Angelica Panganiban

Angelica Panganiban (born November 4, 1986) is a Filipino film and television actress.

Panganiban started her career at the age of 6 when she appeared in the TV show, Love Note. Her first regular show was the 90's youth-oriented variety show, Ang TV on ABS-CBN. She made her first movie role, in Carlo J. Caparas’ Antipolo Massacre. She also starred in films like Separada, Sarah... Ang Munting Prinsesa, Ama, Ina, Anak and earned Best Child Actress awards and nominations in the FAMAS Awards and PMPC Star Awards.

For a long time, Panganiban played teeny-bopper roles in G-mik and Berks.

In 2004, Panganiban elevated herself as a mature actress in the movie, Santa Santita and gained Best Actress nominations in the Film Academy of the Philippines or FAP Luna Awards, FAMAS Awards, and ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards. She is also known for her dramatic performances in the movie, A Love Story and television series, Iisa Pa Lamang and Rubi wherein she received Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards and nominations in the Film Academy of the Philippines or FAP Luna Awards, ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards, and PMPC Star Awards. She also starred in horror films like: White Lady, Bulong, and Segunda Mano where she was recognized as Best Supporting Actress in the FAMAS Awards. In 2011, she earned Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Musical or Comedy) award in the 8th ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards for Movies and Comedy Actress of the Year award in the 42nd Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation for her role in Here Comes The Bride. She also won several Best Comedy Actress awards and nominations in the ENPRESS Golden Screen and PMPC Star Awards for the gag show, Banana Split.

Early life

Angelica Panganiban was born in Payatas, Quezon City on November 4, 1986. Her biological mother is a Filipina who died in 2008 and was buried in Singapore, while her biological father, Mark Charlson is an American from Iowa, United States and a former member of the US Navy. She acquired the surname Panganiban from her adoptive family.

Panganiban finished elementary school in 1999 at St. Vincent School in Teacher’s Village, Quezon City, and high school in 2003 at the same school's Main campus along West Avenue. She was the Junior-Senior Prom Princess in 2002 and Miss Junior and Senior Prom in 2003. She was also a cheerleader and a Feature Editor in their school newspaper. She attended college at Thames International Business School, majoring in Mass Communication.

Career

As a child star, Panganiban received Best Child Actress awards and nominations because of her outstanding performances in movies. Her notable appearances include: Jenny in the 1995 Maricel Soriano drama movie, Separada where she won two Best Child Actress awards in the FAMAS and PMPC Star Awards; and Becky in the 1995 family-drama film, Sarah... Ang Munting Prinsesa with her friend, Camille Prats in the title role where she received Best Child Actress nominations. She also appeared in a weekly drama series, Familia Zaragoza.

As a teen star, Panganiban starred in the youth-oriented show, G-mik in 1999 and she was paired with Carlo Aquino. In 2001, Panganiban played the role of Paula Villamines in the drama series, Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka which was topbilled by Judy Ann Santos. In 2002, she portrayed the role, Nicole in another youth-oriented show entitled, Berks along with her love team partner, Carlo Aquino.

Breakthrough 

In November 2004, at the age of 18, after portraying several supporting roles, she landed the lead and the title role in the movie, Santa Santita opposite Jericho Rosales. The director of the film, Laurice Guillen and the producer, Tony Gloria of Unitel Pictures requested Johnny Manahan of ABS-CBN Talent Center to audition his talents for the role. “We auditioned 30 of them,” Guillen said. “Some of them had played supporting roles in films already. But we couldn't find what we were looking for among them. Then one day, Angelica Panganiban came to audition. And we found in her the actress we wanted.” Her performance in that film earned her three Best Actress nominations in the FAMAS, FAP Luna, and ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards. Eventually in the same year, she played a lead role in the soap opera, Mangarap Ka with Piolo Pascual.

Personal life

Panganiban only learned about her adoption on January 5, 2010 after the taping of her gag show, Banana Split. She however, confessed she already had doubts about her identity even before that revelation.

In a tell-all interview with The Buzz, Panganiban disclosed that her biological mother died in 2008 and was buried in Singapore. She added that she did everything to find her biological father, Mark Charlson, whom she said did not try to find her because he thought that she and her mother had died in a car accident. In November 2010, she was reunited with Charlson in Los Angeles, California after 24 years apart, when ABS-CBN gave her a week-long break from work.

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