A day after teasing netizens with the words "Challenge accepted," Marian Rivera dropped the kind of throwback everyone was waiting for.
In a TikTok post on Saturday, April 27, 2024, the Kapuso Primetime Queen treated fans to a video that brought to life the most iconic character of her career: Marimar.
The video begins with Marian applying her makeup before transitioning into a clip of her dancing to the series' memorable intro song.
She playfully wrote the caption, "Bringing you back to 2007 - Asoka style."
Asoka pertains to the current trend on social media inspired by traditional Indian bridal makeup popularized in the 2001 Bollywood film Asoka starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.
The video, however, is no longer available on Marian's TikTok account as of today, Sunday, April 28, 2024.
Read: Marian Rivera, intimidating? Here is her response to the initial impressions of fellow stars
But the teaser video showing Marian's silhouette dancing to Marimar's tune has already garnered over 16 million views and more than a million likes.
Marian's fans have eagerly awaited to see their idol recreate her iconic dance from Marimar, especially after she began sharing dance clips to various tunes on TikTok last year.
Read: Marian Rivera delights fans with 'Sabay Sabay Tayo' dance on TikTok
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MARIMAR: A ROLE DEAR TO MARIAN'S HEART
Marimar is the 2007 television series aired on GMA Network that catapulted Marian to fame.
It was an adaptation of the hit '90s Mexican telenovela top-billed by singer-actress Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda, popularly known as Thalía.
Read: Thalia, 50, recreates Marimar look with dress she wore 28 years ago
The original Mexican version of Marimar was a phenomenal hit on local television when it aired in 1996 on RPN 9. It ushered in the telenovela craze in the Philippines, with major networks started inserting Mexican soap operas into their programming to cash in on its popularity.
Read: The "Marimar" craze
In 2007, GMA Network called for an audition for the lead role in the Philippine remake of Marimar after original choice Angel Locsin — who, at the time, was the network's prime actress — reportedly turned down the offer.
Read: ON THIS DAY 12 years ago: Angel Locsin transfers to ABS-CBN after being with GMA-7 for five years
Marian — who joined showbiz in 2004 and curiously was assuming motherly roles despite her young age — was among those who auditioned for the part of Marimar Perez.
She was selected from a pool of aspiring candidates, among whom were Katrina Halili, Bianca King, Nadine Samonte, Chesca Garcia, and Jennylyn Mercado, to mention just a few.
Read: 15 actresses who auditioned for MariMar 2007 adaptation: THEN and NOW
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Marimar proved to be Marian's breakthrough role, and her popularity soared as a result.
To this day, Marian is regarded as the Kapuso network's top female star.
Much more, it was while making Marimar that Marian met her eventual husband Dingdong Dantes, who served as her leading man in the series.
Read: Marian Rivera, nagalit nang sabihan siya noon ni Dingdong Dantes ng "Siguro naka-prepaid ka lang"
The two got married on December 30, 2014, at the Cubao Cathedral, formerly known as the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao, in Quezon City.
Marian and Dingdong's marriage has been blessed with two children, Zia and Sixto.
The couple recently made history with their film Rewind, shown as part of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), emerging as the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time.