Filipina celebrity influencers Marian Rivera, Angel Locsin, Anne Curtis, Kathryn Bernardo, Kim Chiu, and Sarah Geronimo have been named among Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars for the year 2020.
The prestigious business magazine recognized the six top-ranking Filipino actresses among the celebrity influencers who have taken the social media world “by storm” in the list published on December 7, 2020.
Forbes Asia hailed the popular celebrities who remained active and relevant amid canceled physical events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also determined the stars’ social media engagements, advocacy, impact, and brand endorsements, among others.
The 6 Filipino actresses are lined-up with other 94 big-time singers, bands, and film and TV stars from across the Asia-Pacific region like chart-topping Korean groups Blackpink, BTS, Twice, EXO, Pitch Perfect’s star Rebel Wilson, Wolverine Hugh Jackman, Thor Chris Hemsworth, among other towering stars in Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars.
Marian Rivera-Dantes
Marian Rivera-Dantes is an active philanthropist who created a delivery service that hires pandemic-hit movie workers for riders, donated breast milk for babies in lockdown, and gave meals to COVID-19 frontliners. She has 23 million followers on Facebook and 10 million followers on Instagram.
“Rivera-Dantes is the Philippines’ most popular celebrity on Facebook, with 23 million followers. While not appearing on screen since the birth of her second child in 2019, she has been busy on social media, endorsing brands that include Nestlé Nido, Philippine National Bank, and appliance maker Tough Mama,” notes Forbes Asia.
Angel Locsin
Angel Locsin, one of Asia’s “Leaders of Tomorrow” in the Generation T list and a Forbes Asia’s Hero of Philanthropy in 2019, is an active humanitarian advocate who has been actively involved in disaster relief efforts such as in the Taal Volcano eruption in January, providing hospital tents for both frontliners and patients to augment the lack of beds, providing food for people struggling because of the pandemic and organizing help for typhoon-hit communities. Locsin commands more than 20 million followers on Facebook and 8.3 million on Instagram.
Forbes Asia notes how Locsin has kept her entertainment star status while continuing her various advocacies. “She starred in last year’s ‘The General’s Daughter,’ earning Best Drama actress for Television at the 2019 Philippine movie Press Club Star Awards ceremony. Locsin has donated about 15 million pesos ($310,000) over the past decade to various causes…”
Anne Curtis
Anne Curtis co-founded with Locsin the COVID-19 mass testing fundraiser Shop and Share and has joined the UNICEF call to fully implement the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act. She has 17.8 million followers on Facebook and 16 million Instagram followers.
“Curtis starred in last year’s hit The Mall, The Merrier with fellow Digital Star Vice Ganda, and won Best Female TV Host at the Philippine Movie Press Club Star Awards for Television. As the Philippines’ most popular Instagram celebrity, the actress has roughly 16 million followers and endorsement deals with Jollibee, Louis Vuitton and Pantene,” wrote Forbes Asia.
Sarah Geronimo
Sarah Geronimo commands a loyal following of fans who raised funds for Taal Volcano eruption victims. Her viral ‘Tala’ dance reached 100M views on YouTube and she has 14.7 million followers on Facebook while having 1.8 million on Instagram.
“Geronimo starred in the 2018 hit film Miss Granny, earning her a Best Actress award for Movies (along with fellow Digital Star Kathryn Bernardo) at last year’s Philippine Movie Press Club Star Awards event. In March, Geronimo and husband Matteo Guidicelli sang a duet at a Covid-19 benefit concert that raised roughly $5 million,” wrote Forbes Asia.
Kim Chiu
Kim Chiu turned her cyberbullying victim experience into positive action as a helper of the poor families hard hit by the pandemic through her ‘Bawal Lumabas’ fundraiser. She has 14 million followers on Facebook while having 9.3 million on Instagram.
“Chiu used a viral video gaffe during a live stream in May as the basis for The Classroom Song. A live performance of the hit has over 9 million views on YouTube. Chiu then sold The Classroom Song branded T-shirts to raise money for pandemic relief,” described Forbes Asia.
Kathryn Bernardo
Kathryn Bernardo, the lead actress of the top-grossing film ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye,’ also champions compassion for animals. She has 13.6 million followers on Instagram.
“Bernardo starred in the Philippines’ two highest-grossing films: 2018’s The Hows Of Us and 2019’s Hello, Love, Goodbye, grossing roughly $20 million. For her performance in the latter, she was named both Film Actress of the Year and Phenomenal Star of Philippine Cinema at October’s Box Office Entertainment Awards in Manila,” wrote Forbes Asia.
Forbes previously honored Filipino youth leaders of PayMongo, Cacao Project, and Alexandrite Pictures in the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 list. Filipino champion athletes Carlos Edriel Yulo and Margielyn Didal have been honored in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Class of 2020.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to the 6 Filipino actresses who made it to the list of Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars.
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