By Ronald Constantino
IN THE BLOOD – Mariel de Leon dreamed of becoming an opera singer, but she ended up as beauty queen (Bb. Pilipinas-Int’l) and actress. She also took up cooking for two years in New Zealand, and did some modeling. Perhaps it’s inevitable that showbiz beckoned. After all, it’s in the blood.
Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong are her parents. Mariel’s showbiz royalty, in a manner of speaking.
But she isn’t giving up opera altogether. She still belongs to operabelles. Instead of arias from “Samson and Delilah,” “Madam Butterfly,” and “La Traviata,” Mariel is singing Broadway and ballads, probably the classical way.
Mariel took up private voice lessons. Her dad sings..so do her lola (Lilia Dizon) and aunt (Pinky de Leon).
She still dreams of singing abroad… preferably with Operabelles.
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SCREEN CREDIT – At 24, Mariel has appeared, briefly though, onscreen: The movie “Across the Crescent Moon” and TV5 soap “Bakit Manipis ang Ulap.”
But her biggest screen break is about to come. “Latay,” produced by Baby Go and directed by Ralston Jover. She shares stellar billing with Lovi Poe and Allen Dizon.
She’ll also try theater via “Joseph The Dreamer” this April.
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LOVELIFE – Mariel said she and non-showbiz boyfriend (into computer) are still together but for the moment they are sort of “taking it easy.” Showbiz is her concentration.
In fact, she just signed up with the amiable showbiz manager Leo Dominguez. With Mariel at the contract-signing was mom Sandy, saying “Sa background lang ako, sinamahan ko si Mariel.”
Colleague Mario Escobar Bautista took time to introduce Mariel to the writers who were around. He advised the new actress, “Gumaya ka sa parents mo who are very friendly to the press.” Jun Lalin and Lolit Solis agreed.
To be fair, Mariel came out “muy simpatica” during the contract-signing. Amiable and accommodating, so like Sandy and Christopher.