Alexa Ilacad

She rose to prominence when she joined the kiddie gag show Goin' Bulilit in 2008. But even before that, she was already familiar in Philippine television as a commercial model. Starting at the young age of two, she was first seen in various TV commercials for the brands Vaseline shampoo, Lactum 3+, Johnson's Baby Cologne, Cheez Whiz, McDonald's Happy Meal, Jollibee Kids Meal and many more.[1][2] Aside from that, she was often seen in the Philippine television playing minor roles for various seryes such as May Bukas Pa, Nasaan Ka Elisa?, A Beautiful Affair, and several episodes of Maalaala Mo Kaya. She has also played roles in the Philippine Cinema in films named For The First Time, The Reunion, and Amorosa: The Revenge. During her stay in Goin' Bulilit, she was first paired with fellow actor Nash Aguas for the Goin' Bulilit Presents: In My Dreams. In 2012, she was launched as a singer in the group Tweens Of Pop together with fellow Bulilit stars, Angel Sy, Mika Dela Cruz, and Noemi Oineza. The group released a self-titled EP under Star Music, its lead single "Crush" becoming the OST for the sitcom Luv U starring Miles Ocampo, Marco Gumabao, Angeli Gonzales, CJ Navato, Kiray Celis, and Igi Boy Flores.

In 2013, She scored her first lead role as she was cast as Lexie Domingo in the second season of the youth-oriented comedy TV sitcom Luv U, the official starting point of her loveteam partnership with Gimme 5 member Nash Aguas, famously known as NLex. He played the puppy love of Lexie, Benjamin Jalbuena. From there, they have been paired again multiple times, their other projects include various MMK and Wansapanataym episodes.

She was also famously known in the business for playing the young Maria Mercedes, played by actress Jessy Mendiola. In 2014, She and Aguas were paired again to do Camille and Drew in the television series Bagito which was based on the Wattpad series of the same name by Noreen Capili. Together with them was Ella Cruz, Angel Aquino, Ariel Rivera, Agot Isidro, the remaining members of Gimme 5 (Brace, Grae, Joaquin, and John), and many more.

In 2016, she created a YouTube channel, and started uploading Beauty, Lifestyle, and Travel vlogs as well as Song Music Covers.[3]

In the same year, she and Aguas also landed a role on the fourth season of the hit series Doble Kara (starred by versatile actress Julia Montes) as Patricia Hernandez and Paolo Acosta.

She also played the role Jewel, the veteran actress Angel Locsin's sister in the award-winning film Everything About Her with the Star of All Seasons, Ms.Vilma Santos.[4] In the same year, she joined the reality music competition We Love OPM: The Celebrity Sing-Offs as part of Team Yeng: Oh My Girls. She, together with GirlTrends member Krissha Viaje, and 88rising artist Ylona Garcia were coached and trained by their mentor Pop Rock Royalty Yeng Constantino. The girls finished the competition as runner-ups just behind the grand winner, Team Erik's Tres Kantos. Soon after finishing We Love OPM, she was launched as Star Music’s newest Teen Pop Rock Artist. She released her debut album To The Moon & Back with the spunky carrier single Pakipot, Suplado with music video directed by Kean Cipriano, featuring the other half of her loveteam, Nash Aguas. Her album has a total of 6 songs which also includes an acoustic version of her song Kahit Saan, Kahit Kailan, also featuring Aguas. The songs from this album are all original and were written by her best friend, Eunice Jorge, the vocalist of rock band Gracenote.[5]

Her debut album has also been proven a hit as it consistently charted in MOR 101.9's "Biga10" for several weeks. Music videos of her songs Pakipot, Suplado and Kung Pwede Lang has also reached 4.9M and 3.4M views (as of April 2022) respectively.[6][7]

In 2017, she received her Silver Play Creator Award from YouTube for surpassing over 100k subscribers in ASAP Chillout. Currently, her channel has surpassed over 600k subscribers.

In the same year, Ilacad and Aguas were paired again in the Philippine crime drama television series The Good Son as Justine and Calvin, alongside Jerome Ponce, Loisa Andalio, Mccoy De Leon, Elisse Joson and Joshua Garcia. Also with them is outstanding actress Eula Valdez, Mylene Dizon, John Estrada, Jeric Raval, and many more. The series lasted until April 13, 2018, and the ending also marked the ending of Ilacad and Aguas' long-time journey as a loveteam as management decided to split the loveteam as a means for them to focus on each other's solo careers.[8][9]

Apart from The Good Son, the actress also appeared in Star Cinema's action-comedy film Extra Service starring Arci Muñoz, Coleen Garcia, and Jessy Mendiola, and romantic-comedy film Finally Found Someone starring Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo and Box-Office King John Lloyd Cruz. Aside from these, she also played roles in Maalaala Mo Kaya, as young Karla Estrada in the episode Autograph[10] with Angelica Panganiban and Karla Estrada and as Joy in the episode Kulungan with Ms. Lorna Tolentino.[11]

The actress also took part in ABS-CBN's 2017 Summer Station ID, Ikaw Ang Sunshine Ko along with BoyBand PH, Pinoy Big Brother Lucky Season 7 Big 4 Maymay Entrata, Kisses Delavin, Yong Muhajil, and Edward Barber, "Tawag ng Tanghalan" Top 3 Noven Belleza, Sam Mangubat and Froilan Canlas, Kapamilya stars Sue Ramirez, Kristel Fulgar, Sharlene San Pedro, Kira Balinger, and Ylona Garcia.[12]

After the break-up of her loveteam, she has taken roles for Maalaala Mo Kaya, specifically the episodes entitled Family Portrait and Passport.

In 2019, She landed the role of Luna Dela Cuesta, the 'rich spoiled brat daughter of Vito and Tessa' in The Killer Bride, the drama series starring Maja Salvador, Janella Salvador, Joshua Garcia and Geoff Eigenmann.[13]

In October the same year, She scored her first lead film in the Philippine Cinema through the horror film Santigwar under Horseshoe Studios and Reality Entertainment. She played the role of Hasmin, a Santigwar herself. The film revolved around the journey of Hasmin as she discovers the truth that binds her family to the mythical creatures: Aswangs. Together with her on the film is Marlo Mortel, Marco Gallo, Paulo Angeles, Aubrey Miles, Michelle Liggayu, and many more.[14]

She was also popularly known for playing the role of Bobbie Salazar (originally played by Bea Alonzo)[15] in the prequel of the 2013 hit Four Sisters and a Wedding, 2020 film Four Sisters Before the Wedding which became the No.1 top trending film as it arrived on Netflix Philippines and No.3 on Netflix Canada and UAE.[16]

After four long years, in 2020, She came back with new single Love at First Sight under new music label, OFF THE RECORD (under Exclusive License to MCA Music Inc.)[17]

In 2021, she was cast as Hannah Salcedo in Init Sa Magdamag, a Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by Kapamilya Channel starring Gerald Anderson, Yam Concepcion, JM de Guzman, Albie Casiño, Tetchi Agbayani, and many more where she was paired with actor Gab Lagman.[18]

Apart from this, she also released a Frank Pole remix and Acoustic version of her 2020 single Love at First Sight[19] and another single entitled Stay Right Here[20] which she promoted on It's Showtime's segment Hide and Sing as TagoKanta #1, where AC Bonifacio successfully guessed her as the episode's celebrity singer.[21]

She has also starred in another Maalaala Mo Kaya episode Libro with Kira Balinger and Yves Flores, where she wowed viewers with her amazing acting performance.[22]

In the same year, she joined Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10, the tenth overall season of Pinoy Big Brother, as part of the first batch of housemates in the Celebrity Edition,[23] having been evicted on Day 71 alongside fellow housemate KD Estrada.[24] Her time inside Bahay ni Kuya was notable for opening the discussion on mental health having experienced body dysmorphia,[25] an altercation between her and fellow housemate and Init Sa Magdamag co-star Albie Casiño,[26] a conflict that occurred with fellow housemates livestreamer Eian Rances and comedian Brenda Mage,[27] and her eventual closeness with Estrada that grew as they consoled each other from their individual episodes inside the house.[28]

In 2022, After being evicted, she and Estrada began to appear on a number of shows and interviews together such as IWant ASAP, Kumunity: G sa Gabi with Robi Domingo, KAPAMILYA Journeys of Hope with Father Tito Caluag, PBB Kumu Big Arrival where they performed with musical icon Rico Blanco[29] and ASAP Natin 'To as singers/performers. Ilacad was also chosen as the host of the online gameshow Quiz Mo Ko on the KUMU platform for the month of February—and eventually extended until March.[30]

ABS-CBN launched a project for the victims of typhoon Odette—100 days of various fundraising activities starting from the 10-day By Request benefit concert. KDLex, Estrada and Ilacad's love team partnership are part of the lineup of artists to perform. During their session, they have reached over 100,000 live viewers just from the KUMU stream alone.[31]

Due to rising popularity, in one of the pair's ASAP Natin 'To stints, it was announced that they will headline a FanCon and the upcoming Dreamscape and iWantTFC series Run To Me which will premiere this summer.[32]

Ilacad also released her first single of the year, the heartbreak anthem Paano which peaked #1 on iTunes Philippines. Although she has shared and made plenty of original songs during her stay in PBB, Paano is her first self-written song to be officially released to the public.[33] Ahead of the KDLex concert, the pair delivered their first single Misteryo under Star Music,[34] as well as the Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10 - Adult Edition eviction song, When I See you Again which the pair wrote and composed together during their time in the Big Brother House. In less than 12 hours, the two singles placed at #1 and #2 respectively on the iTunes Philippines Top 100.[35]

Shortly after the announcement, she and Estrada held the online fan concert event through KTX.ph entitled Closer: The KDLex Fan Con on the 26th of February, in time with the actress' 22nd birthday.[36] First selling of the SVIP and VIP tickets for their concert reportedly became sold-out in just an hour. Due to high demand from fans, KTX.ph added additional tickets for the show. Shortly after, it got sold out again and several times more.[37]

In celebration of Star Magic's 30th anniversary, the agency is set to launch SLAY—a new digital video magazine celebrating the beauty and power of women. On 4 March, Ilacad took over Star Magic's KUMU account marking the celebration of Women's Month. In the same live, she made history as she is revealed to be gracing the magazine's first ever cover.[38]

Ahead of the 2022 Presidential Elections in the Philippines, Ilacad along with KD Estrada, Angela Ken, Antenorcruz, FANA, iDolls, Janine Berdin, JM Yosures, JMKO, Jona, Anji Salvacion, Lara Maigue, Reiven Umali, and the TNT Boys took part in the release of the reimagined version of Pag-Isipan Mo Ang Boto Mo which was originally composed and recorded by Jamie Rivera.[39]