Dawn Zulueta, a Filipina actress, host and commercial model is born Marie Rachel Salman Taleon on March 4, 1969 to Jose Fazil Taleon from Cebu and Cleofe Salman. Dawn’s maternal grandfather was a Palestinean Arab who migrated to Manila in 1948 to flee from the war. He eventually married a lady from Bulacan. Dawn finished her grade school at Assumption College and her secondary schooling at the Colegio de Santa Rosa Makati.
Dawn Zulueta is married to Anton Lagdameo a business man from Davao whom she met on January 22, 1996 during his birthday. Together they have a son and a daughter, Jacobo Antonio and Ayisha Madlen. They were married in New York on December 27, 1997. Her family loves animals. Their pets include two Labradors, three Shitzus and a parrot. Dawn likes to read a lot. She likes to read books on the topics of oceanography and astrology. Dawn is a member of a charity program Tulong Aral sa Kabataan (T.A.S.K) which aims to help needy and poor children by donating textbooks and other school materials.
Dawn’s first appearance on television was for a toothpaste commercial which immediately caught the attention of the public and she eventually started guesting on various TV shows as a singer and dancer. It was Vic del Rosario and Mina Aragon who convinced Dawn to join the film industry. She first appeared in the movie Pangarap na Ginto which was released in 1990 and another Kasalanan Bang Sambahin Ka. More movies followed in 1991, Robin Good, Akin Ang Pangarap Mo, Una Kang Naging Akin and Hihintayin Kita. She made three more movies the following year, Hanggang May Buhay, Apoy Sa Puso and Your Dream Is Mine. More movies followed; this would include Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara and Magie de la Riva Story, the sensational, biographical rape-story.
In 1991, Dawn Zulueta won The Best Supporting Actress award from the Film Academy of The Phillipines of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) for the movie, Una Kang nagging Akin and The Best Actress Award also from FAMAS for Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit. She was the only person in the history of Philippine movie to win two acting awards in a single ceremony from any awards night. Dawn represented the Philippines in 1993 for the movie entry Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit at the 4th ASEAN Film Festival held in Bangkok, Thailand. After her 1997 movie To Saudi With Love dawn took a break from showbiz and made a comeback in 2003 by doing the film Filipinas and also appeared in the teleserye, Encantadia.