Celia Rodriguez

Cecilia "Celia" Rodriguez was born in Bulan, Sorsogon to a Spanish-Filipino father, Angel Rodriguez, who had roots in Barcelona and a mestiza mother, Perla Obsum. She was raised in their hacienda as the youngest among eight daughters. The sisters attended Colegio de la Milagrosa, a local convent school. After high school, her father sold his abaca and copra business and the family relocated to Legazpi, Albay. Rodriguez graduated at Centro Escolar University in Manila with a secretarial degree. During this time, she resided in the Santa Mesa district.^[3]

Rodriguez's acting skills were discovered by Adela Santiago, the head of Premiere Productions.^[1] She subsequently joined the movie industry in the late 1950s, appearing in Sa Ngalan ng Espada (1958) and Shirley, My Darling (1958). She performed in movies such as Lilet, released in 1971, Super Gee (1973), Kampanerang Kuba (1974) and Mrs. Eva Fonda, 16 (1976). Other film credits include Zoom, Zoom Superman (1973), Ang Boyfriend Kong Baduy (1975), Elektrika, Kasi Eh (1976), Star (1979), Katorse (1980), Anak (1981), Angkinin Mo Ako (1983), Ang Boyfriend Kong Kano (1983), Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin (1984), Room 69 (1984) and Bulaklak ng City Jail (1984). She was known as the antagonist Valentina in Darna movies.

Rodriguez went on an acting hiatus twice, first in the 1960s, when she worked as a fashion model in Europe,^[4] and in the 1980s and 1990s, when she resettled in the United States and at one point, took on two jobs simultaneously.^[5]

In 1999-2001 she starred in an afternoon drama called May Bukas Pa which aired on RPN 9 and IBC-13 and 2002-2003 played Cherie Gil's mother again in Bituin as Dona Virginia Gaston. Since 2004, she has starred in numerous television shows for GMA-7's and in two more incarnations of Darnas as the main villain. She was included in the GMA Network TV sitcom Who's Your Daddy Now? (2007) and the romantic-comedy series I Heart You, Pare! (2011) starring Dingdong Dantes and Regine Velasquez. In 2013, she returned to afternoon television in the highly acclaimed Magkano Ba ang Pag-ibig? with Maryo J. de los Reyes at the helm.

Rodriguez is unmarried but has three children from previous relationships, one of whom, Jackie, was her daughter with a doctor and died from an aneurysm in 1995. She describes herself as a born-again Christian since 1995.^[1][5]