Rafael Rosell is known for playing both bida and kontrabida roles, portraying characters whom we may love and hate at the same time. With a career spanning over 26 years, his journey blends nostalgia with constant reinvention, as he continues to evolve and surprise audiences with each project.
And while he keeps us on the edge of our seats with his portrayal in the primetime series “The Alibi,” let us take a trip down memory lane and revisit Rafael’s ABS-CBN teleseryes through the years in this Kapamilya Spotlight feature!
Everything started for Rafael in the early 2000s when he first appeared in the teen drama “Tabing Ilog” as Oliver, a member of the show’s extended cast. Just two years later, in 2002, he landed a role in the series “Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay,” acting as Tiborce, the husband of Kayla (Dimples Romana).
Building on these appearances, Rafael’s charm and acting prowess soon led to his big break. He was paired with Claudine Barretto in the fantaserye “Marina,” where he brought to life the character of Rodge, Marina’s love interest. Following its success, he continued to expand his repertoire. He participated in several fantasy and romance dramas, including “Ang Panday” and “Rounin,” and also starred in select chapters of the anthology series “Komiks.”
In 2007, Rafael embodied the role of Charles in the afternoon serye “Prinsesa ng Banyera.” His part as Daphne’s (Angelika Dela Cruz) fiancé had an unexpected turn when Charles found himself developing feelings for Maningning (Kristine Hermosa), pulling him into a complicated love triangle.
The following year, he portrayed Jeremy in the second chapter of the Philippine adaptation of “I Love Betty La Fea” during Betty’s (Bea Alonzo) journey as company president. In 2009, Rafael starred in “Precious Hearts Romances Presents Bud Brothers” as Wayne in the second book, “My Gulay, Wow Betchay.”
Rafael's career continued to gain momentum, and in 2011 he starred in the highly successful “100 Days to Heaven” as Bart Ramirez, the younger brother of Bobby (Dominic Ochoa), and worked as a midlevel manager for Anna Manalastas (Xyriel Manabat).
He took on another challenging performance in the 2012 political series “Dahil Sa Pag-Ibig,” playing Edson. This project marked Rafael's last ABS-CBN show for a while, before making a Kapamilya comeback in 2019. That year, he led the ensemble cast of the fantasy story “Parasite Island" as Jessie.
The Kapamilya actor also appeared in several episodes of “Maalaala Mo Kaya.” One of the most memorable bits was "Dyip," in which he played Vincent, a Canadian man who has to deal with cultural differences while dating a Filipina. He also headlined “Precious Hearts Romances Presents,” where he took on the lead role of Brandon in the feature “Midnight Phantom.”
A year later, he shifted back to drama as Diego in the inspirational series “Huwag Kang Mangamba.” As 2021 unfolded, he joined the cast of the hit romantic serye “Can’t Buy Me Love,” portraying Sherwin—Annie’s (Ina Raymundo) trusted ally who makes efforts to win the attention of Bettina (Kaila Estrada).
Rafael continues to embrace characters that bring a mysterious shift to the narrative. He is currently part of the mystery thriller “The Alibi,” where he stars as Matthew Cabrera, the brother of Vincent (Paulo Avelino). As the story unfolds, Matthew’s arc reveals his secret involvement in dark truths that threaten to unravel the entire plot.
From boy-next-door roles to portrayals that can shake the entire storyline of a series, Rafael’s growth as an actor has taken him on a strong career trajectory through his notable works, and we look forward to the many more stories he is set to tell.
Catch Rafael Rosell as Matthew Cabrera in “The Alibi: Ang Buong Katotohanan” weeknights at 8:45PM on ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, A2Z, and Kapamilya Online Live (KOL) on YouTube and Facebook. Episodes drop seven days ahead on iWant.