Kris Aquino first captured public attention under unusual circumstances, attending campaign sorties at the age of seven to gather support for her incarcerated father, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, and his political party LABAN (Lakas ng Bayan) for the 1978 parliamentary elections.
The country then was under martial law.
As her mother, the former Philippine President Corazon "Cory" Aquino described then the youngest of her five daughters, “She likes crowds. She loves the limelight.
"She enjoys talking and she is at home onstage. I guess it’s Ninoy’s genes. She has also his charisma.
"She is as articulate as her Dad and can talk on and on like him."
Years later, that charming and articulate young girl would heed the call of the bright lights and join the glitzy yet cutthroat world of show business.
PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) revisits the career accomplishments of Kris Aquino, also known as the Philippines' "Queen of All Media."
KRIS AQUINO'S EARLY TV APPEARANCES
Before joining show business, Kris was seen on television on several occasions largely because of her family's active engagement in politics.
Her dad particularly was a prominent figure leading the opposition fiercely critical of the authoritarian rule of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
He was assassinated on August 21, 1983, soon after his arrival from his exile in the States.
A few hours after the bloody episode at the Manila International Airport, Kris and Cory, who were in Boston, in the US, were interviewed by American broadcast journalist Sam Donaldson.
Kris, 12, displayed remarkable poise and eloquence for her young age as she confidently answered questions on live TV.
In 1986, with Kris trying to get into showbiz, she appeared on the talk show See True hosted by Inday Badiday, dubbed the country's "Queen of Showbiz Talk Show" and "Queen of Intrigues."
It was also in 1986 when Kris was seen in the variety show The Penthouse Live! as a guest host while mainstays Pops Fernandez and Martin Nievera were away for their honeymoon.
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Then in 1987, Sharon Cuneta invited the young Kris to The Sharon Cuneta Show where she sang "Love Me Like the First Time" by Brenda K. Starr.
Kris's performance was followed by a sit-down interview where she expressed her desire to pursue a career in acting.
Sharon asked, "It's been your dream [to be an actress] ba since you were small?"
Replied Kris, "Since siguro I was three or four years old, the time of Niño Muhlach. I wanted to do something like that."
Kris revealed that she was only allowed to do one movie, stating, "That's the deal with my mom."
Her mom, of course, was the country's sitting president at the time, who assumed the post on February 25, 1986, following the ouster of Marcos after two decades in power.
She continued, "So kung puwede, I would like to get everything [genre] into that [film] — from comedy, drama, and all."
Even at this early stage, Kris displayed potential as a talk show host, cleverly taking the reins of the conversation and asking Sharon for advice on how to persuade her mother to support her showbiz aspirations.
Sharon drew from her own experience, replying, "I had to make lambing to my dad [Pablo Cuneta, the longtime mayor of Pasay City]."
Continued Sharon, "I tell you, in the beginning, when I was going to do Dear Heart, it was also a one-shot deal. But well, look what happened."
Dear Heart was Sharon's debut movie released in 1981, and which paved the way for her phenomenal love team with matinee idol Gabby Concepcion.
Read: Love at first watch: The magic of “Dear Heart” revisited
KRIS AQUINO HITTING THE BIG SCREEN
For her first movie, Kris was paired with comedian Rene Requiestas in the 1990 romantic-comedy film, Pido Dida: Sabay Tayo, produced by Regal Films.
She was just 19 when Pido Dida: Sabay Tayo came out in cinemas.
Kris reportedly got paid a talent fee of PHP 2 million, a hefty amount for a newcomer at the time.
During the film's promo, Kris met an accident while appearing as a guest on the Sunday noontime variety show GMA Supershow.
As Kris walked onto the stage, she missed the real stairsteps and planted her foot on another side of the platform made from inferior material, causing her to fall.
The sight of the president's daughter slumped on the ground, being helped out by several people while the film's theme song played in the background, must have been horrifying for the show's main host, German "Kuya Germs" Moreno, who apologized profusely for the mishap.
Kris, who hit her nape first and complained of pain in her legs, arms, and neck, was rushed to the Makati Medical Center.
Unconfirmed reports said that Kuya Germs sent flowers to Kris and visited Malacanang to apologize to the president personally.
Read: 10 things to know about German "Kuya Germs" Moreno
Despite harsh reviews from critics, Pido Dida: Sabay Tayo was a commercial success, and Kris and Rene were named "Box Office King and Queen" by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation in 1991.
Cory, according to rumors, remained unconvinced about Kris's future in her chosen career path.
Apparently, the president didn't like the harsh criticisms thrown at her daughter for her acting in the movie.
But if anything, the strong showing of Pido Dida: Sabay Tayo only convinced Kris that she was in the right industry, and no amount of negative feedback would derail her dream.
With the success of her debut film, Kris appeared in the movies Pangako ng Puso (1990), Shake, Rattle & Roll III (1990), and the Hong Kong comedy film Happy Ghost V, also known as Magic to Win 5 (1991), alongside Raymond Wong.
Regal, meanwhile, was determined to milk the odd pairing of Kris and Rene that they immediately produced two sequels — Pido Dida 2: Kasal Na (1991) and Pido Dida 3: May Kambal Na (1992).
KRIS AQUINO's MASSACRE MOVIES ERA
The early '90s witnessed the popularity of what became known as "massacre movies" inspired by real-life crimes that gripped Metro Manila and dominated headlines.
Few events represent this chilling time as starkly as the brutal Vizconde murders on June 30, 1991.
The high-profile crime was the subject of the 1993 movie The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us!, with Kris portraying one of the victims, Carmela Vizconde. The movie was directed by Carlo J. Caparas, a popular figure for his comic strip creations and stories like Panday and Joaquin Bordado.
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Curious about the controversial nature of the crime, viewers flocked to the cinemas, unmindful of the critical reviews targeting its director and the storytelling.
Kris would do more biographical crime drama films: The Myrna Diones Story: Lord, Have Mercy! (1993), Humanda Ka Mayor!: Bahala Na ang Diyos (1993), The Elsa Castillo Story... Ang Katotohanan (1994), and The Fatima Buen Story (1994), earning her the title "Massacre Queen."
During this time frame, Kris ventured beyond crime drama flicks. In 1994, she starred in the adventure-packed film Nandito Ako, where she met action star and the father of her first child, Phillip Salvador, the romantic drama Bakit Pa Kita Minahal, and the drama-fantasy Tasya Fantasia also directed by Carlo J. Caparas.
KRIS AQUINO's MANO PO AND WINNING IN SCARE FLICKS
In 2002, Regal Entertainment fielded a drama film titled Mano Po as its entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
The movie boasted an all-star cast of Maricel Soriano, Richard Gomez, Ara Mina, Eddie Garcia, Boots Anson-Roa, and Kris, who portrayed the character of Juliet Go-Co.
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Mano Po was a blockbuster hit and earned Kris numerous awards as a supporting actress, including from the FAMAS, Star Awards, and the MMFF.
The film's success prompted Regal to produce sequels, with Kris starring in Mano Po 2: My Home (2003) and Mano Po 6: A Mother's Love (2009) among the six installments released after the first Mano Po movie.
Mano Po allowed Kris to show she could stand side by side with established peers , but it was in the horror genre where Kris would make a killing at the box office as the 2000s progressed.
It all started with the 2004 horror film Feng Shui directed by Chito Roño (Private Show, Itanong Mo Sa Buwan) and screenplay written by Roy Iglesias (Ganito Kami Noon... Paano Kayo Ngayon? Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure, Mano Po).
The lead role of Joy Ramirez was first offered to Judy Ann Santos but her manager Alfie Lorenzo turned it down.
Kris was instantly drawn to the story right from the moment she was handed the script to go through.
Feng Shui's story is centered around a cursed Bagua mirror and the curse it brings to anyone who looks at it.
The movie introduced to Filipino pop culture the fictional character of Lotus Feet, a tragic figure abandoned by her wealthy family during the Chinese Civil War. She was later burned to death, but without first putting a deadly spell on the Bagua.
The so-called "Asian horror boom" was terrifying and captivating viewers from around the world, with scary movies like Ringu (remember Sadako?), Audition, and Ju-On: The Grudge, among some of the memorable ones to come out at the time.
Feng Shui rode this wave, raking more than PHP 114 million in revenue to emerge as the country's top-grossing film of 2004.
Kris benefitted from this tremendously as she would star in a succession of blockbuster horror movies such as Sukob (2006), Dalaw (2010), Segunda Mano (2011), and Feng Shui 2 (2014).
Sukob was the highest-grossing Filipino film of all-time when it came out before relinquishing the honor to Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz's romantic comedy film, You Changed My Life (2009).
Kris was bestowed the title "Queen of Horror" owing to the huge commercial success of her movies under the genre.
However, it wasn't just in the horror genre where Kris was drawing good box office results.
The comedy film Sisterakas, starring Kris alongside Vice Ganda and Ai-Ai delas Alas, broke records when it came out in 2012, earning a whopping PHP393.4 million in revenue sales.
Kris did the drama film Etiquette for Mistresses in 2015, reuniting her with filmmaker Chito Roño and sharing the bill with Kim Chiu, Iza Calzado, Cheena Crab, and the returning Claudine Barretto.
The movie was well-received by critics and viewers, and went on to earn more than PHP103 million at the end of its theatrical run.
In 2018, Kris had a cameo in the American romantic-comedy film Crazy Rich Asians.
The film is based on the first novel of a trilogy penned by Singaporean-born Kevin Kwan.
Determined to secure a role in the movie, Kris called the producer to introduce herself and volunteer to be part of the movie.
A mere cold call wouldn't suffice though, so Kris was asked to submit an audition tape.
Read: Kris Aquino reveals how she bagged Princess Intan role in Crazy Rich Asians
In April 2017, Kris told Jo-Ann Q. Maglipon, editor-in-chief of PEP.ph, “They sent a script, and you have to act it out."
Kris assembled a team composed of house stylists, technical consultants, and beauty stylists, among others.
"There were 20 people who worked on that audition with me!" recalled Kris.
On the evening of April 5, 2017, ten days after she sent her audition tape, Kris got word from the producer: "You're in!"
KRIS AQUINO's GIFT OF GAB
Kris's eloquent ability to speak her mind and her occasional tactlessness made her perfectly suited for talk shows—a role she embraced for several years, dating back to her early days in showbiz.
In fact, many people may remember Kris more as a talk show host than as an actress with blockbuster titles in her resume.
In 1986, aside from The Penthouse Live, Kris graced GMA Supershow, the same program where she had an accident years later, as co-host.
Kris also had a hosting stint when she was just starting out on the popular noontime show, Eat Bulaga!
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It was in 1994 when Kris was entrusted to host the program Actually, Yun Na! that aired on RPN-9.
One of the show's memorable moments occurred in 1995 when Kris had Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as a guest.
Bongbong is the son of former President Ferdinand Marcos, the political arch-nemesis of her father.
The Aquinos and Marcoses have a long, tumultuous history.
They are considered political rivals, with Kris's parents, Cory and Ninoy being staunch critics of the Marcos administration notorious for rampant corruption and human rights abuses.
In 1991, President Cory Aquino allowed the Marcos family to return to the country, five years after they escaped the Philippines to Hawaii.
Two years later, President Fidel V. Ramos gave the green light for the Marcos family to bring home the body of the Marcos patriarch, who died in exile on September 28, 1989, at age 72.
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The 1995 interview between Kris and Bongbong was a big moment in Philippine television, and many tuned in to watch the two exchange stories about their fathers and their lives as kids of two prominent political families.
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Kris went on to host the showbiz talk show Startalk aired on GMA-7 in 1995, and The Kris Aquino Show, which was seen first on PTV 4 before moving to GMA Network.
It was when Kris jumped ship to ABS-CBN that her reputation as a host skyrocketed.
Today with Kris Aquino debuted on November 18, 1996, on the Kapamilya network.
It was during this time that Kris was labeled as the "Philippines' Queen of Talk," a branding that would serve her well for many years.
More talk shows followed and Kris was seen in the programs Kris and Tell (2001), Morning Girls (2002), and Good Morning, Kris (2004), among others.
Kris would also be identified with showbiz talk shows, co-hosting the programs The Buzz and SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon with good friend Boy Abunda.
Read: Boy Abunda may mahalagang anunsiyo tungkol sa kalagayan ni Kris Aquino
Ironically, Kris would find her colorful and controversial life becoming the subject of the same showbiz talk shows she hosted.
On the March 7, 2010, episode of The Buzz, co-host Ruffa Gutierrez walked out of the show after she felt slighted by a remark made by Kris.
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Ruffa's mother, the feisty Annabelle Rama, accused Kris of constantly embarrassing her daughter on air, saying, "Si Ruffa every Sunday binabara niya. Ano, naiinggit ba siya kay Ruffa? Nainggit kay Ruffa siguro! Naiinggit siya kay Ruffa!"
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Annabelle lambasted Kris on The Buzz's rival showbiz talk show, Showbiz Central, seen on GMA-7.
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Kris responded by sending a text message to PEP.ph that evening: "I would like to extend a loving hug to Ruffa. I viewed the tape & although I still feel I gave my comment w/ affection, maybe it made her feel even worse because she's now moving in a new direction.
"We had what I believed was a good working relationship in the almost 2 years we were together on The Buzz."
Kris's love life would also be the subject of several episodes of The Buzz—from being linked to Mark Lapid to her romance and separation with basketball superstar James Yap, and rumored relationship with actor-turned-politician Herbert Bautista.
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Take note that this was a time before social media, and celebrities utilized showbiz talk shows as platforms to make announcements, confirmations, denials, and to dispel rumors that hounded them.
But aside from lifestyle and showbiz talk shows, Kris was also in demand as a host of game shows.
In total, Kris hosted five game shows, all with ABS-CBN, from 2001 to 2011: Game KNB?, Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal, Wheel of Fortune, Pinoy Bingo Night, and The Price is Right.
Kris also sat as one of the judges for the reality talent search show Pilipinas Got Talent.
Kris went into a hiatus and returned with a lifestyle, travel-themed special titled Trip ni Kris that aired in 2017 on GMA Network.
In 2020, the airing of her TV5 show titled Love Life with Kris got postponed multiple times before ultimately being shelved for undisclosed reasons.
KRIS AQUINO: A TRUSTED ENDORSER
In showbiz, one way to determine a celebrity's popularity and bankability is through the number of endorsement deals he or she has.
And there was a time when Kris was lording it over as the country's top celebrity endorser.
A survey conducted with ad agencies by YES! magazine in 2011 showed Kris sitting on top as the number one endorser in terms of volume and income earned.
Following Kris on the list were John Lloyd Cruz, Sharon Cuneta, Piolo Pascual, and Carmina Villarroel, Zoren Legaspi and their twins Mavy and Cassy.
Kris's then-manager Deo Endrinal said, "Kris has become a pop cultural icon. The over-all perception is that she is a personality that’s part of our culture, sociological.
"Kris has never been afraid to share her interior life, She has always been transparent."
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PEP.ph wrote in a May 2015 article, "From shampoo to body wash to cakes to milk to fabric conditioner to telecom to mobile to fastfood chain to L.E.D. bulb to various appliances—majority of the products we know are actually associated with Kris,"
As for her requirements when accepting endorsements, Kris said, "[First] As an endorser, I always make sure that the brand I partner with is trustworthy. I really trust them.
"[Second] ginamit ko na kasi I did not want na nag-e-endorse ako ng something na hindi totoo. Para may proof ako na 'eto talaga.
"[Third] I am proud to represent a company that the people I work with are really reliable.”
In 2020, Kris was named Endorser of the Year by the National Association of Advertisers.
KRIS AQUINO: TOP CELEBRITY TAXPAYER
Kris's total income as an actress, host, and endorser made her among the top earners in showbiz, and ranked her among the leading taxpayers in past years, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
In 2010, Kris, according to the BIR, had a total taxable income of PHP101 million, for which she paid P32.3 million in taxes.
Read: Kris Aquino is one of the highest paid celebrities and taxpayers for 2010
This trend would continue for several years, including taxes amounting to PHP49.89 million, PHP 44.93 million, and PHP40.81 million in 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively.
“You may hate her guts but @krisaquino is paying her taxes!” commented ex-BIR tax examiner Mon Abrea on Instagram on August 23, 2018.
“Among the affluent and influential families in the Philippines, she’s the only consistent individual top taxpayer.”
Kris got wind of Mon's remark and promptly replied, “Just to be prudent - I religiously pay my taxes because it is part of my Catholic, bible-based faith."
Kris credited her parents for instilling in her the value of hard work and sharing blessings with others.
Read: Kris Aquino reveals she has "no inheritance" from the late President Cory Aquino
She continued, “My sisters and brother are low maintenance — I work as hard as I do because of my sons and because we love [to] travel.
"But let’s be honest - I have a weakness for nice clothes, makeup, shoes and watches - so I make sure to have an investment fund for our expansion.
“You have my solemn [word]. I have worked for more than 30 years, and no way will I ever became a (corrupt, lazy, money grabbing Asian) if and when politics is part of my [destiny].”
In August 2018, Kris reacted to the success of Crazy Rich Asians by reminiscing about her long and colorful showbiz journey.
She mused on Instagram, "After portraying an orphaned girl pushing a 'kariton' in her 1st movie [Pido Dida: Sabay Tayo] 28 years ago, capping that roller coaster ride of hits & misses to portray a Princess resplendent in her real life family’s & democracy’s symbolic yellow - this girl was given her version of not just THE END but the magical HAPPILY EVER AFTER."
Kris referenced the movie's protagonist Rachel Chu, saying, "Never allow the Eleanors (the film's antagonist) to bully you.
"BE BRAVE because of your intelligence, personal achievements & your courage to LOVE."
Indeed, the young girl who first captivated the public during campaign rallies has come a long way.