Marian Rivera is ‘Man at His Best’ Actress of the Year

With the record-breaking, highest-grossing film Rewind and the thriller hit Balota to her name, Kapuso Primetime Queen Marian Rivera has more than enough reason to be named Esquire’s 2024 Man at His Best (MAHB) “Actress of the Year.”

As Esquire Philippines presented its lineup of extraordinary Filipino men and women from various industries, the 2024 MAHB awardees were honored for their outstanding achievements in music, entertainment, politics and business.

“Thank you, Esquire, for this recognition. As said earlier, ‘This award will only be meaningful if you can inspire others,’” Rivera said in a short but heartfelt message as she received her award.

“But I’ll second that. Whether you have an award or not, all of you have the power to inspire others,” she added.

The political thriller Balota has made significant strides, not just in the film industry but also as a movement to educate the public about the intricacies of politics. Rivera’s role as Emmy, a public school teacher, saw her doing whatever it took to protect the ballots — actions that were deeply rooted in her patriotic character.

Meanwhile, Rivera’s highest-grossing Filipino film of all time (before being officially surpassed by Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards’ Hello, Love, Again”), Rewind, starring her husband Dingdong Dantes, tells a story of family and relationships, showing that love can be expressed in more ways than one — even at the expense of one’s own life.

In her legendary roles across diverse film genres, Marian continues to prove her acting prowess, despite a 14-year break from the film industry.

“Maybe now, at this point in my life… [I realized] you can’t please everyone. So how do you make everything okay and find peace? Do it for yourself,” she said in an Esquire video.

While Marian Rivera leaves a legacy for her loved ones and her supporters, other homegrown talents have also made their mark in their respective fields.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo won Athlete of the Year; Pinoy rapper Hev Abi was named Music Artist of the Year; director and screenwriter Jose Javier Reyes earned Creative of the Year; Alliance Global Group CEO Kevin Tan was recognized as Businessman of the Year; AF Hospitality CEO Amado Fores received Restaurateur of the Year; Gary Valenciano was honored with the Icon of the Year award; politician and former police officer Benjamin Magalong was named Maverick of the Year; and Pinoy pop boy band SB19 won Entertainer of the Year.