- Ivana Alawi is set to star in the titular role of Ligaya
- The series was reportedly intended for Maja Salvador
Sexy actress and internet personality Ivana Alawi gets her big break with the drama series Ligaya where she stars with Kit Thompson.
The upcoming drama is one of 2020 offerings of ABS-CBN.
But according to some reports, Ligaya was originally offered to Maja Salvador.
A post on Twitter with #ProjectLigaya revealed that the actress attended a story pitching with the creative heads of ABS-CBN’s drama unit Star Creatives Jay Fernando and Henry King Quitain, and business unit head Des de Guzman-Tanwangco in October of 2018.
#ProjectLigaya#StarCreativesTV2019 pic.twitter.com/UlMxMMWmkF
— STAR CREATIVES (@StarCreativesTV) October 24, 2018
Coming from the success of her revenge-themed drama series Wildflower in 2017, Maja allegedly turned down the offer because of her similar role in the series The Legal Wife in 2014, starring Angel Locsin, wherein she played as a mistress.
“May gagawin po dapat ko na serye kaso parang yung kwento, infidelity na naman.
“So, agawan na naman. Parang natapos na ako doon.
“Parang feeling ko, hindi siya yung show na susundan ng Wildflower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bTa3MXF3RE
“Parang sa laki ng ginawa ng Wildflower sa career ko, parang kailangan ko ng something na ma-tsa-challenge ako.”
Maja is now seen on primetime series The Killer Bride which premiered on August 12, 2019 and will soon end this Friday, January 17.
Ivana has made a number of acting stints on ABS-CBN shows including Sino ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and Araw Gabi. She was a former Kapuso who joined the reality talent search StarStruck in 2015 and snagged the Top 14 spot using the screen name Mariam Al-Alawi. She became more popular after venturing into YouTube blogging.
