Annaliza

Summary

Annaliza Querubin is a bright, hopeful girl who loves to cook, living with her single father, Guido, a kind fisherman who loves her as his own daughter. Unbeknownst to the child, it is later revealed that she is the long-lost daughter of chef and restaurateur Lazaro Benedicto and his wife, Isabel. She was kidnapped at birth by Makoy Diaz, who was following the orders of Lazaro's ex-lover, Stella Celerez, who vowed revenge against the Benedicto family after Lazaro discovered her prostitution job to pay for her younger sister's medical bills and rejected their lovechild, Arlene, who is Annaliza's older half-sister. It's only a matter of time before Annaliza discovers her past and finds her place after the tragic events involving her family, friends, and loved ones.

Cast and characters

Main cast

Andrea Brillantes as Annaliza Querubin / Julie G. Benedicto - The main protagonist of the series. She is the long lost daughter of Isabel and Lazaro, and Arlene's younger half-sister, stolen as a baby by Lazaro's vengeful ex-girlfriend Stella and her lover Makoy. Annaliza however ended up under the care of Guido, a hardworking and responsible young fisherman. Although deprived of a mother's love, Annaliza grew up into a pious and good-hearted young girl with a love for cooking under Guido's guidance and influence, who treated her like his real daughter. Despite this Annaliza, still longed to have a complete family. In an unexpected turn out of events, Guido meets Stella, and out of Annaliza's urgings, decided to marry her to give his daughter a mother. Unfortunately, just as Stella is beginning to warm up to her stepdaughter, Annaliza's real identity was revealed to her. Together with her eldest daughter Arlene, they made it their aim to usurp Annaliza of her identity and inheritance, and to make her life a miserable one. However, Annaliza doesn't back down, and with her faith in God, she'll do anything to bring her family together again. In the end, she gets her happy ending when Guido and Isabel marry and the family is complete.

Zanjoe Marudo as Gideon "Guido" P. Querubin - The handsome and good-hearted young fisherman with a distinguished talent in cooking who became Annaliza's adoptive father, and eventually her full-pledged stepfather. Deprived of paternal care at childhood, Guido lived a carefree life with people around him whom he treats as family. He was reluctant to take the baby Annaliza under his wing at first, knowing Makoy's dark activities, but after a short time caring for the baby he felt a sense of responsibility and love that he longed to have, and decided to keep the baby as his own. Raising Annaliza with all the love and care he can give, Guido worked odd jobs to support his only family and even agreed to marry Stella to give her a mother. When he leaves to work abroad to support his growing family, he unaware of the abuse Annaliza received from her stepmother and stepsister, and much worse, got incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. With the help of Lazaro and Isabel, Guido was able to reunite with Annaliza - only to be cut short when Annaliza was taken back by her real family. Sadly also his marriage with Stella started to fall apart due to the latter getting back together with Lazaro. After Lazaro dies, he resumes the role of being Annaliza and her siblings’ father figure and protector, while evolving from a simple cook to a promising restaurateur. He also developed an attachment to Isabel, which he tried to deny due to his respect towards his adoptive daughter's late father. In the series finale, Guido reunites with Annaliza and marries her mother Isabel, starting a real family with his adoptive daughter.

Supporting cast

Nathaniel Britt as Peter John "PJ" Villaflor - Annaliza's best friend and later on crush. He had been with Annaliza throughout all her tribulations in life, and is willing to do anything to help her. He and Annaliza had a small misunderstanding out of Arlene's jealousy towards their friendship, but the two of them made amends soon afterwards. It was ambiguously revealed midway that he and Annaliza share the same romantic feelings, but being too young and out of Annaliza's fear for her father's disapproval, they decided to put their romantic interests on hold.

Jillian Aguila as Anne Catherine "Cathy” C. Diaz - Arlene & Annaliza's ill-fated half-sister and stepsister. Merely an innocent toddler, Cathy is the joy of the Querubin family before Stella lost her way, and is much loved by Guido and her two sisters. Her only desire was to see her family happy and meet her real father, which turned out to be Makoy. After her family fell apart Cathy lived under the Benedicto's care but one day unintentionally drank the poison laced drink that was supposed to be for Annaliza. Before she died Makoy was able to visit her, and in her dying breath she asked her father to make for her a thousand paper crane origami, to which she believes would make all her wishes come true. Her death is greatly grieved by those who loved her, also driving her real father into a state of insanity.

Dale Baldillo as Glenn Benedicto / Glenn Gomez - He was the adopted son of Isabel and Lazaro, due to Isabel's grief of losing her daughter. Initially, Glenn and Annaliza became drawn to each other but became distant when PJ entered the picture. Glenn's real mother soon came back to claim him, and he soon disappears just before Annaliza's real identity was discovered. Later during Lazaro's funeral, Glenn reappears again to pay his respect and express his grief over the loss of the only father he had known.

Jean Saburit as Amparo Benedicto - Annaliza and Arlene's conniving grandmother, Lazaro's overbearing mother and Isabel's difficult mother-in-law. She is the cause of Stella's bitterness and Isabel's sorrow, to Annaliza's misery and Arlene's misguidance. She initially hates Stella due to her coming from an impoverished background, and placed her son into an unwanted marriage with his best friend, but after years with her daughter-in-law, Amparo thought she made a wrong choice for her son's wife. After Arlene's return to the Benedictos, she began to connive with Stella to destroy Isabel and Lazaro's already failing marriage for no apparent reason, and she seemed to have started to hate Annaliza for no apparent reason either. Her money and influence finally overpowered Isabel's efforts in saving her family, but her plans backfired as it was her own son who was taken away from her. This caused her to fall into a deep state of depression, blaming no other than Arlene for all her the bad things that happened to their life. With Annaliza and Isabel's help Amparo recovered and became a changed woman, befriending Guido and his friends and even accepting Arlene's sister in the family. To protect the remaining family she had from Stella and Makoy, Amparo is willing to kill anyone who does them harm in any way. In the series finale, she acts as Isabel' maternal figure and mentor, and even urges her to remarry as she is still a young woman (she cites she would be happy if she ends with Guido). She is later seen together with a new partner standing as parents for Isabel during her wedding with Guido, showing her support and love for her former daughter-in-law.

Special participation

Isabel Oli as Chef. Bernadette Cruz

Award

2013 PMPC Star Awards for Television's "Best Child Performer" - Andrea Brillantes (Won)

Development

After the success of Maria Flordeluna, Annaliza was supposed to be remade in 2008, to be led by Ella Cruz as the young Annaliza, and Maja Salvador as the teenage Annaliza, but ABS-CBN decided to shelve the show.

In March 2013, ABS-CBN announced that the classic soap will return on TV after almost 5 years and will be one of Kapamilya Network's second quarter offerings for 2013.

In September 2013, Brillantes announced on ASAP 18 that the series will be extended until 2014 because of its big success.

Ratings

According to data from Kantar Media Philippines, Annaliza successfully conquered the early primetime viewing habit of TV viewers as it reigned in its timeslot with a pilot national rating of 16.7% beating its rival program in GMA Network, Home Sweet Home which only got 8.8%. It soared high on its 2nd day garnering a 19.3% national rating versus the 10.2% rating of its rival.

Annaliza hit an all-time high national TV rating of 27.6% on September 25, 2013, beating its rival program Prinsesa ng Buhay Ko with only 13.5%. It also dominated its time slot on September 20, 2013, with 27% versus Binoy Henyo, which concluded its run with a national TV rating of 14.4%.

Critics

The director of the original Anna Liza, Gil Soriano, tagged Andrea Brillantes as the next Judy Ann Santos based on her portrayal as Annaliza. He stated: "She is really good. I think she will stay long in showbiz. She may be the next Judy Ann Santos", "I really like it. When I saw the trailer, I told myself that this show would surely rate."