Early life

Vina Morales was born Sharon Garcia Magdayao in Bogo, Cebu on October 17, 1975, to parents Enrique Magdayao of Cebu and Deanna Rose Garcia-Magdayao of Padada, Davao del Sur. She has 3 sisters, including actress Shaina Magdayao. She attended Bogo Central School 2 from grades 1-3 and Immaculate Concepcion Parish School in Quezon City for the remainder of her elementary education. She also attended the same school for her first two years of high school until she decided to be homeschooled for the remainder of her high school due to her showbiz career. She never attended college due to the same reason.^[8]

Career

At age nine, Magdayao started singing with the choir of Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish Church in Bogo. Father Fritz T. Malinao, a priest and a songwriter in his church community, discovered Magdayao's talent and asked her to sing one of his compositions as an entry in the Cebu Pop Music Festival.^[9] The song, "Paglaum", which means "hope" or "pag-asa" in the Cebuano language, won the Grand Prize and earned the Best Interpreter Award for young talents in the Philippines.

Representatives from Viva Films, headed by Jesus "Boy" Bosque, saw her performance and offered her a singing and acting contract. Magdayao and her family moved to Manila where she auditioned for a film career in the Philippine film industry. Vic del Rosario Jr. and the late Mina Aragon gave her the screen name Vina Morales, named after their late daughter, Vina Vanessa.

Morales made her film debut with Nakagapos na Puso where she co-starred with Sharon Cuneta. During her teen years, she starred in various teen comedy films such as Estuudyante Blues and Teacher's Enemy No. 1. In 1991, Morales bagged leading lady roles in films such as Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum, where she starred alongside Robin Padilla. In 1994, she starred in her first solo film Anghel na Walang Langit.

In 1996, Morales left Viva and signed a non-exclusive contract with OctoArts Films, where she starred in Lab en Kisses and 'Wag Na 'Wag Kang Lalayo. She also starred in The Sarah Balabagan Story, where she played the titular character.^[10]

In 2000, Morales signed an exclusive contract with Millennium Cinema, where she starred in Eto Na Naman Ako and Sagot Kita Mula Ulo Hanggang Paa.^[11]

Morales recorded albums and performed in live concerts in the Philippines, including 2004's Mamahalin Ka Niya. She co-wrote the lyrics of a song titled "Paano Kaya Magtatagpo?", along with Filipino model, actor and singer Piolo Pascual. The music was composed by Arnel de Pano. Morales and Pascual recorded the song as a duet. Other songs on the album include "Yakapin Mo Ako", "Pangako" and "Saan Darating ang Umaga". In 2003, she held a multi-city United States tour titled 'Vina Revealed' and 'Vina's Hot'.

Morales performed the song "Yakapin Mo Ako" while portraying singer Joey Albert in the drama anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya. In 2002, she co-hosted a series of Philippine shows with Martin Nievera in the United States and Canada. She was the first Filipino to sing at the New York International Music Festival held at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas in 2003. In 2006, she also did a tour in the United States.^[12]

In 2007, she starred in ABS-CBN's soap opera Maria Flordeluna. She also represented the Philippines at the 2007 Ikon Asean singing contest and won the competition.

In 2010, Morales was cast as Mercedes Cristi in another ABS-CBN soap opera Agua Bendita, starring Andi Eigenmann.^{[13][14][15][16]}

In 2011, she marked her very first antagonist role in the ABS-CBN late night drama Nasaan Ka, Elisa?, a remake of the 2010 Telemundo telenovela ¿Dónde está Elisa? which is an adaptation of the original 2009 Chilean telenovela of the same name. She played the role of Cecile Altamira, sister of Mariano Altamira (Albert Martinez) and wife of Bruno de Silva (Eric Fructuoso).

In 2013, she was cast as Magnolia Alegre in the primetime drama Maria Mercedes, a remake of the 1992 Mexican telenovela of the same name that starred Thalía. She later made a film comeback with Robin Padilla in the 2014 MMFF film Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo.

In 2015, she starred in the afternoon drama Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita in the role of Cecilia Macaraeg. The following year, Morales played the role of Janella Salvador's mother in the 2016 romantic drama Born for You.

In 2018, she played her second antagonist role in Precious Hearts Romances presents Araw Gabi. She portrayed Celestina de Alegre, the mortal enemy of Adrian Olvidar (JM de Guzman).

In 2023, she made her Broadway debut as Aurora Aquino in Here Lies Love. ^[17]

Film

Television

Compilation albums

• The Best of Love Duets (Viva Collection Forever) (1998), Viva