Maricel Laxa

In this Philippine name for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is dela Cueva, the birth surname or paternal family name is Laxa, and the marital name is Pangilinan.

Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan
Born	Maria Cecilia dela Cueva Laxa (1970-02-25) February 25, 1970 (age 54) Pasay, Rizal, Philippines
Years active	1989–present
Spouse	Anthony Pangilinan ​ (m. 1993)​ [1]
Children	5 (including Donny)
Parent(s)	Tony Ferrer (father) Imelda Ilanan (mother)
Relatives	Kiko Pangilinan (brother-in-law) Sharon Cuneta (sister-in-law) Kakie (niece) Gary Valenciano (brother-in-law) Gab Valenciano (nephew-in-law) Espiridion Laxa (uncle)

Maria Cecilia "Maricel" dela Cueva Laxa-Pangilinan (born February 25, 1970) is a Filipino actress. She won Best Supporting Actress awards in the 1992 FAMAS Awards and Star Awards for her role in the 1992 film Iisa Pa Lamang.[2][3]

For most of her career in the 90s she has done films with Regal Films and two films with Star Cinema. She appeared in some television series such as Marinella (1999–2001) and Ysabella in 2007. In 2020-2021 she resumed acting in TV5 and portrayed Faith Aguinaldo in the drama Paano ang Pasko and Paano Ang Pangako (Second Season) in 2021. In 2022, Laxa returned to GMA Network to portray Valerie Lim in Mano Po Legacy: The Family Fortune and Gemma Monastrial in Apoy sa Langit. She returned to ABS-CBN as she starred in the action drama, The Iron Heart. In 2024, She went back to GMA Network again to starred in the legal drama series, Lilet Matias: Attorney-at-Law

Education

Laxa attended primary school at St. Theresa's College in Quezon City, De La Salle Santiago Zobel School in Muntinlupa, and Assumption Antipolo. She attended secondary school at Assumption College in Makati. She graduated with a degree of B.S. Social Sciences at the University of the Philippines Manila and earned her Master's Degree in Family Life and Child Development at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She has a doctorate degree as well.

Personal life

Laxa is married to Anthony Pangilinan (brother of Kiko Pangilinan) and the couple has five children namely Ella, Donny (also an actor), Hannah, Benjamin and Solana.[4] Ella married Enrique Lhuillier Miranda in Puerto Real Gardens, Intramuros on December 6, 2023.[5] In October 2024, Laxa's husband Pangilinan had a successful cardiac surgery after suffering from heart valve leaks.[6]

Filmography

Film

• Long Ranger and Tonton (Shooting Stars of the West) (1989)
• Elvis and James: The Living Legends! (Buhay Pa... Mukhang Alamat Na!) (1989)
• Last 2 Minutes (1989)
• Ganda Babae, Ganda Lalake (1990)
• Makiusap Ka sa Diyos (1991)
• Buburahin Kita sa Mundo! (1991)
• Uubusin Ko ang Lahi Mo (1991)
• Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin (1992)
• Dudurugin Kita ng Bala ko (1992)
• Iisa Pa Lamang (1992)
• Alyas Boy Kano (1992)
• Hindi Kita Malilimutan (1993)
• Makati Ave.: Office Girls (1993)
• Bocaue Pagoda Tragedy (1995)
• Run Barbi Run (1995)
• Minsan Lamang Magmamahal (1997)
• Magic Kingdom: Ang Alamat ng Damortis (1997)
• Magkaibigan (2008)
• Litsonero (2009)
• My Lady Boss (2013)
• Hello, Love, Goodbye (2019)
• Magikland (2020)
• Ten Little Mistresses (2023)
• 1521 (2024)[7]
• GG (TBA)

Television / Digital series

Year	Title	Role(s)	Network
1990–1997	GMA Supershow	Herself - Host	GMA Network
1995–1996	Kadenang Kristal	Aileen
1998	Mula sa Puso	Atty. Elaine Regalado	ABS-CBN
1999	Marinella	Jessica
2005–2006	Mga Anghel na Walang Langit	Dolores "Loleng" Bello
2007	Ysabella	Young Victoria
2010	Kokey at Ako	Dianne Reyes
2020	Paano ang Pasko?	Faith Aguinaldo	TV5
2021	Paano ang Pangako?
	Daddy's Gurl	Marita	GMA Network
2022	Mano Po Legacy: The Family Fortune	Valerie Lim / Rosemarie Lim
	Apoy sa Langit	Gemma Monastrial / Gemma Hidalgo
2022–2023	The Iron Heart	Atty. Helen Gomez	Kapamilya Channel / A2Z / TV5
2023	Can't Buy Me Love	Young Catherine
2024	Open 24/7	Margarita	GMA Network
	Lilet Matias: Attorney-at-Law	Meredith "Mer" Magbanua- Simmons
2025	It's Okay to Not Be Okay		Netflix

Awards

Laxa has won one FAMAS Award, one Gawad Urian Award, and one Star Award.[8]

Group	Year	Award	Result
FAMAS Awards	(1993)	Best Supporting Actress Iisa pa Lamang	Won
PMPC Star Awards for TV	1993	Best Comedy Actress A.T.M.	Won
Gawad Urian Awards	(1993)	Best Actress Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actress Iisa Pa Lamang	Nominated
	(1998)	Best Supporting Actress Minsan Lamang Magmahal Tied with Elizabeth Oropesa.	Won
Star Awards	(1998)	Supporting Actress of the Year Minsan Lamang Magmahal	Won

References

1. Fernandez, Maritoni (July 1, 1993). "December wedding for Maricel and Anthony". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 21. The wedding is to be held this coming December in a scenic, romantic spot in San Mateo, which is just a little past Marikina.
2. Corp, ABS-CBN. "EXCLUSIVE: Actress-Author Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan On What It Takes To Get Parenting, And Parenthood, Right". Metro.Style. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
3. "Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, Donny Pangilinan pay tribute to Tony Ferrer". Manila Bulletin. January 24, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
4. "Maricel Laxa gives birth to 5th child". ABS-CBN News. July 15, 2011. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020.
5. Llemit, Kathleen (December 13, 2023). "Belle Mariano attends wedding of Donny Pangilinan's sister". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
6. Severo, Jan Milo (October 17, 2024). "Donny's father Anthony Pangilinan underwent successful heart surgery". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
7. Purnell, Kristofer (June 3, 2023). "Trailer for '1521' starring Bea Alonzo, Danny Trejo, Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan finally drops". Philstar.com. Manila, Philippines: Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved June 4, 2023. The release of '1521' coincides with the 125th anniversary celebration of Philippine independence on June 12, 2023.
8. "Awards for Maricel Laxa". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 29, 2007.

External links

• Maricel Laxa at IMDb