Her story begins far from the bright lights of TV studios in Kamuning. Growing up in Cavite, she once saw her life in fixed lines, an endpoint that felt too close for comfort. “I felt like I was at a dead end,” she admits. “Then I realized, you know what, I could do something else.” That “something else” brought her to Manila in 2016, where she first stepped into the world of showbiz. But it wasn’t until 2019 that she truly came into view, competing in StarStruck and leaving as the season’s First Princess. Since then, she’s been chasing momen-
tum: joining Running Man Philippines and now taking on a lead role in Cruz vs. Cruz.
But she’s the first to tell you this industry isn’t an open door. “It’s hard to get in… it’s like putting a thread in a needle,” she says. “We need connections, there are people who won’t want you to get there—it’s not easy.” And yet, there’s a steadiness in the way she says it. She knows she’s good. “I am an actor, and I am a good actor…I know that. I want to improve my craft more because I know I can do more.”
Lexi, a communication arts major, talks about the future like someone plotting a longer game. She doesn’t see herself acting forever; there are stories she wants to create from the ground up, shows she wants to produce. “I want to do all the work because I know how the industry works,” she says. Maybe one day she’ll make her own movie, exploring genres beyond what she’s known for now.
Through it all, she guards her individuality. In a space where trends dictate careers, she’s deliberate about not losing herself in the noise. “You’re one foot in the door, but then you realize, this is not me,” she says. “As an artist, I think it’s important to take care of your individuality kasi iba-iba naman tayo [because we’re all different] and if all of us are trying to fit one mold then wala nang [there won’t be any] difference.”
Lexi doesn’t talk about the industry like a place she’s simply passing through. She speaks of it as a space she’s determined to navigate on her own terms. There’s a spark in the way she says she wants to tell her own stories one day, to shape narratives from the other side of the camera. For now, she’s in the thick of her climb, eyes forward, unafraid of the grind, and wholly certain of her place in the room. Maybe that’s what makes her worth watching: she’s not chasing a moment, she’s building one.
Photographed by CENON AT MAV, Creative Direction by PATRICK TY, Art Direction by CLARE MAGNO, assisted by TROY NONATO, Fashion Direction and Styling by ROKO ARCEO, Beauty Direction by AGOO AZCUNA-BENGZON and MARA GO, Produced by THESSMAR LECTURA, Sittings Editor PEEWEE REYES-ISIDRO, Makeup by MICKEY SEE, Hair by MATT LEDESMA. Nails by CATHERINE BALINGASA, GENEVIEV PIOQUINTO, JENNIFER PASCUAL, and OGIE RODRIGUEZ of TRIPLE LUCK NAIL SALON, Production Design TIPPING POINT, Fashion Assistant KRISSIE TERUEL, Producer for CaM LOUGIE DELA CRUZ, Lighting Assistants MIGHT MERCADO, RUEL CONSTANTINO, GABRIEL JEFFERSON OLMILLO, SAMUEL PILLON, and ANTONIO BAYLON, Written by LAURD SALEN.
Shot on location at RED APPLE STUDIO
Special Thanks to MIGUEL LAURETA, ELLA TAGACA, ANA YLALIM, and KEN OPIÑA of VIVA ARTISTS AGENCY, THESS GUBI, LAUREN DYOGI, ERIK MIRAS, JEFF RODRIGUEZ, PATRICIA RIGODON, and FRANCES JOSON of STAR MAGIC, CHESTER SINGIAN, JASHLEY CRUZ, and ROCHELLE TUAZON-CHAVEZ of SPARKLE PR TEAM and SPARKLE GMA ARTIST CENTER
