Sarah Lahbati

Sarah Lahbati
Born	Sarah Alzol Lahbati Geneva, Switzerland
Years active	2009–present
Agent	GMA Artist Center (2009-2015) Viva Artists Agency (2015-present) Star Magic (2015-present)
Partner(s)	Richard Gutierrez (2012-present)
Children	1
Awards	StarStruck 5 Ultimate female survivor

Sarah Alzol Lahbati is a Swiss-Filipino actress and reality show contestant who gained media attention as a finalist on the 5th season of StarStruck,^[1] a Philippine overall talent show broadcast on GMA Network. Lahbati declared StarStruck V's Ultimate Female Survivors after nine weeks of the competition. Together with Steven Silva, they each won P1.5 million cash prize and an exclusive contract with GMA Network, with a minimum guarantee of P3.5 million.^[2]

Lahbati, finally got her first leading role as she topbills the drama series, Kokak, on GMA-7 (2011) & Makapiling Kang Muli along with her real-life partner Richard Gutierrez on 2012.^[3][4][5] She also starred in different GMA shows such as Love Bug Presents: Exchange of Hearts (2011), Little Star (2011), Koreana (2011) & Time of My Life (2011). She also performed in GMA Network's variety show Party Pilipinas & Sunday All Stars as a regular artist.

In 2015, Lahbati finally transferred to ABS-CBN, her rival network because she finished her contract under GMA Artist Center. She officially joined Viva Artists Agency in June 2015.^[6] Tagged as Dance Goddess, Lahbati is a regular performer on ABS-CBN's Sunday variety show, ASAP. ^{[7][8] [9]}

Lahbati will be part of the upcoming Kapamilya soap opera, Written in Our Stars, starring Toni Gonzaga, Piolo Pascual, Jolina Magdangal and Sam Milby early this 2017.^[10] She will also be part of Darna as Valentina, the Goddess of Snakes and one of Darna's greatest enemies, this 2017 in a movie to be released by Star Cinema and Reality Entertainment. ^[11]

Lawsuit

In late 2012, Lahbati used her Twitter account to express her dissatisfaction with her network, GMA and expressed her desire to be released from her contract. On 10 January 2013, GMA Network and GMA Films president, Annette Gozon-Abrogar, counter-sued Lahbati.^[12] On 11 January 2013, GMA 7 filed a formal complaint against Sarah Lahbati for breach of contract. She is now facing multiple charges.^[13] In a related article published in PEP last 9 January 2013, Felipe Gozon, the head of GMA Network, released a statement indicating he did not guarantee protection that Sarah Lahbati said she was due.^[14] A few days later, Lahbati left the Philippines for Switzerland "to study".^[15] In August 2013, Lahbati returned to the Philippines to face the charges against her. It was later revealed that Lahbati left for Switzerland to give birth to her son with Richard Gutierrez that May 2013.

Filmography

Television

Television

Year	Title	Role	Network
2009	StarStruck	Herself/Contestant/Ultimate Female Survivor	GMA Network
2010	Love Bug Presents: Exchange Of Hearts	Rachel
	Little Star	Paula Estrella
2010–2011	Koreana	Tamara Lee
2011	Maynila: Bestfriends & A Girl	Ina Kariran
	Time Of My Life	Pia
	Spooky Nights Presents: Sumpa	Sarah
	Ruben Marcelino's Kokak	Kokak/Kara
2012	Makapiling Kang Muli	Graciela Montes
2013–2015	Sunday All Stars	Host/Herself/Performer
2013	Indio	Ynaguiguinid
2014-present	It Takes Gutz to Be a Gutierrez	Herself	E! Southeast Asia/TV5
2015	Ipaglaban Mo: Tiwalang Nasira	Nora	ABS-CBN
	ASAP	Herself / Co-Host / Performer
	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Karaoke	Monica Cuenco
2016	My Super D	Ulah/Tiradora
2017	The Promise of Forever	Elizabeth Dela Paz

Movies

Movies

Year	Title	Role	Film Production
2010	White House	Pim	Regal Entertainment
2012	Boy Pick-Up: The Movie	Queen	GMA Films, Regal Entertainment
2013	Seduction	Trina	Regal Entertainment
2014	Basement	Eliza	GMA Films
2015	Liwanag sa Dilim	Minerva	APT Entertainment
2016	The Achy Breaky Hearts	Martha	Star Cinema

Awards and nominations

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Nominated Work	Result
2011	59th FAMAS Awards	German Moreno Youth Achievement Awardee	N/A	Won

References

1. "Ever seen The Black Book?". Manila Bulletin. 23 June 2011. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
2. "PEP: Steven Silva, Sarah Lahbati big winners in StarStruck V". GMA News Online. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
3. "Sarah Lahbati is Kokak". philstar.com. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
4. "Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati: A Journey of Love | GMANetwork.com - Entertainment - Home of Kapuso shows and stars - Photos". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
5. Gonzales, Rommel. "Sarah Lahbati Says Her Makapiling Kang Muli Co Star Richard Gutierrez Is Her Inspiration". www.pep.ph. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
6. "Sarah Lahbati signs up with VIVA Artists Agency".
7. Mo, Kakulay. "KAKULAY SCOOP: ASAP Dance Goddess Sarah Lahbati dance an Egyptian-inspired number with Joseph Marco.". KAKULAY SCOOP. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
8. "Sarah Lahbati sizzles in sexy 'ASAP' number anew". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
9. "Sarah Lahbati pinalakpakan, umani ng papuri sa ipinakitang akting sa MMK". bandera.inquirer.net. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
10. Anarcon, James Patrick. "Sarah Lahbati Joins ABS CBN New Teleserye Written In Our Stars". www.pep.ph. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
11. "Sarah gaganap na Valentina sa 'Darna' ni Angel". bandera.inquirer.net. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
12. "Annette Gozon-Abrogar sues Sarah Lahbati for libel | PEP.ph: The Number One Site for Philippine Showbiz". PEP.ph. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
13. "GMA-7 files formal complaint against Sarah Lahbati for breach of contract | PEP.ph: The Number One Site for Philippine Showbiz". PEP.ph. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
14. Joyce Jimenez (10 January 2013) Atty. Felipe Gozon on Sarah Lahbati's "guaranteed protection" claim: "She did not ask for protection and I did not guarantee that I will protect her.". PEP.ph. Retrieved on 17 July 2013.
15. Sarah Lahbati evades cases by fleeing the country. Entertainment.inquirer.net (15 January 2013). Retrieved on 17 July 2013.