NPC Seal of Registration
Cosmo.ph has been granted the NPC Seal of Registration in recognition of the successful registration of its DPO and DPS
If there’s one thing you need to know about Heaven Peralejo, she believes that manifesting *really* works.
“But I also believe in hard work,” she is quick to add. “I’m lucky, yes, I manifest, but I also [put in] hard work." Fresh off her recent Best Actress win at the 39th Luna Awards—and nominations at the 2023 Asian Academy Creative Awards and FAMAS Awards—for breathing life into the role of Me-Ann in the critically acclaimed movie Nananahimik ang Gabi, one can truly say that the 23-year-old actress is nothing if not determined.
It seems like life has been coming up roses for Heaven with nods and projects coming along one after the other, but this was borne from years of hard work, struggles, and tough learning experiences in the process.
Heaven Peralejo for Cosmopolitan Philippines November 2023
While most stars her age have been in showbiz for a long time, having started in the industry under the blistering heat of the sun in audition lines, Heaven had a relatively normal childhood. But despite long days playing in the sun and working on school projects, she was already unknowingly beginning to plant the seeds of her career.
Heaven is wearing a see-through top and corset (stylist's own), a skirt by H&M, and Mila ballet flats by ERIN
Her first television appearance was back in 2009, on GMA’s Lipad Darna Liit, where she emerged as the Grand Finalist. “Kung ano ano talaga mga sinasalihan ko, like mga singing competition, so more on the creative side talaga,” she reminisces. “And then nag-commercials din ako when I was young.”
Eventually, she had to stop appearing in commercials due to run-ins with scary directors. “Natakot ako sa director ‘cause the director was like shouting.. and in my household, walang naninigaw, mata-mata lang talaga,” she recalls.
It seemed like the end of a short-lived start in showbiz for young Heaven, but the idea of being an artista was always in her mind. “After ko mag-stop, I would always look up to artists or actresses pero never ko naman din na-imagine… maybe like, ‘Hmm, someday siguro.’” She would take a break for a few years to focus on her studies, though she would have a few roles as a guest or extra in a few productions such as the television series Home Sweetie Home in 2014 and the movie Buy Now, Die Later in 2015.
But it was her mom’s cancer diagnosis that was the push that Heaven needed to fully step foot back in the industry in the form of joining Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7 in 2016. “Nung nagkasakit yung mama ko, dun ako na-push talaga sa industry na ito. And then that's when I learned how to love and how to hone it. And now I can’t even see myself doing something else other than acting kasi I really love my work,” she proudly declares.
“Lucky girl” was the term Heaven chose when Cosmo asked how she would describe herself. “I'm a very lucky girl. I see myself as a lucky girl. I think I have this lucky girl syndrome,” she laughs.
“Kasi kahit nagkaroon naman ako ng rough patches, I rose from them,” she explains. “And I don’t know, man, I feel like everything’s just falling into place, whether the good or the bad. It's just paving its own way.”
“Everything’s just falling into place so hindi na ko pressured ngayon… I stopped comparing myself to other people,” she explains in a thoughtful tone. “Kasi I think kanya-kanya tayong time lahat. So if my time is like two years from now pa, e 'di okay, I just enjoy. So I don't feel pressured. I don't like comparing myself to other people. Kasi iba yung pinagdaanan nila sakin, so why 'di ba?”
Heaven confesses that she wasn’t always this self-assured and confident of herself, though. As recently as two to three years ago, she already had doubts about her place in the industry. Because she didn’t start as a child actress like the majority of her peers, she felt largely out of place. “Ang dami nangyayari sa buhay ko, [I was thinking,] ‘Should I just work na lang kaya at an office kasi I don't think nag-po-progress yung trabaho ko dito’ and at the same time, I just didn’t have the confidence in myself so I just felt a little bit lost,” she divulges.
It was these seeds of doubt in her mind that almost made her want to quit acting. “Before Nananahimik ang Gabi, I was thinking, ‘I'm not even confident with myself anymore, people don’t want to see me anymore.’” she recalls. Heaven admits that the hate comments and bashers got to her, too, to the point that they even affected her mental health.
Heaven is wearing a white one-piece bodysuit by Andra Flores and Mila ballet flats by ERIN
“I have friends, they'd tell me na I have to heal [from these], and I'd say, ‘Ha, bakit heal pa?’ So you know, it goes deeper. I didn’t have that much confidence sa sarili ko kaya ang dali ko maatake,” she recounts.
But the Heaven of today employs a DGAF attitude towards the naysayers. “I am so unbothered. Super. Why would I care? I’m living my life right now. I’m at peace with myself kasi now that I’m learning so much more about myself, kahit ano pa sabihin ng iba, I know that's not me. If that's your perception of me, then I can’t change that. I’m gonna do me, I hope you do you,” she declares, an air of finality to her tone.
Clad in angelic white with feathers falling all around her and the camera clicking and capturing her every move, Heaven was in her element. You wouldn’t be able to tell that it was her first major cover—one that she manifested, in fact. “Alam mo, nakakatuwa kasi dream ko ‘to when I was [growing up]. Gusto ko talaga maging Cosmo Girl. And siguro kaka-manifest ko… finally, I’m living the dream,” she beams.
Another dream that recently became a reality was being nominated as Best Actress in a Leading Role for Nananahimik Ang Gabi at the prestigious 2023 Asian Academy Creative Awards—alongside famous Hallyu actress Song Hye Kyo, no less.
“I cried talaga,” Heaven shares of her initial reaction upon receiving the news. “Like getting recognized by the thing that I love doing? Parang, ‘Shocks, thank you!’” Tears of joy quickly turned into a huge fangirling moment for the actress. “Then nakita ko si Song Hye Kyo [alongside my name]... I just watched The Glory parang a few months ago lang. Then to be nominated in the same category as her, okay lang kahit di ako manalo. Kung manalo ako, perfect. Pero kung di ako manalo, against Song Hye Kyo ba naman of all people? Okay lang!” she quips.
Heaven credits the 2022 suspense-thriller film as the turning point in her life, and it seems that she is now finally reaping the fruits of her hard work. “It definitely changed my life ‘cause it opened a lot of doors and now I'm in a better place,” she shares. Though when asked by Cosmo if she feels she already has a “made it” moment in her career, her answer came with no hesitation: “Wala pa.”
“Marami pa ko pagdadaanan. Marami pa ko kailangan matutunan. I like learning talaga. I like learning from the veterans, I like learning from the directors, and I like learning from the people I work with. So hindi ko pa masasabing I made it.”
“Not yet,” she adds with a twinkle in her eye—a statement and a promise.
Aside from her recent acting wins, one topic about Heaven’s life that has always been shrouded in controversy is her dating life. Constant news and rumors about her love life are nothing new for her, such as her controversial relationship with Jimuel Pacquiao in 2019 and her short-lived relationship with Kiko Estrada in 2021.
This includes any news about the latest man in her life, Marco Gallo. Long before rumors of a romance between the two started swirling around the interwebs, the pair was actually already acquainted with each other during their time on Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7 in 2016. Fate brought them back together in November 2022 when they were cast to play Luna and Kalix in the live adaptation of the Wattpad novel The Rain in España.
Heaven is wearing a pink tulle dress by Dress Beyond MNL and heels by ERIN
The chemistry between the two was so undeniable and palpable that netizens couldn’t help but wonder if there was something brewing between them. When asked directly by Cosmo about the *true* status of their relationship, Heaven kept her answer short. “Basta masaya kami,” she laughs. “Pinagluluto niya ‘ko, ganun… pinagsisilbihan niya ‘ko. I take care of him and he does the same for me.”
One thing Heaven does open up about is how her relationship with Marco has evolved from their time as housemates in the iconic yellow house to now that they’re co-actors. “He was one of the people who turned my life in a different direction. Working with Marco feels like home. We started out as friends kasi in PBB and now co-workers na kami. We’re so much more than that. He’s a breath of fresh air in this industry,” she gushes.
While her true relationship status is definitely up for debate at this point, Heaven is sure about one thing—her standards. “I want to be with someone who wants to be a better person ‘cause I want to be a better person. And if we can grow together, e' di perfect. Yan ang gusto ko.”
“Ayoko ng pa-cute lang, ayoko ng gwapo lang. Di tayo mapapakain niyan,” she jokes. “Gusto ko yung emotionally strong, mentally strong, and financially capable. Pag wala ka don sa checklist na yon, wala ka na!” she says with a giggle.
Heaven also credits her past experiences in love as the *best* teacher when it comes to her relationships. “There are people who are meant to be in your life at a specific time to teach you a lesson, may it be a good thing or bad. That’s what builds your character and I’m actually thankful to them.”
Despite all the buzz surrounding her and all the recent feathers in her cap, Heaven is far from done. The certified Sagittarius gal sets her sights high and says that she still wants to get roles that will continuously surprise people. “Yung mga tingin ko na di ko kayang gawin or mga tingin nilang di ko kayang gawin, I would love to actually do it and to do it perfectly,” she decides.
Heaven is wearing a corset by Love, Nicole, a skirt by H&M, and Mila ballet flats by ERIN
What genre, you might ask? “It’s either action or drama again. Action, I've never done. Drama, I’ve always done but ang dami ko pang gustong matutunan sa genre na yon.”
Outside of acting, the 23-year-old has big, exciting plans in the pipeline. These include investing in real estate, establishing her clothing line, and even coming out with her makeup brand in the future.
But for her upcoming 24th birthday this November, the actress only wants the little, simple things. “Siguro more challenging projects. More good friends. More importantly, my mama’s health na never na siya magkasakit sana. Di ako materialistic e. For my 24th birthday, I just wanna be a better me—that’s my greatest wish,” she says.
“I can sense it, it’s a beautiful future that I will have and I will try to make it happen with everything that I can,” Heaven declares with a self-assured air. With how real her manifestations can turn out to be, all we can do is just sit back and enjoy the show.
PRODUCED BY: Ira Nopuente and Andie Estella
ASSISTED BY: Patricia Melliza and Cass Lazaro
PHOTOGRAPHY: Miggy Broño, assisted by Menard Domingo
ART DIRECTION: Pau Moyano
STYLING: Joanna Garcia, Nica Espinoza, and Carlie Lajara
MAKEUP: Nikki Duque
HAIRSTYLING: Mark Anthony Rosales
WORDS BY: Cheska Santiago
VIDEOS: Greeko Junio
SOCIAL MEDIA: Aina Lizarondo, assisted by Maui Icasiano
