It’s no secret that Alexa Ilacad grew up in the spotlight. She first rose to fame when she joined the kiddie gag show Goin’ Bulilit in 2008, but she’s been starring in commercials and playing minor roles in various teleseryes since she was two years old.

She practically spent more than half her life in showbiz, so it comes as no surprise that acting is deeply ingrained in her childhood memories. For one, her dream role is actually the titular character of her favorite childhood show Marimar. Her first trip abroad was for a commercial taping in Thailand, while her first big achievement was a showbiz award from PEP.ph. Even her first-ever splurge, a condominium near ABS-CBN, was meant to be an investment for her job! Plus, she also got to meet one of her long-time BFFs now on the set of Goin’ Bulilit (Spoiler alert: It’s Andrea Brillantes).

Eager to learn more about Alexa’s life as a former child actress? She spills all the ~juicy deets~ on her most memorable childhood memories in this episode of Candy Firsts: