Maria Luisa Angela "Angelu" Martinez de Leon-Rivera (born August 22, 1979) is a Filipino actress and politician.
Early and personal life Angelu de Leon is the youngest daughter of Luis and Flora de Leon. She attended St. Joseph's College, Holy Spirit and Siena College. She made her first commercial, without her father's knowledge, when she was just ten years old. Her father eventually gave his blessing to her acting career before his death from colon cancer.
In 2007, De Leon became a born again Christian and became an active member of a church in Ortigas.
In 2016, De Leon disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Bell's palsy in 2009.
De Leon is married to Lorenzo "Wowie" Rivera. They married on September 17, 2010.
De Leon has three children: Nicole, her daughter with actor Joko Diaz; Loise, her daughter with businessman Jojo Manlongat; and Rafa, her son with husband Wowie Rivera.
Acting career De Leon started acting on television at the age of 12. She was discovered by Johnny Manahan for a kiddie gag show Ang TV (1992–1993), aired on ABS-CBN. Among her batchmates were Claudine Barretto, Jolina Magdangal and Rica Peralejo. After about a year on the said youth-oriented comedy variety-show, she transferred to GMA Network, where she became part of Ober Da Bakod (1992–1997) with Janno Gibbs and Anjo Yllana. In the same year, she became a talent of Viva Films, with Di Na Natuto (1993) as her theatrical debut. During her early years, she mostly played younger sister to more established stars. In 1994, she bagged her first major role in Kadenang Bulaklak (1993), where she starred alongside Ana Roces, Vina Morales, and Donna Cruz.
In 1995, de Leon got her break when she was included in teen oriented shows like T.G.I.S. or Thank God It's Sabado (1995–1997) and Growing Up (1997–1999) with Onemig Bondoc, Ciara Sotto, Raven Villanueva, Michael Flores, Rica Peralejo and Red Sternberg. She became the highest-paid actress on T.G.I.S. These shows gave her a chance to team up with Bobby Andrews, and their partnership became one of the hottest onscreen love teams of her generation in the mid-1990s. Among the noted Angelu-Bobby team-up movies were: Takot Ka Ba Sa Dilim (1996), T.G.I.S.: The Movie (1997), Laging Naroon Ka (1997) and Wala Na Bang Pag-ibig (1997), as well as their first drama series Ikaw Na Sana, which was also turned into a movie.
In 1998, at the peak of her career, de Leon became pregnant by fellow Viva talent Joko Diaz. This caused her to go on maternity leave, with projects lined up for her either shelved or passed on to other young stars. A year later, she made a comeback on film, this time bagging mature roles in Bulaklak ng Maynila (1999) and Abandonada (2000). Her career was put on hold again when she got pregnant again in 2001 by businessman Jojo Manlongat. Among the films she starred outside Viva were Elmer Jamias (2000) and Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita (2004).
In late 2001, de Leon started bagging mother roles, beginning with Sana ay Ikaw na Nga. In 2006, she went back to GMA's rival station ABS-CBN, where she played supporting roles, including Super Inggo (2006-2007), its sequel Super Inggo 1.5: Ang Bagong Bangis (2007) and Parekoy (2009).
She returned to GMA with Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang (2009), starring Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes. It was for her work in the said soap that she was given rave reviews, complemented with the fact that she was back to her sexy figure and can give other young actresses a run for their money. de Leon is a talent of Viva Artists Agency since 2021.
Political career De Leon entered into politics when she filed her candidacy for councilor in Pasig's 2nd district for the May 2022 polls under Aksyon Demokratiko. She was included in the Giting ng Pasig coalition of Mayor Vico Sotto. She garnered 138,427 votes, making her as the topnotcher councilor for Pasig's 2nd district.
Electoral history + Electoral history of Angelu de LeonYearOfficePartyVotes receivedResultLocalNationalTotal %.Swing2022Councilor of Pasig's 2nd DistrictGiting ng PasigAksyon138,42712.37%1st 2025IND174,04114.82%1st +2.45
Filmography Television Year Title Role 1992–1993 Ang TV Various roles 1993 Home Along Da Riles Episode Guest 1994 Ober Da Bakod Kuting 1995–1997 T.G.I.S. Ma. Patrice "Peachy" Real-Torres née da Silva 1997–1999 Growing Up 1997–1998 Ikaw na Sana Blanca Rosales Perez / Susan Saavedra 2000–2001 May Bukas Pa Irene Buencamino 2001–2003 Sana ay Ikaw na Nga Agnes Consuelo Villavicer 2003–2004 Buttercup Cloe 2004 Te Amo, Maging Sino Ka Man Colette Camacho 2006–2007 Super Inggo Pacita Jacinto 2007 Super Inggo 1.5: Ang Bagong Bangis 2009 Parekoy Angelique Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang Heleen Barrientos 2010 The Last Prince Mayang Love Bug Presents: Exchange of Hearts Fina 2010–2011 Koreana Nerissa Rosales-Jung 2011 Sisid Alicia Cordelia 2012 Hindi Ka na Mag-iisa Jordana Montenegro 2012–2013 Teen Gen Ma. Patrice "Peachy" Real-Torres née da Silva 2013 Pyra: Babaeng Apoy Merly Lucente 2014 Niño Leny Inocente 2015–2016 Buena Familia Bettina Agravante-Buena / Sally Rosales 2016 Encantadia Amanda Reyes-Quizon 2017 Mulawin vs. Ravena LourdesRoad TripHerself / Guest 2018 Sirkus Liza The Stepdaughters Brenda Salvador Inday Will Always Love You Rica 2019 Inagaw na Bituin Aurora Mendoza-Dela Cruz 2021 Di Na Muli Grace 2024 Pulang Araw Carmela Borromeo 2026 Never Say Die Clarissa Delgado Paskong Pinoy: The Last New Year in Boracay
Talk showCelebrity DAT Com is a showbiz talk show aired on IBC from May 22, 2003, to September 3, 2004. Launched in 2003, after IBC was reformatted, with its new slogan New Face. New Attitude''', one of the programs launched was Celebrity DAT Com''. DAT stands for Dolly (Dolly Ann Carvajal), Angelu, and TJ (TJ Manotoc). The program was one of the reincarnation of IBC's past showbiz talk shows in evening slot like Seeing Stars with Joe Quirino and See True. It was aired every Thursdays at 9:30pm. This show gave the viewers with some interviews with the celebrities, movie and CD reviews, human interest stories, sports updates, and blind items.
Film Year Title Role 1993 Di Na Natuto Elisa 1993 Kadenang Bulaklak Daisy Abolencia / Tricia Hidalgo 1994 Ober da Bakod: The Movie Kuting 1994 Forever Cindy Valdez 1995 P're Hanggang Sa Huli Jing-jing 1995 Okey si Ma'am Ida 1995 Jessica Alfaro Story Lorraine 1996 Takot Ka Ba sa dilim? Carly 1996 Where 'D' Girls 'R''' || Demetria |- | 1997 || T.G.I.S. The Movie || Ma. Patrice "Peachy/Pancakes" Real |- | 1997 || Isinakdal Ko Ang Aking Ina || Karen Ilagan |- | 1997 || Wala Na Bang Pag-ibig? || Gemma Caringal |- | 1997 || Laging Naroon Ka || Patricia Gomez/Tricia/Trixie |- | 1998 || Ikaw na Sana: The Movie || Blanca |- | 1998 || Ang Lahat ng Ito'y Para Sa 'yo || Catherine Mendoza/Cathy |- | 1999 || Bulaklak ng Maynila || Ada |- | 2000 || Col. Elmer Jamias: Barako ng Maynila || Goody Ramirez Jamias |- | 2000 || Bukas na Lang Kita Mamahalin || Abigail Mansueto/Abby |- | 2000 || Abandonada || Cindy |- | 2002 || D' Uragons || Claudia |- | 2003 || www.XXX.com || Doray/Habibi |- | 2004 || Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita || Maura |- | 2008 || Paupahan || Angela San Pedro |- | 2009 || Status: Single || Wanda |- | 2009 || Hellphone || Cate |- | 2011 || Tween Academy: Class of 2012 || Luisa |- | 2013 || Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy || Rhea |- | 2014 || Echoserang Frog || Madam Berta |- | 2020 || Pakboys Takusa || Selina |- | 2024 || Sunny'' Chona
Awards and nominations
Acting awards Year Award Category WorkResult 1999 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Supporting Actress Bulaklak ng Maynila"Metro Manila Film Festival:1999". IMDB. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
Other awards Year Award Category 1993 Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Darling of The Press for Kadenang Bulaklak 1998 Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Teenage Queen for T.G.I.S. and Growing Up 1998 Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Most Popular Love Team for T.G.I.S. and Growing Up 2009 YES! Magazine 100 Most Beautiful Stars Year 2009
Nominations Year Award Category 1999 FAMAS Best Supporting Actress for Bulaklak ng Maynila 1999 Star Awards Best Supporting Actress for Bulaklak ng Maynila 2000 FAP Awards Best Actress for Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin 2000 Parangal ng Bayan Awards Best Young Actress for Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin 2000 FAP Awards Best Supporting Actress for Abandonada 2000 Star Awards Best Supporting Actress for Abandonada 2004 FAMAS Best Supporting Actress for Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita 2011 Empress Golden Screen Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress for Sisid 2011 Empress Golden Screen Awards Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Single Drama Untold Stories : Anak ng Aliw
References
External links