Throwback Thursday: A look back at Carla Abellana's showbiz life on her birthday

By MICHELLE CALIGAN

PHOTO BY ELISA AQUINO, GMANetwork.com 

 

One of Kapuso Network's most bankable actresses, Carla Abellana, is turning a year older? today, June 12. ?As she gears up for her upcoming primetime drama My Destiny with no less than her My Husband's Lover co-star Tom Rodriguez, let us look back at her journey in showbiz, from being a commercial model to becoming Lally Agatep-Soriano. 

 

Acting has been a part of Carla's life even before she entered the business. Her father is former actor Rey "PJ" Abellana while veteran actress Delia Razon is her grandmother. She started her career as a commercial model before she bagged the title role in the Philippine remake of the hit Mexican telenovela Rosalinda. Kapuso actor Geoff Eigenmann starred as her leading man, Fernando Jose, and the two became an item later on.

 

Carla and Geoff's onscreen chemistry earned them not just a huge fan base, but also more projects. They appeared in The Last Prince, Mars Ravelo's Basahang Ginto, and Magic Palayok. Their last project together was the Magpakailanman episode MY ONLY LOVE: The True Love Story of Leonard and Nonyx Buela.

 

Carla would eventually carve a name for herself as a solo actress, starring in Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit with Mike Tan and Michelle Madrigal, and in Makapiling Kang Muli with Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati. She was also very visible on the silver screen, appearing in films such as Shake, Rattle, and Roll XII, My Neighbor's Wife, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, and Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story.

 

It was her portrayal as Lally Agatep-Soriano in the phenomenal series My Husband's Lover that brought Carla to superstardom. As the third member of the unconventional love triangle with Tom Rodriguez and Dennis Trillo, Carla showed her brilliant acting as a wife who discovers that her husband is gay and has a lover. The series was so successful that it led to a concert in the Araneta Coliseum and a US tour. It is also currently nominated in the Serial Drama category of this year's International Seoul Drama Awards. 

News of the end of her four-year relationship with Geoff started spreading early this year, and Carla finally broke her silence when she confirmed their breakup in an exclusive Startalk interview last April. 

The actress did not allow her broken heart to affect her career. She kept herself busy by starring in the romantic comedy film So It's You with Tom Rodriguez, whom she will reunite with in My Destiny, airing this June. 

She will also try her luck in comedy as Ryan Agoncillo's wife Majay in the sitcom Ismol Family.

 

When asked what her birthday wish is, Carla says she has nothing more to ask for. "I'm very blessed with work, sobrang loved ako by my family, my friends, my fans. So parang wala na akong hihilingin pa. Nagpapasalamat ako kay Lord sa dami ng blessings na binubuhos niya sa akin at sa pagmamahal na rin."

Get ready as the birthday girl recaptures our hearts in My Destiny and makes us laugh in Ismol Family. Happy birthday, Kapuso!