Considered the “Heir of Rap,” being the most prominent son of the late Francis Magalona, Elmo Magalona began his career as a music artist and musical show host before eventually turning a chapter in his showbiz career to become a young matinee idol.

Elmo would then appear on youth-oriented dramas and paired with top teen stars, while gaining a notable fandom.

In 2015, Elmo became a Kapamilya artist, first appearing as a guest on FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and as a main cast member on Wansapanatym: Christmas Witch, paired with his eventual onscreen partner Janella Salvador. Their team-up created quite a stir and eventually became the hot love team ElNella.

Born For You (2016)
 

With the immense popularity of the pair, Elmo and Janella would then star in a primetime romantic teleserye Born For You in 2016.  Born For You, was a first-of-its-kind musical drama TV series that centered on the Japanese Red String of Fate myth wherein Sam (Janella), a Japan-raised aspiring singer and hopeless romantic, and Kevin (Elmo), a celebrity teen heartthrob share the same passion for music and get entangled with a shared past and their connecting string of fate. Directed by Onat Diaz and Jon Villarin, the series also starred Vina Morales, Ariel Rivera, Ayen Munji-Laurel, Gina Pareno, and Freddie Webb.

When the ElNella love team ended, Elmo appeared as a solo actor on the Kapamilya drama anthologies Maalaala Mo Kaya and Ipaglaban Mo for the next three years.

A Soldier’s Heart (2020)

It was not until late 2019 when it was announced that Elmo would make a grand primetime teleserye comeback with his first-ever role as a government trooper on A Soldier’s Heart, which delves on a group of dedicated soldiers and the challenges they face as they are deployed to the war-torn Mindanao region. Elmo plays Jethro Mondejar, a perfectionist combatant who is never satisfied with his own efforts.

Elmo was praised for his dedication in getting into character as a soldier, with co-star Gerald Anderson saying that he has a “lion’s heart.” When Elmo and the rest underwent “hellish” military training, Gerald said, never did Elmo complain a bit. “He’s (Elmo) a lot stronger than he looks,” Gerald told ABS-CBN News.

With this, we surely can’t wait to witness this brave and valiant Elmo as Jethro on A Soldier’s Heart, which premieres January 20, Monday, on Primetime Bida.