Since Anne Curtis debuted in the 1997 fantasy adventure Magic Kingdom: Ang Alamat ng Damortis, she has transformed into one of the entertainment industry’s most enduring and versatile actors.
From iconic teleserye roles in Kampanerang Kuba to more recent projects, like Netflix’s Filipino adaptation of the K-drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, Curtis continues to captivate audiences with her range and charisma.
But which roles stand out among the rest? While Curtis has delivered countless performances over the years, we’ve rounded up a few of the ones that truly shine as defining moments in her career.
‘No Other Woman’ (2011)
If there’s one movie where Curtis gets to show off her one-liner brilliance, it’s No Other Woman. In Ruel S. Bayani’s romance drama, Curtis plays the seductive Kara Zalderiaga, who has her sights locked on the very married Ram Escaler (Derek Ramsay). She gets him, of course. But the real showdown begins when she goes head-to-head with Ram’s wife, Charmaine (Cristine Reyes).
‘Nang tumambad ang hubad na katotohanan’ (2011)
Before Curtis’ collaboration with director Erik Matti on BuyBust, there was the short film Nang Tumambad ang Hubad na Katotohanan. Made as part of ANC’s short film series Kinse, the short follows Curtis as an aspiring actress who wants to do a sexy film. But before she can, she needs to ask permission from her parents (played by Gina Alajar and Rez Cortez). The comedic family fight ends with Curtis banging the table and crashing out, screaming, “Gusto kong maghubad!”
‘The Gifted’ (2014)
It’s another diva-off between Curtis and Cristine Reyes as they do everything they can — even undergoing extensive plastic surgery — to get the man of their dreams. Curtis plays Zoe Tuazon, a brilliant girl whose childhood was mostly spent competing with her frenemy Aica Tabayoyong, played by Reyes. The two eventually grow up, go under the knife, and become rival models as they fight to win Mark’s (Sam Milby) affection. Fair warning, though, as the movie features Curtis wearing a fat suit as well as jokes made at the expense of her character’s weight.
‘Dyesebel’ (2014)
A core memory for anyone growing up watching the mermaid drama series Dyesebel is of Curtis using her “magical voice” (or Curtis scream-singing) to save her fellow merpeople. In ABS-CBN’s television adaptation of the beloved character, Curtis plays a young mermaid who learns that she is the daughter of a merman and a human. As she struggles to balance her dual heritage, she finds herself caught between two worlds and must fight to protect both.
‘Sid & Aya: Not A Love Story’(2018)
In this romantic drama from director Irene Villaflor, Curtis plays Aya, an independent woman who is hired by insomniac businessman Sid, played by Dingdong Dantes, to keep him company when he can’t fall asleep. As the title suggests, this isn’t your typical love story, and Curtis delivers a performance that is nuanced and in stark contrast to her previous romance films.
‘BuyBust’ (2018)
In Matti’s award-winning action thriller BuyBust, Curtis fires wild shots, leaps across rooftops, and dodges explosions (all while keeping her bob immaculate) as Nina Manigan, an ambitious anti-narcotics officer leading a massive drug bust. When the bust goes horribly wrong, Nina must fight to survive in the slums of Manila.
