# Ella Cruz

Gabriela Annjane "Ella" Umali Cruz (Tagalog pronunciation:; born August 17, 1996) is a Filipino actress. She played the title character in the 2012 fantasy drama Aryana.

## Career

She started her career on GMA Network in 2006, her first project being Majika. Cruz moved to rival network, ABS-CBN in 2007. In 2009, she returned to GMA Network for Panday Kids and Ilumina. She once again moved to ABS-CBN to appear in Maalaala Mo Kaya, Cruz made another return to GMA Network in 2011, but later quickly moved to TV5 for Inday Wanda, but officially transferred to ABS-CBN and Star Magic as a contract artist.
She was known for playing the teen character of Cristine Reyes in the TV series Dahil sa Pag-ibig. Cruz was often paired with Francis Magundayao who played the teen Piolo Pascual in the same TV series. She starred in Aryana as Philippines' first teen mermaid. She also played as a teen mom in Bagito.
She starred in several shows on TV5 like #ParangNormal Activity and played the role of Avah Chen in TV5's Wattpad Presents: Avah Maldita (Oh! Aarte pa?). She also became a host in a Sunday variety show, Happy Truck HAPPinas. Cruz made her last appearance as part of the Kapamilya Family in Ipaglaban Mo in 2016.
She recently became popular when a video of her dancing to "Twerk It Like Miley" turned viral on YouTube.
In 2017, she got her very first leading role in her movie Fangirl, Fanboy with Julian Trono. Within the same year, she alongside Trono published a book, under VRJ Books Publishing, entitled Jump In where past photos and stories of their love team, JulianElla, can be found, as well as some of the poems that Trono made for her on Twitter. Also, Cruz and her team Daphny Red and Eunice Creus were the representative in a Jakarta Indonesia Competition with South Korean girl group Blackpink.
In 2019, she returned to the Kapamilya network and is currently appearing as Lisa in FPJ's Ang Probinsyano.
In 2022, she was cast to play the role of Irene Marcos in the film Maid in Malacañang, a historical drama telling an alternative account of the last 72 hours of the Marcos family in the Malacañang Palace before their exile to Hawaii in the wake of the People Power Revolution in 1986. The film is directed by Darryl Yap and produced by Viva Films. During an interview with The Philippine Star on July 2, 2022, in the context of the film, she described Philippine history as "tsismis" (gossip), calling it "filtered" and "biased", drawing controversy from Filipinos on social media.
She is currently a freelancer signed to Viva Artists Agency.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2007 | Angels | Kerubina |
| 2007 | The Promise | Young Andrea |
| 2007 | Resiklo | Kiara |
| 2012 | Shake, Rattle and Roll Fourteen: The Invasion | Linda (segment "Lost Command") |
| 2013 | A Moment in Time | Mai-Mai Javier |
| 2014 | Somebody to Love | Amelie |
| 2014 | Dilim | Mia |
| 2015 | The Prenup | Mocha Cayabyab |
| 2015 | Hawa | |
| 2017 | Darkroom | Maine |
| 2017 | Fangirl, Fanboy | Aimee |
| 2018 | Squad Goals! | Leigh |
| 2018 | Cry No Fear | Wendy |
| 2019 | Edward | Agnes |
| 2021 | Steal | |
| 2021 | Biyernes Santo | Grace |
| 2022 | Maid in Malacañang | Irene Marcos |
| 2022 | Rooftop | |
| 2023 | Martyr or Murderer | Irene Marcos |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Network |
| 2025 | Edens Zero | Happy (voice) | Main Cast | TV5 |
| 2020 | Ipaglaban Mo!: Yes Sir | Jessica | Episode Guest | ABS-CBN |
| 2019 | Ipaglaban Mo!: Pariwara | Jacky | Episode Guest | ABS-CBN |
| 2019 | FPJ's Ang Probinsyano | Lisa | Supporting Cast | ABS-CBN |
| 2018 | Aja Aja Tayo! | Herself/Guest | | TV5 |
| 2017 | Operation: Break The Cassanova's Heart | Naomi Mikael "Nami" Perez | with Julian Trono | Sari-Sari Channel (Cignal TV) |
| 2017 | Ipaglaban Mo!: Groufie | Anna Marcelo | | ABS-CBN |
| 2017 | Road Trip | Herself/Guest | with Marlon Stockinger & Joyce Pring | GMA Network |
| 2017 | The Lolas' Beautiful Show | Herself/Guest | with Julian Trono | GMA Network |
| 2017 | Bulagaan Olympics | Herself/Player | Guest Player | GMA Network |
| 2017 | Wish Ko Lang: Hanggang Sa Huli | Ella | Episode guest | GMA Network |
| 2017 | Real Talk | Herself/Guest | with Julian Trono | CNN Philippines |
| 2017 | Karelasyon: She Maid It! | Aida | first comeback project with GMA Network | GMA Network |
| 2017 | Unang Hirit | Herself/Guest Performer | with Julian Trono | GMA Network |
| 2017 | Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho | Herself/Guest | | GMA Network |
| 2017 | #LIKE | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | | GMA Network |
| 2016 | Ipaglaban Mo!: Bugaw | Mylene | | ABS-CBN |
| 2016 | Wattpad Presents: TV Movie: I'm His Tutor | Mikaela Maghirang | With Julian Trono | TV5 |
| 2016 | Young Hearts Presents: Bebeng Pabebe Meets Super Jiro | "Bebe" | | TV5 |
| 2016 | Carlo J. Caparas' Ang Panday | Phoebe | | TV5 |
| 2016 | Happy Truck HAPPinas | Herself/Host | | TV5 |
| 2016 | Wattpad Presents: TV Movie: Avah Maldita | Avah Chen | | TV5 |
| 2015–2016 | #ParangNormal Activity | Charlie | | TV5 |
| 2015 | Ipaglaban Mo!: Ang Bintang Mo Sa Akin | Rowena | | ABS-CBN |
| 2015 | Inday Bote | Teen Fiona Vargas | | ABS-CBN |
| 2015 | Wattpad Presents: Love Encounters | Lisa Miranda | | TV5 |
| 2015 | Wattpad Presents: Hot and Cold | Chloe Mendez | | TV5 |
| 2015 | Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal | Herself/#7 Lucky Star (Batch 3) | | ABS-CBN |
| 2014 | Bagito | Vanessa Bueno | Main cast / Anti-Hero | ABS-CBN |
| 2014 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Kumot (The Fighter) | Young Leng | | ABS-CBN |
| 2014 | Wansapanataym: Nato De Coco | Hazel | | ABS-CBN |
| 2014 | Ipaglaban Mo: Lalaban Ang Tatay Para Sa'yo | Connie | | ABS-CBN |
| 2014 | Ikaw Lamang | young Guadalupe "Lupe" Roque | | ABS-CBN |
| 2014 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Dos Por Dos | Jessa | | ABS-CBN |
| 2013 | Wansapanataym: OMG (Oh My Genius) | Minerva "Minnie" Tomas | | ABS-CBN |
| 2013 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Box (My Sister's Bestfriend) | Dua | | ABS-CBN |
| 2013 | Juan dela Cruz | Rebecca | | ABS-CBN |
| 2013 | Luv U | Mariana | | ABS-CBN |
| 2013 | Wansapanataym: Finding Nilo | Beauty | | ABS-CBN |
| 2013–present | ASAP | Herself/Performer/Co-host | | ABS-CBN |
| 2012–2013 | Aryana | Aryana Mendez | | ABS-CBN |
| 2012 | Dahil sa Pag-Ibig | Teen Jasmin Valderama | | ABS-CBN |
| 2012 | Wansapanataym: Somewhere Over the Bahaghari | Ana | | ABS-CBN |
| 2011 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: TV | young Mavic | | ABS-CBN |
| 2011 | Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin | Britney | | GMA Network |
| 2011 | Tropang Potchi | Herself/Host | | GMA Network |
| 2010-2011 | Inday Wanda | Toni | first TV5 project | TV5 |
| 2010 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Videoke | Priscilla | | ABS-CBN |
| 2010 | Ilumina | Czarina | | GMA Network |
| 2010 | Carlo J. Caparas' Panday Kids | Jenny | | GMA Network |
| 2009 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Blusa | Young Nemie | | ABS-CBN |
| 2009 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Karnibal | Baleleng | | ABS-CBN |
| 2009 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Bangka | Young Odette | | ABS-CBN |
| 2009 | Only You | Andrea Mendoza | | ABS-CBN |
| 2008 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Sumbrero | Young Rhea | | ABS-CBN |
| 2008 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Isda | Jonah | | ABS-CBN |
| 2008 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Sopas | Grace | | ABS-CBN |
| 2008 | Goin' Bulilit | Herself | | ABS-CBN |
| 2007 | Maalaala Mo Kaya: Panyo | Flor | first ABS-CBN project | ABS-CBN |
| 2007 | MariMar | Young Marimar | | GMA Network |
| 2007 | Super Twins | Tin-tin | | GMA Network |
| 2006 | Now and Forever: Duyan | Ella | | GMA Network |
| 2006 | Now and Forever: Dangal | Flor | | GMA Network |
| 2006 | Majika | Young Sabina | First TV appearance | GMA Network |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award Giving Body | Category | Nominated Work | Results |
| 2008 | 56th FAMAS Awards | Best Child Actress | Resiklo | Won |
| 2008 | 2nd Gawad Genio Awards | Best Film Child Performer | Resiklo | Won |
| 2011 | 25th PMPC Star Awards for TV | Best Children Show Host (shared with Tropang Potchi hosts) | Tropang Potchi | Nominated |
| 2019 | Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Edward | Won |

## Singles

| Year | Title | Album |
| As lead artist |||
| 2016 | "Tamis" | Tamis |
| 2017 | "Sabi Na Sayo Eh" | Sabi Na Sayo Eh |
| Collaborations |||
| 2017 | "Tumalon" with Julian Trono | Tumalon |
| 2017 | "Isang Tingin" with Julian Trono | "Fangirl, Fanboy" Soundtrack |
| 2017 | NEMALAYA | "Operation: Break The Cassanova's Heart" Soundtrack |