Long before social media made it easy to follow your favorite stars, television was the ultimate gateway to discovering your first-ever “crush.” Especially through teleseryes and movies, actresses of each era had their moment of capturing hearts, particularly of young boys still figuring out what kind of leading lady would make their world stop.
Some actresses probably made a whole generation of boys fall in love, making them more than worthy of the title "crush ng bayan."
When ABS-CBN Studios asked some Kapamilya gentlemen who their childhood celebrity crushes were, "It's Showtime" host and "It's Okay To Not Be Okay" lead actress Anne Curtis was the top answer. Anne first cast a spell on boys as Princess Dahlia in her debut film “Magic Kingdom: Ang Alamat ng Damortis” back in 1997. At age 12, she already had that ethereal beauty that made her unforgettable.
For many Batang ‘90s, “Magic Kingdom” was a core memory, so, for a lot of growing boys that time, Anne became the OG crush who kickstarted their fanboy era. "Sins of the Father" cast member RK Bagatsing and "ASAP" artist Jason Dy could totally relate, with Jason saying that he would never get tired of rewatching "Magic Kingdom" because of Anne.
Brent Manalo, Big Winner of “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition,” as well as "The Four Bad Boys and Me" actor Harvey Bautista likewise weren’t spared from Anne’s magnetic appeal. In fact, Brent was extra excited for his first-ever "It’s Showtime" guesting because it meant he might finally see his childhood crush in real life.
Next on the list is Kathryn Bernardo, the undisputed Teen Queen of her generation. Kathryn was everywhere, and the world of young admirers revolved around her universe. She grew up onscreen, and along the way, captured the hearts of fans who witnessed her blossom into the ultimate leading lady.
Through her teleseryes and movies, Kathryn became a defining part of many coming-of-age stories, both on screen and in real life. Joshua Garcia still remembers the first time he ever watched a movie in a cinema when he was in first year high school and the featured film was KathNiel's "Must Be… Love." That’s when Kathryn became his very first celebrity crush, who would later become one of his real-life friends.
She was the teen queen, and for many boys back then, the ultimate dream girl, just like she was for BGYO JL and Jeremy Glinoga.
Rounding out the list is none other than Liza Soberano, who is arguably one of the most beautiful faces the world has ever seen. Liza turned heads locally and around the globe. Frequently cited by British Independent Critics’ 100 Most Beautiful Faces, she consistently ranked high and even topped the list in 2017. In 2018, she was inducted into its Hall of Fame after several consecutive appearances.
And if the whole world was left jaw-dropped by her beauty, it’s no surprise that she became the ultimate childhood crush for many local celebrities too. Kobie Brown, for one, turned kilig while talking about how stunning she is and how much he admires her amazing personality. Meanwhile, Edward Barber shared that he was 15 when he had his very first celebrity crush, and it was Liza.
*Photos credit to Anne Curtis and Kathryn Bernardo IG