bukas na Lang Kita Mamahalin Abigail Mansueto/Abby
2000 Abandonada Cindy
2002 D' Uragons Claudia
2003 www.XXX.com Doray/Habibi
2004 Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita Maura
2008 Paupahan Angela San Pedro
2009 Status: Single Wanda
2009 Hellphone Cate
2011 Tween Academy: Class of 2012 Luisa
2013 Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy Rhea
2014 Echoserang Frog Madam Berta
2020 Pakboys Takusa Selina
2024 Sunny Chona

Awards and nominations

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Acting awards

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Year Award Category Work Result
1999 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Supporting Actress Bulaklak ng Maynila[12] Won

Other awards

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Year Award Category
1993 Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Darling of The Press for Kadenang Bulaklak
1998 Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Teenage Queen for T.G.I.S. and Growing Up
1998 Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Most Popular Love Team for T.G.I.S. and Growing Up
2009 YES! Magazine 100 Most Beautiful Stars Year 2009

Nominations

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Year Award Category
1999 FAMAS Best Supporting Actress for Bulaklak ng Maynila
1999 Star Awards Best Supporting Actress for Bulaklak ng Maynila
2000 FAP Awards Best Actress for Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin
2000 Parangal ng Bayan Awards Best Young Actress for Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin
2000 FAP Awards Best Supporting Actress for Abandonada
2000 Star Awards Best Supporting Actress for Abandonada
2004 FAMAS Best Supporting Actress for Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
2011 Empress Golden Screen Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress for Sisid
2011 Empress Golden Screen Awards Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Single Drama Untold Stories : Anak ng Aliw

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Anarcon, James Patrick (November 16, 2020). "Angelu de Leon: Riding high on her second wind". PEP.ph. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  2. ^ Garcia, Rose (April 8, 2010). "Angelu de Leon has found her new calling". PEP.ph. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Angelu De Leon, nagpasalamat sa mga nagdarasal para sa kanyang paggaling", GMA News, November 12, 2016, retrieved November 13, 2016
  4. ^ Eusebio, Aaron Brennt (September 18, 2020). "Angelu de Leon pens touching anniversary message for husband Wowie Rivera". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  5. ^ "Angelu de Leon's advice to new batch of Kapuso teen stars: "Huwag nilang gagawin ang ginawa ko." | PEP.ph: The Number One Site for Philippine Showbiz". Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  6. ^ "Is Angelu de Leon joining politics?". Manila Bulletin. September 28, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "Bobby Andrews, Angelu de Leon to run for local posts". ABS-CBN News. September 29, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Halalan 2022 Pasig Election Results". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  9. ^ "Home Along da Riles: Angelu at Claudine". Youtube. Jeepney TV. May 6, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  10. ^ "PEP.ph: The Number One Site for Philippine Showbiz | News | Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal star in new GMA-7 telefantasya". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Archived from the original on November 7, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
  11. ^ Calderon, Nora (May 26, 2010). "Diva Montelaba: Nagbago po ako, pero hindi totoong lumaki na ang ulo ko". Philippine Entertainment Portal.
  12. ^ "Metro Manila Film Festival:1999". IMDB. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
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