From being that talented child thespian who never failed to endear us with her cuteness and make us cry with her compelling dramatic flair, Angelica Panganiban has absolutely grown to become one of the seasoned actresses and sought-after mom figures of her generation.

Let’s revisit her most remarkable teleserye stints through the years.

Her showbiz career took off when she was six years old and had her television debut in the iconic youth-oriented variety show Ang TV as part of the third batch.

The 1999 teen romance program G-Mik marked Angelica’s transition from being a child star to a teeny bopper, in which she portrayed Jelai Rivera, the best friend of Camille Prats’ Roni Salcedo and the best friend-slash-love interest of Carlo Aquino’s Jun-Jun Dela Cruz. It was followed by her appearances in the soap opera Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka and teen drama Berks.

Just like other stars who grew up in the industry, she also had an “awkward stage,” or her transition from being a teen to becoming an adult, which she considered the most pivotal part of her journey. Fortunately, during those times, she found a strong support system in Star Magic and her family and fans, who relentlessly believed that there’s still more that she could offer.

After her astounding and audacious stint in the romance-thriller “Santa Santita” in 2004, strings of challenging roles were bestowed to the top-caliber actress.

The first was starring opposite Piolo Pascual in Mangarap Ka, playing his love interest Cutie. She then had the opportunity to work alongside the Diamond Star Maricel Soriano in the drama series Vietnam Rose depicting her character’s sister Đoàn Đặng Thiên Tín.

In 2007, she had her first “attack” on the sci-fi genre through Rounin, wherein she played the role of Aura, a character who fought for love and the object of affection of Creon (Rafael Rosell) and Juris (Luis Manzano). On that same year, from only having a special participation in its first book, Angelica went on to become the main antagonist in Maging Sino Ka Man: Ang Pagbabalik as Lena Madrigal.

Subsequently, she landed a role in the controversial 2008 drama Iisa Pa Lamang, wherein she riveted us as the spoiled and bratty Scarlet, a hated antagonist who made life difficult for Claudine Barretto and Diether Ocampo’s characters Catherine and Miguel, respectively.

From the serious projects she starred in, we were all pleasantly surprised when she was tapped to join the gregarious and funny ensemble of the gag program Banana Sundae (formerly Banana Split) in 2008. Although her first experience in comedy was Ang TV, she considers her current regular gig as her first job in the genre and her most challenging feat of all.

Her surprising, impressive comical talent catapulted her as the Best Comedy Actress in nine consecutive years for various award-giving bodies, such as PMPC Star Awards and ENPRESS Golden Screen TV Awards. Besides, she is also among the youngest recipients of the highly prestigious Bert Marcelo Lifetime Achievement Award, given by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation for her significant contributions in comedy, at the age of 28.

Her most notable lead role in a series came through the 2010 Filipino adaptation of the Mexicanovela Rubi, wherein she played the vain, cunning, manipulative, gold-digger, and seductive titular role. It was indeed one of her most unforgettable roles as she unleashed her exceptional acting chops as a bida-kontrabida – someone who still possessed compassion towards others, yet opted not to listen to her conscience for her to reach her wildest and high ambitions. Angelica’s exemplary performance in the series earned her the Best Drama Actress accolades from the 24th PMPC Star Awards and the 7th USTv Students’ Choice Awards.

The multi-awarded versatile actress once again amazed us with her effectiveness as an antagonist through her special appearance in 100 Days To Heaven as Claire in 2011.

She continued to fascinate us with her paramount acting chops when she was hired to take on the role of twins Rosanna del Sol/Serena Mirasol and Rebecca del Sol in the melodrama romance Apoy sa Dagat, alongside Piolo Pascual and Diether Ocampo, who stood as her leading men. It was indeed exciting because she had to show off her skills as an antagonist and protagonist, since her two characters had fight scenes and clashing moments throughout the teleserye.

Angelica amazed us once more with her brilliant acting as a kontrabida through the remake of the classic soap opera Pangako Sa ‘Yo released in 2015. She gave life to the iconic character of the cruel and bitter Madam Claudia Salameda-Bautista (or Greta Barcial), the wife of Eduardo Buenavista and the adoptive mother of Angelo, which was originally played by veteran actress Jean Garcia.

In 2016, she became part of the long-running primetime series FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, playing the role of Marta Maglipon/SPO3 Jade Blanco. She then went on to amuse us with her succeeding portrayals in Playhouse (2018) as the doting godmother Patty Calumpang and the tita­-in-the-making Gabbi in the iWant Originals series “Call Me Tita” (2019).

Aside from these teleseyes, she also lent her unmistakable acting chops in the episodes of Kapamilya weekly anthologies Maalaala Mo Kaya, Komiks, Star Magic Presents, Love Spell, Your Song, and Ipaglaban Mo!

And in 2020, she’s enthralled with her portrayal of Celine, a distressed mother searching for her abducted kid in Walang Hanggang Paalam.

After a series of heartbreaks, Angelica finally found the man who would love her until they grow old – none other than her now-fiancé Gregg Homan. Not much is known about their romantic affair, but what we’re aware of is how in love they are of each other, just based on the snap of them kissing under luminous fireworks that she posted on Instagram on New Year’s Day of 2021.

Since then, she’s been open with their relationship as she shares a few updates about their life together, such as their pregnancy and parenthood journey to their first child Baby Amila Sabine who was born last September 20, and their engagement that happened months before giving birth to her.