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The excellent TV journey of Alexa Ilacad from being a child actress to becoming a lead star

Article (news)

Mary Ann Bardinas

She can sing. She can dance. She can act.There’s no doubt that Alexa Ilacad is not just one of the most beautiful faces, but is also one of the most talented and versatile among her contemporaries. We’ve witnessed her grow and mature right before our eyes as she’s among those Kapamilya artists who started their showbiz career as child stars. And soon, she is poised to astound us anew in her stint in the upcoming afternoon soap opera <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/paraiso2023">Pira-Pirasong Parais</a><a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/paraiso2023">o</a>.But prior to that, let’s look back first on her exceptional acting performances throughout the past two decades in this edition of Kapamilya Spotlight!Those who are able to follow her career would know that she started out as a commercial model before she entered showbiz in 2008 via the long-running kiddie comedy-sketch show <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/goinbulilit">Goin’ Bulilit</a>. While she amuses us with her adorable kakulitan and comedic chops every Sunday, she also impressed us with her promising dramatic prowess in the teleseryes she starred in, namely, <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maybukaspa">May Bukas Pa</a> (2009), Komiks Presents: Nasaan Ka Maruja? (2009), <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-photos/throwback-the-stars-of-nasaan-ka-elisa-2011-14801">Nasaan Ka Elisa?</a> (2011), and <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-photos/46126217-throwback-a-beautiful-affair-2012-15081">A Beautiful Affair</a> (2012). She had also appeared in several episodes of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maalaalamokaya">Maalaala Mo Kaya</a> and in the “Housemates ni Lola” narrative of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/wansapanataym">Wansapanataym</a>.When she graduated from <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/goinbulilit">Goin’ Bulilit</a> in 2013, she was tapped to headline <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/luvu">Luv U</a>, playing the role the charming high schooler Alexis “Lexie” Domingo, which ran until 2016. Aside from that, she also got busy in 2013 with her other gigs, such as two episodes of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maalaalamokaya">MMK</a>, playing Jhing-Jhing in the sitcom Toda Max, as well as portraying the young Marie Olivarez (Cristine Reyes) in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-photos/throwback-honesto-2013-14613">Honesto</a> and the young Maria Mercedes Alegre (Jessy Mendiola) in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-photos/throwback-the-stars-of-maria-mercedes-2013-15203">Maria Mercedes</a>. The following year, she appeared in two <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/wansapanataym">Wansapanataym</a> stories titled “Enchanted House” and “Perfecto”, then in the remarkable teen drama <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-photos/throwback-stars-of-bagito-2014-14785">Bagito</a> as the childhood friend-turned-love interest of the titular character portrayed by her former on-and-off-screen partner Nash Aguas.In 2016, Alexa was cast in the afternoon drama <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/doblekara">Doble Kara</a> as supporting character Patricia Hernandez, the morally upright younger sister of antagonist Julio (Polo Ravales). A year after, she appeared in two <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maalaalamokaya">MMK</a> episodes again titled “Autograph” and “Kulungan,” then guested in an episode of the sitcom <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/homesweetiehome">Home Sweetie Home</a> along with Nash. It was also on that same year when she became part of the well-loved crime-drama series <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/thegoodson">The Good Son</a> as Justine Asuncion, the good friend of Nash’s schizophrenic character Calvin.She then had her <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/ipaglabanmo">Ipaglaban Mo</a> debut in 2018 through its “Panganay” episode, wherein she astounded us with her portrayal of Cindy, a young woman who turn her mother in to the authorities after murdering her father. It was followed by her stints in the <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maalaalamokaya">MMK</a> episodes “Hapag Kainan” and “Red Lipstick.”By 2019, she once again starred in two <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maalaalamokaya">MMK</a> episodes titled “Family Portrait” and “Passport” and in the <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/ipaglabanmo">Ipaglaban Mo</a> episode “Iskolar.” She had her teleserye comeback that year via the gothic-horror drama <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/thekillerbride">The Killer Bride</a>, impressing us with her performance as the antagonist Luna Dela Cuesta, who harbored unrequited love for Elias (Joshua Garcia) and hatred towards main character Emma (Janella Salvador).Alexa then appeared in the “Yes Sir” episode of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/ipaglabanmo">Ipaglaban Mo</a> in 2020 as Wendy Cervantes, a college student who experienced sexual harassment after joining a school organization. Amidst the pandemic, she’s able to work on a few projects in 2021, beginning with <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/initsamagdamag">Init Sa Magdamag</a>, wherein she played the role of Hannah Salcedo, the rebellious younger sister of main character Dr. Christopher “Tupe” Salcedo played by Gerald Anderson. It was succeeded by her starring stint in the “Libro” episode of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maalaalamokaya">MMK</a> and in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/pbbs10">Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10</a> as one of its celebrity housemates.Aside from the aforementioned Kapamilya programs, she also starred in several iWantTFC original series, namely, “Call Me Tita” (2019) and “Run To Me” (2022), with the latter she topbilled opposite her current loveteam partner KD Estrada.And beginning this July 25, we’re going to see her in another exciting character as she stars in the upcoming afternoon drama <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/paraiso2023">Pira-Pirasong Paraiso</a> as the smart, hardworking, and gutsy journalist Angela Medina. Is she going to be a bad or good? Let’s all find out by not missing an episode of <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/paraiso2023">Pira-Pirasong Parais</a><a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/paraiso2023">o</a>, weekdays at 3PM and every Saturday at 2:30PM.<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/paraiso2023">Pira-Pirasong Parais</a><a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/paraiso2023">o</a> marks ABS-CBN’s much-awaited return to afternoon prime and one of its first co-productions with TV5. It will be broadcast on <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-channel-livestream-12685">Kapamilya Channel</a>, <a href="https://kapamilyaonlinelive.com/">Kapamilya Online Live</a>, A2Z and TV5.

Let us look back on Alexa Ilacad’s exceptional acting performances through the years in this edition of Kapamilya Spotlight! 