Glaiza Castro Galura-Rainey ( ; born January 21, 1988), professionally known by her stage name Glaiza de Castro, is a Filipina 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 in 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 the 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.
Early life and background Glaiza Castro Galura was born on January 21, 1988, in Valenzuela, Metro Manila, to Cristina "Cristy" Galura and Alfred "Boy" Galura. Her father was a band member, while her mother was a contestant in the original iteration of the singing competition Tawag ng Tanghalan. In the early 1980s, they formed a band called The Alcris Duet. De Castro has a younger brother, Alchris Galura, who was recognized as Best Supporting Actor by the World Class Excellence Japan Awards (WCEJA) for his role in the drama series Abot-Kamay na Pangarap. Her uncle is Dan Alvaro, who has starred in action films.
De Castro studied at a Catholic private institution in Valenzuela. At age 12, she was discovered by a talent agent during a shoot in Valenzuela. Around the same time, she appeared in a fast food commercial. On January 27, 2001, de Castro made her entry into GMA Network, debuting on the television variety show Master Showman and subsequently becoming one of its regulars.
Acting career
Early career: minor roles on television and in film (2001–2006)
In 2001, de Castro began her acting career with a guest appearance in the television show Kasangga. Her first film appearance was around the same time in Cool Dudes 24/7, receiving one of its minor roles after having been unintentionally sent a text message for an audition. During this period, she would play further minor roles, including in the soap opera Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin (2001), the horror-comedy film Singsing ni Lola (2002), the youth-oriented show Berks (2002–2004), the television series Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin (2005) and the independent film 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.
Also in 2006, de Castro played Honey on the GMA Network 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, the 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."
Breakout roles (2007–2008) 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. De Castro portrayed Eunice, the counterpart of Han Yoori (played by Kim Tae-hee). De Castro watched the original series to attempt to get an idea of who her character was as a person in preparation for the role. She 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." Critics received her portrayal well; 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 the independently produced Astig (international title: Squalor) alongside Sid Lucero, Edgar Allan Guzman, Arnold Reyes, and Dennis Trillo (who also served as director). In Astig, de Castro played Elgine, a teenager afflicted with a sexually transmitted disease who eventually becomes the love interest of Trillo's character. Released in July of that year, it was a critical and financial success, topping the box office of that year's Cinemalaya Film Festival with a profit of . 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 installment of the Mano Po franchise, 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 play the 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.