Maricel Soriano /

Maricel Soriano (born Maria Cecilia Dador Soriano on February 25, 1965), is a critically acclaimed Filipina film and television actress. She is dubbed as the Diamond Star in Philippine entertainment industry. She has appeared in numerous Filipino films and television programs, most of falling under the genres drama and comedy. Dubbed as the Diamond Star of Philippine movies in the 90s, she started acting at the age of six with the 1971 film My Heart Belongs to Daddy with Tirso Cruz III and fellow child actress Snooky Serna. In 1974, she received her first award as Best Child Actress at the age of nine at the 9th Manila Film Festival for Virgo Film's Alaala mo, Daigdig ko (Your Memory is My World). She won her second acting award at the 1974 Ilo-ilo Film Festival for the movie version of the TV sitcom John En Marsha which later became the longest running Philippine sitcom. Maricel developed her comic skills under the aegis of the Philippine King of Comedy, Dolphy and the late Nida Blanca, one of the country's top caliber actors, both of whom she considered as second parents. In the 1980s, she was launched to full stardom as one of the Regal Babies along with Snooky Serna, Dina