Janine Gutierrez is showbiz royalty, and there is no arguing with that. Both sides of her family tree are filled with familiar names, from her grandparents down to her parents. But through the years, she has also built a career on her own terms, most recently renewing her contract with ABS-CBN and signing an exclusive management deal with Star Magic last June.
Even so, she is not closing her doors on a project with her own relatives. Ask her if she is game to work with her family on one show, and the answer is a quick yes.
In an interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, Janine said she is drawn to the idea of a sitcom with an all-family cast, mainly because it is something her family has already done before.
"Actually, noong bata ako, mayroong sitcom 'yung parents ko, it was called Mag-Asawa'y Di Biro. Tapos kasama rin doon 'yung lola ko at lolo ko. Tapos 'yung parents ko doon mag-asawa," Janine said.
Mag-Asawa'y Di Biro was a sitcom that aired on New Vision 9, now RPN, from 1990 to 1993. Directed by Domingo Boquiron, it starred her parents Ramon Christopher "Monching" Gutierrez and Lotlot de Leon as a married couple, along with her grandparents Eddie Gutierrez and Pilita Corrales. Dennis Padilla and Flora Gasser were also part of the cast, and Pilita was one of the people behind its production.
For Janine, bringing back that kind of show is worth trying, if only because Filipino viewers rarely see sitcoms on TV these days. She also said she likes the idea of a set where the work feels like play.
"I think ang cool lang na una sa lahat, sitcom, nakaka-miss 'yung sitcom. And pangalawa, parang naglalaro lang kayo, but work. So, that would be nice," she said.
She said she is just as excited about the idea of working with her younger brother, singer Diego Gutierrez, who recently told her he is open to acting. Diego had earlier said he wanted to concentrate on his music.
"I'm excited na sinabi niya 'yun. Kasi noong una, gusto niya talaga mag-focus sa singing," Janine said.
"So, now na open na siya, it would be nice to have the chance to work with him. Feeling ko masaya 'yun," she added.
Janine comes from one of the most recognizable showbiz families in the country. Her father, former teen idol Monching Gutierrez, is the son of veteran actor Eddie Gutierrez and the late Pilita Corrales, the singer known as Asia's Queen of Songs. Her mother, actress Lotlot de Leon, is the adopted daughter of the late Nora Aunor, National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts, and actor Christopher de Leon. That makes both of Janine's grandmothers, Pilita and Nora, two of the biggest names their generation produced. The two died four days apart in April 2025.
Through her father's side, Janine is also connected to the Gutierrez siblings from Eddie's marriage to talent manager Annabelle Rama. Monching is the half-brother of Ruffa, Rocky, Elvis, twins Richard and Raymond, and Ritchie Paul, which makes them Janine's uncles and aunt. Actor Tonton Gutierrez, Eddie's son with actress Liza Lorena, is also her uncle.
Ruffa's daughters Lorin and Venice Bektas and Richard's sons Zion and Kai are among her cousins.
On her mother's side, she is the niece of Matet de Leon and Ian de Leon, who were also raised by Nora and Christopher.
Janine is the second of four children. Her brother Diego, who released his first single in 2021 and later joined ASAP, is the only boy in the brood.
Janine herself began acting in the early 2010s and spent about a decade with GMA-7 before signing with ABS-CBN in January 2021. She has since starred in Marry Me, Marry You, Sleep With Me, and Dirty Linen, and won Best Actress at the 68th FAMAS Awards and the 43rd Gawad Urian for her performance in the 2019 film Babae at Baril.
On June 2 this year, she renewed her Kapamilya contract and formally became a Star Magic artist in a ceremony at the ELJ Building in Quezon City, where Diego serenaded her.
Her Prime Video series The Loyalty Game, where she starred with Jericho Rosales and Sofia Andres, ended its run on August 14 as the most-watched title on Prime Video Philippines heading into its final episodes.
She also headlined Mag-iina, the Giancarlo Abrahan film that was named Best Film at the 22nd Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in August.
Up next is Balaraw, also billed as Balaraw: Blood Island, a horror-mystery series from director Rae Red. Janine leads the cast with Charlie Dizon and Agot Isidro. It starts streaming on Netflix on September 24.
—By Paolo Lim