Glaiza Castro Galura-Rainey (born January 21, 1988), professionally known by her stage name Glaiza de Castro, is a Filipino actress and singer. She is known for playing various roles in television and mainstream, independent and sociopolitical films. Her performances have earned her accolades, including a Luna Award and a Facine Film Festival Award, as well as several FAMAS Awards and Gawad Urian Awards nominations. At age 13, de Castro made her first screen appearance in the series Kasangga (2001). She continued playing minor and supporting roles in the succeeding years and rose to fame after playing Eunice Aragon in the series Stairway to Heaven (2009). The following year, de Castro starred in her first titular role, Grazilda (2010), and played Binayaan in the historical epic series Amaya (2011). She gained further recognition as Heidi Fernandez in the series Temptation of Wife (2012). Her performance earned her a nomination at the Golden Screen TV Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In 2015, she starred alongside Rhian Ramos in the first lesbian series in the Philippines, The Rich Man's Daughter. For her role as Pirena in the drama fantasy series Encantadia (2016), she won Best Actress at the Gawad Filipino Media People's Choice Awards and Television Actress of the Year at the PEPsters' Choice Awards. In 2018, de Castro starred in another titular role, Contessa, which earned her Best Actress wins at the EdukCircle Awards and Alta Media Icon Awards. In 2022, she starred in the variety series Running Man Philippines with an ensemble cast. De Castro has also gained critical acclaim for her performances in the films Still Life (2007), Astig (2009), Liway (2018), and Midnight in a Perfect World (2020). As a recording artist, she has earned a gold record for her album Synthesis (2015) and was named Female Rock Artist of the Year at the PMPC Star Awards for Music.

Acting career

Early career: minor roles on television and in movies (2002–2006)

De Castro began her career with GMA Network, playing a minor role in the soap opera Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin. However, after a few months with the company, she transferred to the rival network ABS-CBN and became a contract artist of Star Magic. During her time in ABS-CBN, she continued to play both supporting and minor roles, two of them being the role of Halley in the teen-oriented show Berks. Between 2002 and 2005, she would appear in films sporadically, playing bit parts in movies such as Singsing ni Lola (2002) and Miss Pinoy (2005). By 2006, she began to appear in films more frequently, with minor parts in the horror films Sukob and White Lady and the Manny Pacquiao biographical film Pacquiao: The Movie. One of the most prominent roles during this point in her career was in the film adaptation of Carlo Vergara's graphic novel, Zsazsa Zaturnnah; the film was an entry to the 2006 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Return to GMA Network and breakout roles (2006–2008)

After four years with ABS-CBN, de Castro returned to her home network, GMA Network, in 2006. One of her first roles back was as Honey on the fantasy-adventure series Fantastikids, where she starred alongside Marky Cielo, Jackie Rice, and Ryza Cenon, as well as former child star Paolo Contis and former beauty queen Melanie Marquez. The reception to the show was positive; journalist Paul Daza of The Philippine Daily Inquirer compared it favorably to its counterpart on ABS-CBN (fantasy-drama anthology Komiks) and commented that based on ratings, "it would seem like the new [GMA-7] stars are outshining the more established [ABS-CBN] performers." At this time, she also performed regularly on GMA's regular Sunday variety show, SOP Rules. In 2007, de Castro appeared in two television series. The first was the afternoon teen drama Boys Nxt Door, dubbed into Malay on the Malaysian channel 8TV and aired in South Korea via KBS2, becoming the first Filipino drama to air in the country. The second was the action-adventure series Asian Treasures. De Castro played Clara, an expert on history and geography who would use this knowledge to help the main characters find the titular treasures. In 2007, she starred in the independent film Still Life, written and directed by Katski Flores. The film is about an artist diagnosed with a terminal illness who has traveled to an isolated island to paint his last work. De Castro played Emma, a woman who relates her past to the main character. Film critic Tito Valiente of Business Mirror noted her portrayal of Emma as "one reason the short life on that island becomes very real." Valiente noted that de Castro's character was "vulnerable but not whiny. Even in tears she conjures an image of a woman whose only way out of life is finding life in anything." The film was a finalist at that year's Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, where de Castro received a Golden Screen Awards nomination in the Best Actress category. That same year, she also played a supporting role in the romantic film Batanes: Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan alongside Iza Calzado, Taiwanese singer-actor Ken Chu, and Marky Cielo. In 2008, she started shooting another independent film, Rakenrol, based on director Quark Henares' views on growing up in the local rock scene and his personal experiences starting a band. De Castro described the film, which was still in production as of March 2009, as "a lighter version of Almost Famous" and "a fun, feel-good movie." In 2008, she played the lead role in the television adaptation of the 1991 film Kaputol ng Isang Awit. In the series, de Castro played Sarah Monteza, a poor girl with a good voice but low self-esteem. De Castro would later say that the role was her "biggest break" thus far.

Career resurgence (2009–present)

After another supporting role in the television adaptation of comic-book writer Carlo J. Caparas' graphic novel Gagambino, de Castro once again landed a lead role in another television adaptation of a Filipino film, Kung Aagawin Mo ang Lahat sa Akin opposite Patrick Garcia, Maxene Magalona, Jackie Rice and JC Tiuseco. In the series, she played Gladys Andrada (a role originated by co-star Jackie Lou Blanco), the jealous only biological child of Gilbert (played by Nonie Buencamino) and Clara Andrada (played by Blanco). Regarding her portrayal, columnist Jason John Lim commented that while she knew she was breaking out of her comfort zone, "What she didn't know that she would also begin breaking the expectations of everybody." Right after Kung Aagawin Mo ang Lahat sa Akin, she played another supporting role on an episode of the drama anthology SRO Cinemaserye, which chronicled the life story of singer Eva Castillo (portrayed in this episode by Manilyn Reynes). Shortly after, she landed another role in the Philippine remake of the Korean television series Stairway to Heaven alongside Dingdong Dantes, Rhian Ramos, and TJ Trinidad. She portrayed Eunice Manansala (serving as the counterpart for Han Yoori, played by actress Kim Tae-hee), the envious stepsister of Jodi Reyes (played by Rhian Ramos). To prepare for the role, de Castro watched the original series to attempt to get an idea of who her character was as a person. De Castro also commented on the relative complexity of her character in this series compared to her character in Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Lahat Sa Akin: "Unlike my previous role, you don't know what is going on inside the mind of Eunice. What's going inside her head is really devious. She is subtle in her approach and very scheming... Despite being evil, she still has a heart and there's a reason she became a bad person. If she is stepping down on people, she is also being stepped on by other people. She also has to fulfill her needs and wants and she will do everything for the person she loves." Her portrayal was well-received by critics; Jerry Donato of The Philippine Star, in particular, said: "So far, Glaiza has given her Korean counterpart a run for her money." In 2009, de Castro appeared in five films. The first was the independent political thriller Bente, where she replaced former StarStruck contestant and fellow GMA actress Jewel Mische when the latter refused to film a sex scene she considered "beyond [her] moral standards" as directed by Mel Chionglo. The film was released in June 2009 and received mixed reviews, with Rito Asilo of the Philippine Daily Inquirer citing its thematic substance and Gomez's and Calzado's "insightful performances" while also going on to blast the film's "disparate stories," "incohesive feel and style," and sudden ending "in a convenient anticlimax." The second film was the horror movie Tarot, released on August 26. The film, directed by Jun Lana and top-billed by Marian Rivera and Dennis Trillo, is about a girl who can predict the future using tarot cards. A third film, Ang Manghuhula, was released commercially in September (it had been shown at the Cinemanila International Film Festival the previous year). The film, directed by Paolo Herras, saw de Castro play the daughter of Messina (Eula Valdez), a seer. The production was received warmly, with Noelani Torre of the Philippine Daily Inquirer noting its "fascinating subject matter," "colorful cast," and "visual richness and clarity." The fourth film de Castro starred in 2009 was Astig (international title: Squalor) alongside Sid Lucero, Edgar Allan Guzman, Arnold Reyes, and Dennis Trillo (who also directed the film). In Astig, de Castro played Elgine, a teenager afflicted with a sexually transmitted disease who eventually becomes the love interest of Trillo's character. The independent film, released in July of that year, was a critical and financial success, topping the box office in that year's Cinemalaya Film Festival with a profit of ₱137,890.00. Darwin Chiong of GMA News called the film's cinematography "remarkable" and praised the cast as a whole, saying, "The movie gathers an ensemble of actors that deliver in the acting department, even those in supporting roles like Glaiza de Castro and Malou Crisologo." Her performance in this film earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 33rd Gawad Urian Awards. The fifth film was the sixth film under the Mano Po banner, subtitled A Mother's Love. The film, directed by Joel Lamangan and top-billed by Sharon Cuneta, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Heart Evangelista, and Dennis Trillo, saw de Castro playing a younger version of Cuneta's character, Melinda Uy. The film was released on December 25 and was an entry to that year's annual Metro Manila Film Festival. Her first project on GMA for 2010 was in another villain role in Diva, billed as the Philippines' first musical comedy-drama series. It debuted on GMA Network on March 1, 2010, and ended on July 30, 2010. The show, which also starred Regine Velasquez, Mark Anthony Fernandez, TJ Trinidad, and singer Jaya and is partly based on the American movie trilogy High School Musical and the American television series Glee, saw de Castro playing the ambitious Tiffany, who is Lady's (Rufa Mae Quinto) assistant and soon-to-be a villainess to singer-actress Regine Velasquez's heroine Melody. After Diva, de Castro auditioned for and won the title role on the primetime fantasy series Grazilda. The show, a sequel to the Cinderella story, centers on Grazilda, who is, in turn, based on one of Cinderella's wicked stepsisters, Drizella. The plot revolves around Grazilda's banishment from her home world of Fantasia to the human world, where she suffers a fate similar to Cinderella's. The series, which premiered on September 13, 2010, also stars Geoff Eigenmann, Yasmien Kurdi, Jolina Magdangal, and Cherie Gil and marks de Castro's first lead role in a primetime series. Before the show's debut, de Castro said she could not believe her success; she had become accustomed to playing villainous roles and expected to do so for the remainder of her career. The show was a critical and commercial success, beating its rival, 1DOL, by five points in the AGB Mega Manila ratings. In light of the show's success, de Castro's manager, Manny Valera, has decided to turn down any further villain roles on behalf of his talent to build her up as a lead star. On October 30, it was announced that de Castro would no longer be cast in the remake of the film Temptation Island and would instead be the lead star in the 2011 remake of the 1992 film Aswang, produced by Regal Films with film director Topel Lee. However, her lead role instead went to Lovi Poe. De Castro later played Binayaan in the epic drama Amaya, opposite Marian Rivera and Sid Lucero. In 2012, de Castro first appeared on Tweets for My Sweet, playing the role of Kimberly, Meg's (Marian Rivera) long-lost daughter and sister. In the third quarter of the year, she was chosen to be cast in the Philippine adaptation of Temptation of Wife, playing the role of Heidi, originally intended for Alessandra de Rossi, before she declined the role. In 2013, de Castro co-starred in Vampire Ang Daddy Ko, top-billed by Vic Sotto and Oyo Boy Sotto. In 2015, de Castro played Althea Guevarra in the lesbian series The Rich Man's Daughter alongside Rhian Ramos. In 2016, she played Pirena in the television drama fantasy series Encantadia. In 2017, she reprised the role in the series Mulawin vs. Ravena. In March 2018, she took on the title role in the revenge series Contessa. In 2023, the new management of TAPE Inc. led to the departure of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon, as well as their co-hosts, from the production company due to various issues at the end of May. De Castro was one of the new hosts of the revamped Eat Bulaga! when the show resumed taping live in June.

Music

De Castro has released four albums so far. Her debut album, Magbalik Ka, was released under XAX Music Entertainment in 2001. It contains six tracks described by the record label as "catchy bubblegum pop tunes". In 2006, she released a second album, the self-titled Glaiza, under Dyna Records. The latter album, described by de Castro herself as "more defined" compared to her first album, comprises pop and R&B songs and contains original content except for three tracks: a cover of Joey Albert's song "How Can I Make You See," as well as a Tagalog version (titled "Paano"), and an English version of Dingdong Avanzado's "Basta't Kasama Kita" (titled "As Long As I Am With You"). When asked why it took her half a decade to release a second album, de Castro explained that after the first album's completion, she did not renew her contract with the record company and instead focused on her television career. Glaiza was officially launched in June 2008, two years after the album was released. In 2015, de Castro launched her third album, Synthesis, which was mainly self-produced. She did mall shows to promote this album. It was her most successful album so far. In 2017, de Castro released her fourth album, Magandang Simulain, under PolyEast Records and held a concert at the Music Museum in San Juan, Metro Manila, to promote it. De Castro received critical acclaim for her in-character covers of the Asin songs "Himig ng Pag-Ibig" and "Pagbabalik" when she played anti-dictatorship activist Cecilia Flores-Oebanda in the 2018 film Liway. Moviegoers were described as emotional during the film, often clapping in the cinemas after being moved by de Castro's performance, both in acting and in performing the songs.

Public image

Despite gaining wider recognition for her roles as a villain in Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Lahat Sa Akin and Stairway to Heaven, de Castro has reportedly had qualms about portraying a villain again, commenting, "I don't want to be typecast as an antagonist forever because it's difficult to get rid of that sort of image." However, she has preferred antagonist roles over "sexy" roles. She later retracted this statement, saying that she "didn't think [she'd] get typecast because [she] plays different kinds of women each time" and explained this by saying, "The stories are different, so [her] characters' [motivations] are also different." Although she had considered posing for magazines such as FHM "for instant fame and fortune," she eventually decided against it. Instead, she opted to develop her skills as a serious actress, saying, "I just want to start on the right foot by focusing more on acting than diverting my attention to other interests. I want to become an actress and to show what I can do." She has also expressed interest in playing "out-of-the-box and extreme roles" like Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta and Charlize Theron in Monster. In 2008, she spoke of her preference for independent film, commenting in Taglish, "As for me, I feel fulfilled in indie films. I'm given roles in indie projects that are heavier compared to the mainstream. And I'm rarely offered roles in mainstream [films] anyway."

Advocacy and political positions

In March 2016, de Castro participated in the UN Women Safe Cities Program, a program aiming to increase awareness and stop street harassment and sexual violence against women in public spaces. As part of the program, de Castro participated in Quezon City's campaign against sexual harassment. De Castro is known as a Women's Rights and Protection Advocate and won a Media People's Choice Award in 2017 for this advocacy. After performing the role of anti-Marcos activist Cecilia Flores-Oebanda in 2018, de Castro has spoken against historical negationism regarding the Philippines' martial law era, which was the film's setting. She agreed it was a polarizing topic but said Filipino youth must be "made more aware of it, because it's important to know history and learn from it. It's necessary for everyone's growth." In 2020, de Castro participated in activities denouncing the then-newly signed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. She joined numerous artists in reciting Charlie Chaplin's final speech in the film The Great Dictator, translated into Filipino by writer Rody Vera.

Personal life

She also maintained a close friendship with consistent on-screen partner Marky Cielo for much of the latter's career until he died in 2008. In the wake of her friend's death, de Castro recounted an exchange she had the day before Cielo died: she told Cielo about a dream she had about him and Rich Asuncion; according to her, Cielo had other people tell him they had dreams about him, which he took to be an omen.

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

Albums

Magbalik Ka track listing

Glaiza track listing

Synthesis track listing

Magandang Simulain track listing

Singles

Concerts

Awards and nominations