GMA-7 PrimeTime Queen Marian Rivera consistently challenges traditional notions.
People think that once a female celebrity reaches a certain age, her star power begins to wane. Or that once she becomes a married lady, especially if she is happy being one, her star power diminishes a little more. Or that when she settles into family life, especially one where she is crazy about her kids, her star power can really go on the blink.
Not so Marian Rivera-Dantes.
At 40, happily married to Dingdong Dantes, and proud mother to Zia and Sixto, Marian remains a significant force in the entertainment industry.
This year has been particularly remarkable for Marian. Her milestones for 2024 include blockbuster movies, TV shows, a thriving social-media presence, charity work, and a plethora of brand partnerships and endorsement deals.
THE SECOND COMING OF MARIAN RIVERA
Marian's status as a television star is unassailable. Her recognition as GMA-7's PrimeTime Queen is a testament to her prominence in the industry.
There were those who doubted that Marian could sustain her star wattage when she took a break from acting after having Sixto in 2019 and with the pandemic of 2020 giving pause to many careers.
Yet the Kapuso star made a striking comeback.
Even during her hiatus from showbiz, Marian maintained a consistent presence. Her drama anthology series, Tadhana, continued to air. (It is now in its seventh year.) Her stint as Miss Universe judge in 2021 captured excitement and attention, and by 2022, she had made her showbiz comeback with the sitcom Jose & Maria's Bonggang Villa.
The documentary Miss U: A Journey to the Promised Land, filmed during the Miss Universe event in Israel, further amplified her presence on the entertainment scene.
These projects prepared Marian for her major acting comeback, Rewind, a film co-starring her husband Dingdong and directed by Mae Czarina Cruz-Alviar.
An entry to the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which begins exactly on Christmas day, Rewind remained in theaters for weeks, kicking off the new year as the highest-grossing Filipino movie of all time.
It reached an impressive PHP1.2 billion in box-office sales, making it the only entry to attain this milestone. (The record sales would not be broken until late 2024 with the release of Hello, Goodbye Again.)
Rewind's box office success earned Marian numerous accolades: "Takilya Queen" at the 40th PMPC Star Awards for Movies; "Box Office Hero" at the 7th EDDYS Awards; and "Bida ng Takilya" at the 2024 FAMAS Awards.
She was also honored with titles like Phenomenal Box Office Star and Most Popular Loveteam for Movies (with Dingdong) at the 2024 Box Office Entertainment Awards.
Of equal note is that both Marian and Dingdong received acting nominations for their performance in the film.
Marian, by all accounts, remains grounded.
At Rewind's victory celebration, she revealed that her primary push for making the film was not about box-office takes and acting awards, but the opportunity to share the film's heartwarming message with a wide audience.
In her celebratory speech, Marian revealed: "Nung binasa namin ni Dong ito, isa lang ang gusto naming mangyari. Siguro bonus na lang na ito yung figure, ito yung nakuha natin.
"But isa lang ang gusto naming mangyari ni Dong. Nung nabasa namin yung script, alam namin na maraming pinagdaanan yung mga tao nung pandemya.
"Alam namin iyan. Kaya sabi namin ni Dong, 'Sana gawin tayong instrumento ng Panginoon para kapag napanood nila yung pelikula, meron ma-touch sa puso nila na magbago...'
"'O kaya, mas pagbutihin pa nila, mas mahalin pa nila yung mga taong nakapaligid sa kanila. Yun lang.' Sabi namin ni Dong, 'Lord, kahit yun lang, yung message na ito, maikalat namin sa tao.'"
Marian went on to say she was grateful to the Lord for, she says, guiding her: "Pero sabi ko nga kay Dong, grabe talaga pag si Lord yung naging driver ng buhay mo.
"Hindi ka Niya talaga bibiguin, hindi ka Niya ililigaw kung saan ka pupunta. Itutumbok Niya talaga kung saan ka dapat naroroon."
Amid her recent high-profile successes, all eyes have been on Marian.
Will her next projects follow suit?
They have.
Her return to prime-time television with My Guardian Angel, co-starring Gabby Concepcion, was warmly welcomed by fans. Additionally, her film, Balota, which carriers a serious theme, proved to be another cinematic triumph.
Marian's talent shone through as she clinched the Best Actress award at the 20th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival for her performance in Balota, sharing the honor with Gabby Padilla from Kono Basho.
Directed by Kip Oebanda, Balota has garnered both critical and commercial success, remaining in theaters for four weeks, a notable feat amidst the post-pandemic challenges faced by film producers.
The film's triumph has made Balota the highest-grossing Cinemalaya film entry ever, further cementing Marian's status as a showbiz icon.
Marian has told the press that while her acting award and the film's financial success are rewarding, they are merely bonuses.
Much like her motivation for Rewind, she says her true aim with Balota was to communicate a significant message through her work.
She told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in an interview: "Ang Balota, ginawa namin to contribute para sa country natin. So, malinaw sa amin na siguro kung kikita ang Balota is bonus na lang yun.
"Ang gusto namin, to contribute something sa country natin na makakatulong talaga at magiging wake-up call hindi lang sa mga kabataan, kung di sa lahat ng taong boboto, lalo na napapanahon malapit na ang botohan."
MARIAN RIVERA: SOCIAL MEDIA SUPERSTAR
Beyond the silver screen, Marian is now also a superstar in the digital world.
With an impressive social media following—31 million on Facebook and 13 million on Instagram—she clearly has an audience across her primary platforms.
In an age where short-form videos dominate social media, Marian quickly embraced the trend, engaging in dance and makeup challenges that draw in millions of views.
Since debuting her TikTok account in July 2023, Marian has swiftly amassed over 9 million followers on the platform. She's always been a naturally gifted dancer and now her dances are setting trends. Her videos go viral, with many posting their own videos copying her dance moves.
Marian's viral TikTok videos show her dancing to popular songs, including Jessie J's "Price Tag," Burna Boy's "It's Plenty," and her own "Sabay Sabay Tayo," while wearing her signature dance outfit of cap, plain shirt, and jogging pants.
This year, her "Marimar dance challenge" also gained millions of views—34 million on TikTok alone. Netizens have begun dubbing her the new "TikTok Queen."
More recently, she earned the nickname "Pop Mart Queen" following the numerous unboxing videos she uploads on her social-media platforms, which have helped make Pop Mart characters Labubu, Molly, and Dimoo more popular in the country.
In a previous interview with PEP about these unboxing videos, Marian said that she creates these for her personal joy.
"Ginagawa ko ito for myself. Kasi every time na bumibili ako, grabe yung ligaya na naidudulot sa akin.
"So, for sure yung mga nagko-collect din, ganun din yung nararamdaman nila.
"Kasi gagawin mo ito para sa sarili mo, hindi to show off sa ibang tao. Di ba? Yun naman dapat yun, for yourself."
MARIAN RIVERA: BANKABLE ENDORSER
With such a stellar track record, Marian quite expectedly stands out as an endorsement queen, having clinched over 40 brand partnerships and deals within 2024 alone.
Her active endorsements span a variety of industries— Kiko Milano, Bioderm, DITO Telecom, IAM Worldwide, Bench, Love K-Derma, Tough Mama appliances, Avignon Clinic, Century Tuna, Luxe Skin, Home Credit, NUWHITE, Solmux, McDonald's, Wilkins, and Nido, to name a few.
NuWhite, a beauty supplement brand, is among the brands that decided to extend its partnership with Marian in 2024. Asked about the brand's decision, its CEO Maureen Estrada expressed complete confidence in Marian, citing her as a credible and trustworthy endorser.
CEO Maureen told the press, including PEP, in an interview last July 31, 2024: "Of course, as a brand owner, and as a brand, siyempre gusto natin maganda. Pero hindi naman yun talaga yung nagustuhan namin kay Marian.
"Unang-una, siyempre, she's one of the most credible endorsers here in the Philippines. Siyempre gusto namin, only the best for NuWhite. And nakuha namin yun.
"Secondly, siyempre gusto namin yung natural ang beauty.
"Yung parang Marian Rivera beauty ba na walang make-up, o meron mang make-up, nag-glow pa rin. Because that's what we need."
Additionally, luxury brands like Carolina Herrera, Fendi, Tod's, Gucci, and Bvlgari have teamed up with Marian, making her a major influencer in the industry.
Cristina “Obee” Ham, Kiko Milano's Business Development Head and Carolina Herrera's Brand Manager, says of Marian: "Marian balances a down-to-earth persona with glamorous looks which makes her our ideal brand ambassador.
"She caters to women who seek both high-end products and an accessible, everyday beauty routine.
"She also has a diverse appeal which makes her a great fit for a global brand like KIKO, which is known for inclusivity and versatility."
MARIAN RIVERA: A QUEEN WITH A HEART
Beyond her brand endorsements and partnerships, Marian has actively used her voice and platform to champion her advocacies.
For nearly a decade, one of her initiatives has been to support children with cleft lips and palates.
She has been a steadfast supporter of Smile Train Philippines, a non-profit organization committed to providing free corrective surgeries.
Marian is proud to be part of this life-changing mission. She told PEP on October 4, 2024, "Ten years na kasi ako sa Smile Train, e, at sa napag-uusapan namin... Actually parang last year naka-two million silang libreng operasyon ang naibigay natin sa mga bata."
Marian's aim is to inspire more people to donate, ensuring that even more children can benefit from the essential surgeries they need.
In her words: "Bakit natin ito ginagawa? Nire-remind natin ang lahat na libre lang ang ngumiti.
"At siyempre nananawagan din tayo dun sa mga mabuting puso na, alam mo yun, puwede silang mag-donate para mas marami tayong batang matulungan, mabigyan natin ng libreng operasyon.
"Dahil alam natin kung gaano kahalaga ang mapangiti natin sila."
Other organizations Marian supports include the GMA Kapuso Foundation and the foundation spearheaded by her husband, the YesPinoy Foundation.
Ultimately, Marian's success, which demonstrates that age is an asset rather than a barrier, serves as a force empowering women in the industry.
The Kapuso star's journey also reflects the evolving landscape of fame, where talent and authenticity are now more important than ever.
By redefining what it means to be a female celebrity in her 40s, Marian sets a powerful example.
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