Actress Belle Mariano signed her first exclusive contract with ABS-CBN, marking what she described as a new chapter in her career.
The 22-year-old actress, who began in show business at age nine, said the contract strengthens her commitment to remain a Kapamilya talent. “This is the first-ever contract that I have with ABS-CBN, and I think this just solidifies that I am forever Kapamilya,” Mariano said in the interview with The STAR.
Mariano is currently working on Meet, Greet, Bye, a film directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana and co-starring Piolo Pascual and Maricel Soriano. The project is her first major film without Donny Pangilinan, her longtime love-team partner. She said Pangilinan has been supportive of her solo work and even visited her on set.
The actress said she wants to take on roles that will challenge her beyond the romantic projects she has been known for. She expressed interest in doing more mature, genre-diverse roles, including action, horror, and even bida-kontrabida portrayals.
Outside of acting, Mariano recently achieved a personal milestone with the completion of her family home, a project she said took two years to build.
After nearly 15 years in the entertainment industry, Mariano credited her mother, supporters, and Pangilinan as key sources of inspiration, saying they keep her grounded as she pursues new career challenges.