The Future Looks Bright for Belle Mariano

No longer just a rising star, Belle Mariano is stepping into the sun. After her steady strides, the young actress is taking on new challenges and embracing a future that’s brighter than ever.

by Katrina Maisie Cabral

Published on Apr 10, 2025

Belle Mariano is high up, almost one with the clouds, and any person on the ground would have to squint to see her now-towering presence.

On a sweltering day in the peak of the city’s dry season, the 22-year-old actress finds herself on top of a diving platform, where beneath her legs dangling on the precipice and a few stories down, is the Olympic-sized swimming pool at the PhilSports Complex, which sparkles in blue amid the sun’s rays.

Back on solid ground, the Preview production team shades their eyes to look at her. The sun is out in its full glory and declaring its own presence, as if to claim that there are two stars for the shoot on that day. Belle, however, doesn’t seem to mind sharing the spotlight.

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Yellow and white striped sculptural ensemble, custom, NERIC BELTRAN. Thicc Hoop Medium in Yellow Gold Plated, P6,990; Rotate Hoop Small in Yellow Gold Plated, P3,490, NAMI, nami.ph. Plush shoes in Cloud, P4,790, CATSUA, catsua.com.

Still, with any climb to high altitudes, there are moments of trepidation on the way up, which Belle admittedly felt. The view on the ascent, and ultimately at the top, is dizzying and overwhelming, but then again, so is the triumphant feeling on the peak. In the end, it could overshadow any sense of nervousness. Take it in a metaphorical sense, too, as for a star like her, the ascent to fame was also paved with spells of fear.

But there, on top, shining in her own way, Belle Mariano looks perfectly at ease.

Test the Waters

After the shoot, Belle confesses that the day’s activities in the water were an outlier of sorts to her usual schedule. “Well, I know how to float,” she laughs, when asked if she swam on the regular. “But I don’t swim talaga na competitive, no.”

With light summer hues poolside and beyond, the young actress approaches the Preview cover shoot much as how she slips into her roles in film and TV, along with an extra side of excitement. “It’s like me venturing into something I’ve never done before,” she recalls. “I was like getting out of my comfort zone, from what people usually see.”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Draped blouse in heritage blue stripes, P60,698; Signature Pleated Skirt - Khaki, P54,998, PATOU, Univers Greenbelt 3..

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

Her foray into the water, however, had a prelude. In the 2024 Viu series How to Spot a Red Flag, Belle filled the sand-ridden shoes of Cha, a barista residing in sunny La Union. Naturally, that meant surfing lessons between shooting schedules, which she and her castmates had taken, but one that she took with a hint of nerves.

“I was scared of the ocean,” she admits. “Surfing is hard kasi, ’di ba? I’m 5'2, ’tas ang lalim. So sabi ko, ‘Oh my gosh, kaya natin ’to.’”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Cylinder Hoop in Sterling Silver, P5,290; Layered Pearl Cuff, P2,990; Bean Ring in Sterling Silver, P2,990, NAMI, nami.ph.

But the apprehension had waned in exchange for feelings of appreciation, with waves that carried her and her board like they were one and the same. Surfing, in hindsight, became the gateway between her and the seas. “Surfing really made me more comfortable to go in the water and just to dip my toes in the ocean,” she reflects. “What we thought was scary isn’t, really–it’s actually beautiful. Just as long as you try it.”

The beauty of acting, she says, lies in how actors are able to live different lives, learning a range of skills that they would otherwise be wary about. Belle would be well-versed in this, with a career that sprouted at the young age of nine years old. Before her presence on the screen, the future actress already had a penchant for performance that other kids would have otherwise been bashful about. Such scenarios involved willingly climbing up on tables to impress her relatives during family reunions, for the mere prize of drawing out a smile in their faces.

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Yellow and white striped sculptural ensemble, custom, NERIC BELTRAN. AVON W2, P16,000, GENTLE MONSTER, gentlemonster.com. Thicc Hoop Medium in Yellow Gold Plated, P6,990; Rotate Hoop Small in Yellow Gold Plated, P3,490, NAMI, nami.ph..

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

After imploring her parents to bring her to auditions, a young Belle would eventually star in a series of commercials. From then on, she navigated her way into the industry, leading to her TV debuts in the 2012 series Lorenzo’s Time, and–in the grand nature of many child-actors-turned-household-names–a four-year stint in the children’s sketch comedy show Goin’ Bulilit, where she had been a regular cast member.

Belle would go on to play her fair share of characters’ younger counterparts in flashbacks and prequels, including Gabbie Salazar in the 2020 film Four Sisters Before the Wedding, originated by Shaina Magdayao. However, it was the year after that when her name echoed across fan spaces. In 2021, Belle was a star anew as Maxpein in the series adaptation of Wattpad favorite He’s Into Her, in which she portrayed opposite actor Donny Pangilinan.

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

“I feel like every character I portrayed, I got bits of them. It made me who I am, it made who Belle is,” she says. “But the turning point of my career, I would say, was He’s Into Her. It was my first lead role. Ever since that happened, it has broadened opportunities for me. And there’s so much more I want to explore.”

With that, a new portmanteau was also born: DonBelle, a love team that pulled in an audience with their pairing as Maxpein and Deib, resulting in a string of projects–from Love Is Color Blind to Can’t Buy Me Love–that placed this dynamic in the forefront.

But part and parcel of the success of a love team is the passionate fan base behind them, one that reverberates in its own particular way, with DonBelle’s popularity coinciding with fandom in the hyper-digital age. However, while the actors’ on-screen partnership may have been born in online spaces during the pandemic, Belle and Donny’s connection with the fans has transcended the screen.

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Ridge Ring in Sterling Silver, P2,990; C Cuff in Yellow Gold Plated, P13,590, NAMI, nami.ph.

The actress, for one, reflects on how she, Donny, and the fans have “gone through the pandemic together,” forging real-life connections that have become stories that she looks back at fondly. “When they tell me, ‘Belle, ga-graduate na ako.’ ‘Belle, thank you, because during the pandemic, your shows made us happy,’” she recalls. “When I hear those stories, I feel like I'm fulfilling my purpose in the industry. I’m always consistent saying this, and I won't get tired saying na wala naman ako kung saan ako ngayon kung wala sila.”

To her, the appreciation is a two-way street. “At the end of the day, it’s not just them who’s proud of me. I’m proud of them. I’m proud of who they are, and I’m proud of what they’ve become.”

Break the Tide

Amid the treacherous climb up to the peak of their career, there comes a natural point in an actress’ life where new leaps must be made. After her successful slew of projects in recent years, Belle is forging on to a different road, one marked by herself. Earlier this year, news of her upcoming project with director Cathy Garcia-Sampana made headlines, touted as her first “solo” film.

While Belle is tight-lipped about the final details, the young actress, as a teaser, promises that it will be a “family story.” “Talagang malapit ang story sa loob ko. Even when it was pitched to me, parang [I thought], this is something new that I’ve never done before. And I hope that mag-stick din siya sa puso ng lahat ng manonood,” she says. Her character in the film, she considers, is a far cry from her other roles–and therein’s the necessary step towards growth.

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Orange swimsuit, custom, SEW LOCAL, sewlocalph.com.

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

Her solo ventures outside her love team have seeped into public consciousness in the recent months, with her guest role in Incognito being one that comes into most people’s minds. In the ABS-CBN action series, Belle appears as the distraught Takako Rai, an ambassador’s daughter abducted by a group of terrorists. While her appearance may have been brief, the impression was anything but. Belle tapped into a rawer side for her performance, with her tragic character knocking at death’s door as she struggled to survive.

“We shot the whole thing for three days,” Belle says. “When I was doing it, I had doubts, of course. Even if it was just a cameo, it's such a heavy thing. These cameos actually are such a big deal in the story. So sabi ko, ‘How will I be able to pull her off?’ With the help of the directors and the cast there, sobrang grabe talaga sila mag-guide 'dun sa character ko.”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the screen, the audience was in awe. Such ventures like these have made onlookers curious about the open horizons Belle can explore as an actress, which seem limitless at this stage of her career. And even as one-half of a popular love team, Belle knows the importance of forging her own creative path.

“I started the industry talaga na, it has always been my passion to do [different] roles, to play other [people]. And it’s important that we're both supportive of one another,” she says, regarding Donny. “We've always been vocal about it, that with and without each other, we’re there to root for each other. We won't be a hindrance to each other’s growth. And he’s one of those special people in my life who really allow me to grow as a person–as an actress and as an individual.”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Floral swim cap, custom, NERIC BELTRAN.

Her and Donny’s fanbase, she says, has also been supportive of these ventures, much in the way that they’ve been with them during the fledgling start of their on-screen partnership, onto the successes, and everything else in between. “It’s so nice that ganun 'yung perspective nila when it comes to our love team,” she says. “It’s so beautiful to watch. More than just a fandom, they're a family to us, and we’ve all grown together.”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

After all, her fans are a vital part of her support system, which includes her family and friends–something that was necessary in her ascent to fame, along the toil and trouble that came along with it. Belle says that they were there to remind her who she was, stripped away from the hubbub of stardom.

“Hindi naman natin maiiwasan people criticizing you, critiquing you, all those things. But as long as you’re surrounded with good company and people who actually lift you up instead of pulling you down, you’re unstoppable. That’s always been my mindset,” she says. “You seek your identity within yourself and all these people that matter to you. But the rest of it is just noise.”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

Under Open Skies

After that initial ascent is the leap towards new things, towards growth, towards dipping her feet into uncharted territory. In the latter part of 2024, Belle ticked off another achievement on her list–a seemingly normal one, albeit important all the same–with her graduation from senior high school. Her education was a non-negotiable as she stepped into the industry, a factor instilled by her parents. Between shoots and hectic schedules, Belle managed her balancing act in order to graduate, which involved doing her thesis defense while on a train to Switzerland.

In the future, she wants to attain her bachelor’s degree with a major still close to her craft. “I’ve always been into psychology,” she says. “I want to do psychology because that’s something that would benefit me in the industry, too, since I’m portraying different characters from time to time. I really want to do it. I really want to do college in the future. Maybe not now. But yes, I will.”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Cape Dress with Feathers (Lavender/Blue), P74,500, ATELIER PATTY ANG.

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

There’s a list of ventures that Belle hopes to do in the next couple of years, all of which involve her desire to tell stories. Acting-wise, she acknowledges there are “a lot of roles” that she has yet to do, as she names the horror and suspense genres, and her wish to embody a “bida-kontrabida” role. Being on the other side of the camera, however, was also an enticing thought. “I want to be able to write a story or maybe direct,” she says. “What we always see when we watch is what happens in the camera, but this amazing thing wouldn’t be possible without these people behind it. It really takes a village to pull something off, and I want to study what they’re doing, kasi sobrang naa-amaze ako.”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

In her current state, she’s already perched high up, and the audience is squinting their eyes to see her in all her brightness. A younger Belle, pre-ascent to fame with eyes wide with big dreams, would likely look up at her in awe, too. “I think she'd be happy,” Belle says. “She’d be happy that she's doing what she still loves, to be able to put smiles on people’s faces, to be able to show her talent to the world and prove to herself that she can do it.”

“I grew up as the girl na sumasampa sa table during family reunions just to make my titas happy. And I think up to now, I still am that girl,” she continues. “I feel like that little girl would be proud and that little girl would be happy.”

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG / On BELLE: Yellow dress with floral applique, custom, ÉLAN WEAR.

Click to Enlarge

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KARLO CADANG.

“I hope my future self is still doing what she loves,” Belle says, regarding what could be next. “And I hope that she’s still able to fulfill her purpose. I hope she continues with what that young little girl always wanted.”

The future awaits, and changes will inevitably come. And while she may be at a high point of her career, Belle Mariano may still have a lot of climbing left to do, as she faces fears and tackles new things, and as she grows and grows because of that. It's all in the journey, less the destination, as the old, much-used adage says. And that may just be the beauty of it all.