DAWN ZULUETA

Marie Rachel Salman was born to Jose Fazil Taleon and Maria Cleofe Salman (whose father hailed from Bethlehem), in Mar 4 1969. She studied at the Karilagan in Magallanes and Assumption College for her elementary education, and Colegio de Santa Rosa for high school. She first appeared on television as a model for a toothpaste commercial, immediately catching the attention of the public. She then guested on various television shows as a singer and dancer. Vic del Rosario and Mina Aragon of Viva Films encouraged Rachel, she of the alabaster skin and angelic face, to join the film industry. When she was just starting out in films, Rachel, using the screen name "Dawn Zulueta," immediately entranced the movie public with her performance in Pangarap na ginto (1990), Robin Good (1991), Akin ang pangarap mo (1992), and Hanggang may buhay (1992). Dawn could combine delicate, doe-eyed innocence with strong-willed romantic personas, as seen in performances like Apoy sa puso (1992) and the remake of the terrific ghost story, Patayin sa sindak si Barbara (1995), but she could also carry a movie, top-billed, when given the chance, as in the sensational, biographical rape-story, Maggie dela Riva Story (1994). Ms de la Riva personally chose Dawn to portray her in this searing indictment of criminal perversion. (Ms de la Riva, a beautiful actress of the 1960s, was raped in 1967, her case became controversial and dragged on in court for 5 years. The four principally accused were meted the death sentence in 1972). Dawn was nominated at the Gawad Urian Awards for her supporting role in Kasalanan bang sambahin ka? (1990). She won best supporting actress honors from the Film Academy of the Philippines and the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts & Sciences {FAMAS}, for Una kang naging akin (1991); and the Best Actress honor from the FAMAS, for Hihintayin kita sa langit (1991), which also earned her an URIAN nomination. She was also nominated as Best Actress for Apoy sa puso (1992), at the URIAN awards. In 1993 Dawn represented the Philippines' movie entry, Hihintayin kita sa langit (1991), at the 4th ASEAN Film Festival in Bangkok, Thailand. Dawn took a respite from films after her 1997 movie To Saudi with Love (1997), and made a comeback in the family ensemble-drama Filipinas (2003). In between, she got married to Davao businessman Anton Lagdameo in December 27, 1997. They have a child. On television, Dawn plays the Queen of Fairyland, "Inang Reyna/Mine-a," in the 2005 soap "Encantadia" (2005).

She married a businessman, Anton Lagdameo in December 2007.

The only person in Philippine movie history to ever bag two acting awards in a single ceremony from any awards night (Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress in the 1991 FAMAS Awards). She won again the Famas Best Actress in 1993.



Married Anton Lagdameo, a businessman from Davao, in Dec 27, 1997. After unsuccessful attempts (and a miscarriage), they finally had a baby boy in November 2005.

Dawn's father, Jose Fazil Taleon, comes from Iloilo. Her maternal grandfather, George Anton Salman, was a Palestinian Arab who came to Manila (in 1948) to escape World War II. Salman married a girl from Bulacan.

The Lagdameo family owns two Labradors, three Shitzus and a cock-a-tiel (a bird of the parrot family).

A bookworm herself, reading much on oceanography and astrology, Dawn has joined a charity program, T.A.S.K. (Tulong Aral sa Kabataan) ("Educational Aid to Children"), which donates educational textbooks for needy children.

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