Mary Joy Apostol has certainly received heightened recognition following her exceptional performance in “What Lies Beneath,” which has amplified the show’s suspense and mystery.
In the early episodes, Mary Joy, who plays Liezel—the daughter of Amurao’s well-known pastor—initially appears innocent, but viewers are quickly drawn in by her convincingly suspicious actions surrounding the death of Louisa, played by Mutya Orquia.
With Liezel's secrets revealed to be more romance-laden than grimly sinister, her love story with Louisa has garnered widespread appreciation for its realistic portrayal of queer love under the pressures of a prejudiced society.
Building on her earlier success—from her breakout film “Birdshot,” where she won best actress at the 1st ASEAN Film Awards in Vietnam—Mary Joy continued to take on projects that showcased her range and depth as an actress, even before “What Lies Beneath.”
With that said, the first on the list is the “Precious Hearts Romances” series, “Los Bastardos.” A gripping mix of family drama, romance, and thriller, the show follows five brothers vying for their father’s love and legacy. Mary Joy brings Coralyn Montesevilla‑Cardinal to life—one of the Cardinal Ladies, and the loving wife of Lucas Cardinal (Albie Casiño).
Mary Joy also set out to expand her versatility and take part in meaningful projects by starring in three episodes of “Ipaglaban Mo” from 2018 to 2020. Heavy on social reality portrayals, this legal drama anthology features actual cases handled in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals of the Philippines.
Throughout the series, she brought depth to a range of challenging roles. In the 2018 episode “Kakampi,” she portrayed Tin, an intellectually disabled young woman who was taken advantage of by her stepmother and stepsiblings for the wealth she inherited. She then played Julie, a young sexual assault survivor diagnosed with psychosis, in the 2019 episode “Sabik.”
Lastly, in the 2020 episode “Ungol”—the most viewed of the three—she took on the role of Rhea, the sweet youngest member of her family who is deaf, mute, and also a sexual assault survivor. True to form, viewers were deeply moved, with no episode going by without shedding a tear over Mary Joy’s raw and heartfelt performance.
Continuing her professional journey, Mary Joy appeared in the drama anthology series “Maalaala Mo Kaya” from 2018 to 2022.
In the 2018 episodes, she portrayed the adult Adel in “Barya,” the younger sister of Ely (Ejay Falcon), who leaves the fields to move to the city and support his family. She also played young Betty in “Portrait,” the devoted wife of painter Cesar (Patrick Sugui), who faces multiple illnesses.
She further took on memorable roles in other episodes, including young Adelina in “Saranggola,” Roxanne in “Bantay Bata,” and young Jona in “Red Lipstick.”
The 2019 episodes were just as soul-stirring as the previous. In “Lotion,” Mary Joy portrayed Bernadette, a woman born with Crouzon Dermoskeletal Syndrome (CDSS), who struggles with feeling unloved and seeks genuine affection. She also played Elinel, the long-distance girlfriend of a soldier killed in the Zamboanga Siege, in the episode “Medalya.”
From 2020 to 2022, Mary Joy mostly portrayed younger versions of the female protagonists in “MMK,” including young Dahlia in “Kawayan,” Rebecca in both “Bigas” and “Titulo,” and two characters named Daisy in “Kakanin” and “Ring Light.”
In the 2020 episode “Pancit,” she played May Benoza, one of the siblings in a family separated by their mother’s illness and their father’s absence, who is set to be reunited with their eldest sister, the family’s breadwinner, in the wake of their mother’s death.
After her run of tear-inducing and heart-rending roles, Mary Joy found a lighter spotlight in the 2022 romantic-comedy Primetime Bida teleserye “2 Good 2 Be True,” headlined by Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. She was warmly received as Nurse Queenie, the ever-supportive best friend of Ali (Kathryn Bernardo).
Right after her stint in the love-filled “2 Good 2 Be True,” she transitioned to the 2023 thriller-mystery mini-series “Fractured,” alongside Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin. The story follows a group of influencers who realize they are trapped on an island resort, with Mary Joy’s character, Claire, singled out by one of the others as the reason for their predicament.
Returning to romantic drama in 2024, the actress joined the Philippine remake of the hit K-drama “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim,” produced through ABS-CBN and Viu’s partnership. She took on the role of Gladys Mallari alongside lead stars Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino.
Offering a new facet to her teleserye repertoire, she took on antagonist shades in the 2024–2025 run of “Saving Grace: The Untold Story,” portraying the enraged half-sister of Anna (Julia Montes), whom she blames for their father’s accidental death. Her totally sharp remarks toward the heroine quickly earned the ire of viewers.
Want more of Mary Joy’s acting prowess? Catch her in the upcoming series “Someone, Someday,” alongside Kathryn Bernardo and James Reid, and witness the change she’ll bring in “What Lies Beneath,” airing weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, ALLTV, and iWant.