Mary Liza Diño (born June 25, 1981) is a government official, former
beauty pageant
A beauty pageant is a competition in which the contestants are judged and ranked based on various physical and mental attributes. Per its name, beauty pageants traditionally focus on judging the contestants' physical attractiveness, sometimes sol ...
winner and actress in the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
.
Career
During her time as a student, she joined
Mutya ng Pilipinas
Mutya ng Pilipinas (MNP), in 2019 known as Mutya Pilipinas, is one of the two oldest annual national beauty pageants in the Philippines (est. 1968). The other being the Binibining Pilipinas pageant (est. 1964). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ...
beauty pageant and won as Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism International. She then represented the Philippines in the
Miss Tourism International
Miss Tourism International is an annual international beauty pageant run and owned by Malaysia–based D’Touch International Sdn. Bhd. Foundation.
The current Miss Tourism International is Liana Barrido from the Philippines. She will crown he ...
pageant in 2001. She then joined GMA 7 artist center and appeared in ''
Daddy Di Do Du
''Daddy Di Do Du'' is a Philippine television sitcom series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Bert de Leon, it stars Vic Sotto, Maxene Magalona, Danica Sotto and Isabella de Leon. It premiered on July 12, 2001 on the network's KiliTV line ...
'', ''
Pira-pirasong Pangarap
() is a Philippine television drama anthology series broadcast by GMA Network and Super Radyo DZBB. Hosted by Gina de Venecia, it premiered on August 18, 1997. The series concluded on February 21, 2003.
Overview
The plight of battered wo ...
'', ''
Habang Kapiling Ka
( / international title: ''With You'') is a Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Maryo J. de los Reyes, it stars Angelika dela Cruz. It premiered on November 4, 2002 on the network's Telebabad lin ...
'', ''
Atlantika
''Atlantika'' is a Philippine television drama fantasy series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Mark A. Reyes and Zoren Legaspi, it stars Dingdong Dantes. It premiered on October 2, 2006 on the network's Telebabad line up. The series conc ...
'', and ''
Bakekang
''Bakekang'' is a Philippine television drama series broadcast by GMA Network. The series is based on a Philippine graphic novel by Carlo J. Caparas. Directed by Gil Tejada Jr. and Khryss Adalia, it stars Sunshine Dizon in the title role. It ...
''. Her first theater role was at Dulaang
University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...
(DUP), where she appeared onstage in ''The Passion of the Christ'' under
Tony Mabesa
Antonio "Tony" Ocampo Mabesa ONA (January 27, 1935 – October 4, 2019) was a Filipino stage director, film and television actor, and professor. With a career spanning over 70 years, he was a founding father of Philippine university theater and ...
, and in ''Divinas Palabras'' (2000) and Shakespeare's ''
The Winter's Tale
''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...
'' (2002), both under director Jose Estrella.
After graduating from the
University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...
with a BA in Speech and Communications, her first film role was in ''Two Timer'' (2002) under
Regal Films
Regal Entertainment Inc. (formerly and more commonly known as Regal Films) is a Philippine film, television production and distribution headquartered in New Manila, Quezon City. It was founded by Lily Monteverde on August 19, 1962. Regal Enter ...
where she appeared in '' Xerex'' (2003), under the direction of Mel Chionglo. Since then, she has appeared in a number of films including '' Pinay Pie'' (2002) and ''
A Love Story
Love Story or A Love Story may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Genres
* Romance (love)
** Romance film
** Romance novel
Films
* ''Love Story'' (1925 film), German silent film
* ''Love Story'' (1942 film), Italian drama film
* ''Love ...
'' (2007).
She played the lead in her first independent film ''Compound'' (2006/2010) directed by Will Fredo, which was nominated for best picture in the Golden Screen Awards and was shown in various international film festivals. She subsequently appeared in the independent films ''Baliw'' (2006) by Redd Ochoa which competed in the
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival (), commonly abbreviated MWFF in English or FFM in French, was an annual film festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1977 to 2019.Connie Macatuno for
Cinema One
Cinema One (also called C1 and stylized as C1NEMAONE) is a Philippine pay television channel targeted to the Filipino diaspora. It is owned by Creative Programs Inc., a subsidiary of Philippine media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation. Its prog ...
, and ''Sa Pagdapo ng Mariposa'' (2008) by Will Fredo. Her latest film project, a Flamenco dance movie directed by Will Fredo entitled '' In Nomine Matris'', was released in 2012. She played the lead in the film alongside Biboy Ramirez and opera singer Al Gatmaitan. The movie also stars flamenco artist Clara Ramona and actor Tami Monsod.
In 2014, she played a cameo role in the television show ''
The Legal Wife
''The Legal Wife'' is a 2014 Philippine television drama series broadcast by ABS-CBN. Directed by Rory B. Quintos and Dado C. Lumibao, it stars Angel Locsin, Jericho Rosales, Maja Salvador and JC de Vera. It aired on the network's Primetime B ...
'' as Nicole's mother in flashbacks, and later became part of the cast of ''
Mirabella
''Mirabella'' was a women's magazine published from June 1989 to April 2000. It was created by and named for Grace Mirabella, a former '' Vogue'' editor in chief, in partnership with Rupert Murdoch.
It was originally published by News Corpora ...
'' as Aster.
Following a trip to
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
in 2005, she began to study
flamenco
Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...
dance. Under the tutelage of flamenco dancer Clara Ramona, Diño became a dancer of her company, performing with the group in Asia and the US.
In 2008, Diño moved to the US to start a family and pursue a culinary career. She completed a certificate program in Culinary Arts at Le Cordon Bleu of Culinary Arts and is presently working as a chef at
Spago
Spago is Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant worldwide, known for serving California cuisine. Spago is Puck's first restaurant venture.
Name and history
The word "spago" is Italian for "string" or "twine". The plural would be "spaghi," which i ...
in
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...
, owned by chef
Wolfgang Puck
Wolfgang Johannes Puck (born July 8, 1949) is an Austrian chef and restaurateur.
Early life
Puck was born in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria. He learned cooking from his mother, who was a pastry chef. He took the surname of his stepfather, Jos ...
. She continued her acting and cooking careers, appearing in short films and commercials in the US. She starred as the delusional Imelda Marcos in the short film '' Imelda and Gunter'' (2009) directed by Ramon Sanchez, which also did some festival rounds in the US and has shot commercials for KCAL insurance (2008) and 24/7 debit card (2011) with
Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. ( ; ; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician, businessman, and professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He previously serv ...
. She has also worked as a host in various Filipino-American social events. At present, she is the spokesperson and director of Public Relations for Miss Philippines USA
beauty pageant
A beauty pageant is a competition in which the contestants are judged and ranked based on various physical and mental attributes. Per its name, beauty pageants traditionally focus on judging the contestants' physical attractiveness, sometimes sol ...
.
On August 12, 2016, Diño was appointed by President
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...
as Chairperson of the
Film Development Council of the Philippines
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is the national film agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines responsible for film policies and programs to ensure the economic, cultural and educational development of ...
.
Personal life
Diño is the daughter of
DILG
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG; ) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety and strengthening local government capability aimed towards t ...
Undersecretary and former Barangay San Antonio, Quezon City Captain,
Martin Diño
Martin "Bobot" Badulis Diño (July 25, 1957 – August 8, 2023) was a Filipino activist, politician, government official and presidential candidate whose withdrawal from the 2016 Philippine presidential election paved the way for his substituti ...
. On December 8, 2014, she married singer and former child star
Ice Seguerra
Ice Seguerra (born Cariza Yamson Seguerra; 17 September 1983), formerly Aiza Seguerra, is a Filipino actor, singer-songwriter, director and guitarist.
Initially coming out as a lesbian in 2007, Seguerra also came out as a transgender man i ...
in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
.
On May 24, 2024, Diño sued the Philippine entertainment website
PEP
Pep is energy or high spirits; it may refer to:
* Pep band, an ensemble of instrumentalists
* Pep (dog) (c. 1923–1930), Labrador Retriever sent to the Eastern State Penitentiary
* Pep, the dog in Putt-Putt (series), ''Putt-Putt'' (series)
* Pep ...
for cyberlibel over its publication of stories about her, accusing it of tarnishing her reputation by manipulating public opinion.
Awards and nominations
*2016 Nominee Best Supporting Actress
Gawad Urian
The Gawad Urian Awards are annual film awards in the Philippines presented since 1977 by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (), a Film criticism, film critic organization composed of critics, writers, and scholars. It is the regarded as the h ...
"Toto"
*2016 honoree Ani Ng Dangal Award "In Nomine Matris" Best Actress in Global Category, Equality Int'l Film Festival, Oakland Ca
*2015 honoree Philippine Daily Inquirer's INDIE BRAVO AWARDS "In Nomine Matris" (2012) best actress global category,Equality Int'l Film Festival
*2015 Best Featured Actress in a Play
Broadway World Awards Philippines
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
Gawad Urian Award
The Gawad Urian Awards are annual film awards in the Philippines presented since 1977 by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (), a Film criticism, film critic organization composed of critics, writers, and scholars. It is the regarded as the h ...
''In Nomine Matris" (2013)
*2012 Won Best Actress New Wave Category
Metro Manila Film Festival
The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival organized by the Metro Manila Development Authority and held nationwide in the Philippines. The festival, which runs from Christmas Day through New Year's Day and into first weeke ...
*
*
*http://jasonmagbanua.com/2015/01/19/aiza-seguerra-and-liza-dinos-wedding/
*http://www.lionheartv.net/2016/03/aiza-seguerra-liza-dino-share-photos-first-leg-honeymoon-peru/
*http://outragemag.com/liza-dino-comes-love-supports-lgbtqs/
*http://news.abs-cbn.com/video/entertainment/02/11/14/meet-aizas-fiancee-liza-dino
*http://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2015/06/13/1465480/liza-dino-her-secret-ingredient-adobo-marriage-aiza*http://entertainment.inquirer.net/160485/aiza-seguerra-liza-dino-wed-a-second-time* http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=785933
* http://www.tempo.com.ph/2012/us-based-pinay-actress-honored-juggles-acting-cooking-for-stars/liza-dino/#.T2MC6ZgwN6I
* http://entertainment.inquirer.net/33147/liza-dino-skipped-oscars-to-visit-malacanang
* http://hubo.asia/filipina-actressbeauty-queen-liza-dino-receives-achievement-in-acting-award-at-an-international-film-festival/
* http://hubo.asia/liza-dino-in-2012-ani-ng-dangal-roster-of-honorees/
* http://entertainment.inquirer.net/134100/aiza-seguerra-proposes-to-girlfriend-liza-dino
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dino, Liza
Filipino film actresses1981 birthsMutya ng Pilipinas winnersLiving peopleHeads of government agencies of the PhilippinesDuterte administration personnelUniversity of the Philippines Diliman alumniActresses from Quezon City