Where Are They Now: 8 Pinoy Child Stars from the 2000s
Nov 19, 2019 • Kyzia Maramara
Time truly does fly! Think about it: almost all our favorite actors and actresses now have kids of their own and the child stars we liked when we were younger are already grown-ups. Do you still remember the sweet faces of these child actors? You might be surprised to find out how they’re doing after a decade or so!
Jillian Ward
You might remember Jillian Ward from her iconic role as the titular character in GMA Network’s 2010 teleserye Trudis Liit. We couldn’t resist how cute she was with her chubby cheeks and charming smile! She first caught our eyes back in 2009 when she was Eat Bulaga’s Little Miss Philippines Contestant #5.
After Trudis Liit, little Jillian went on to star for multiple teleseryes like Captain Barbell (2011) and Home Sweet Home (2013). Now she’s currently one of the lead actresses for GMA’s new soap Prima Donnas.
Buboy Villar
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Buboy Villar (Robert Villar) is one of the most recognizable child actors of the late 00s. He starred in almost everything back then! His acting portfolio included Super Twins (2007), Da Adventures of Pedro Penduko (2007), Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan (2007), Dyesebel (2008), Darna (2009) and many more! Clearly, everybody loved him so. To prove that we’re old, Buboy Villiar actually has a daughter with his American girlfriend Angillyn Serrano Gorens.
Francis Mangundayao
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Even before he got in our radar for his role as Iking, the sidekick to Angel Locsin’s 2005 Darna, Francis was already a commercial model. He starred as the teen version of Piolo Pascual’s character in the drama Dahil Sa Pagibig (2012), the young version of Gerald Anderson’s character in Sana Maulit Muli, and as Adrian in ABS-CBN’s Aryana (2012).
Francis graduated high school at the Far Eastern University-Diliman early this year. He continues to star in ABS-CBN teleseryes, Star Magic projects, and is also currently pursuing his passion for dancing and photography.
Ella Cruz
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Ella Cruz continues to be one of the shining stars of Philippine showbiz. She started her career with GMA Network’s Majika (2006), Super Twins (2007), and ABS-CBN’s Maalala Mo Kaya episodes in 2008. Ella was often paired with Francis Magundayao because of their stint in the 2012 Aryana.
Now Ella Cruz is an aspiring dancer alongside her current loveteam partner Julian Trono. She is also currently under Viva Artist Agency.
Zaijian Jaranilla
Via Rappler
When Zaijian showed up to this year’s ABS-CBN Ball looking dashing in his barong, we were immediately transported in time. Who can ever forget Santino? Zaijan Jaranilla has cemented his place in our minds as the cute kid who was the hope of a town in ABS-CBN’s May Bukas Pa (2009). Prior to that, he was a cast member in Goin Bulilit in 2005.
Zaijan currently has projects in ABS-CBN’s Ipaglaban Mo! and Maalaala Mo Kaya.
Ella Guevara
Ella Guevara was one of the cutest kids in the industry back in the early 2000s. She wowed us with her StarStruck Kids performance in 2004 which got her numerous teleserye and film roles. She was Lenlen in Darna (2005) and Cassandra in Encantadia (2005). Her acting chops got her awards as “Best Child Actress” for years in a row.
In 2011, Ella decided to leave showbiz to focus on her studies and until the present, she has not come back to the industry.
Sabrina Man
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Sabrina Man was the young Serapina in GMA’s 2005 Darna and she was also a lead cast in the 2010 Panday Kids. She went on to star in other GMA teleseryes throughout the year and also became a host for the children’s show Tropang Potchi in 2013. Sabrina left showbiz in 2015 but you can still follow her adventures on Instagram.
Xyriel Manabat
Via Trending Bible
Best known for her role as the young Agua/Bendita Cristi from the ABS-CBN 2010 fantaserye Agua Bendita, Xyriel was a cute kid with a sweet face. Almost 10 years after the series, she is now in her mid-teens and still in the showbiz industry. Her latest project was with ABS-CBN’s Wildflower in 2017 where she portrayed the young Ivy Aguas.
Did we miss anyone? Share your comments below!
