Here’s what went down last Friday night. 

Showbiz enthusiasts have been very busy since Friday (April 4) evening, keeping tabs on all the scoops from the trending and very successful ABS-CBN Ball 2025, which gathered Kapamilya artists, plus friends, collaborators, and the unsung heroes behind the scenes for a night of fashion, revelry, and a celebration of the beauty of Filipino stories. 

Everyone has been glued to their screens, refreshing and scrolling endlessly through social media just to catch the guests' much-anticipated red carpet looks. But while all eyes were on the stars' dreamy, spring-themed fashion ensembles, what happens before and after the walk might just be as exciting. As the official livestream only presented the red carpet program, fans have been left wondering what it’s really like during and after.  

Well, what happens is that the stars make their way to the ballroom of Solaire Resort North, and that’s where the real fun begins, and continues. Think laughter, hugs, selfies, stories, and memories being made—all in one glittering room. 

And if you’re wishing you had special access to all that, we've got you! This photo gallery is your ticket to everything that went down inside the ballroom. 

It’s expected that stars who currently belong to the same show would stick together throughout the evening. Most of them even sat at the same table during dinner and the main program. Case in point: Vice Ganda and Anne Curtis were practically inseparable. Looks like the “sisterettes” really missed each other after Anne’s busy filming schedule for her series over the past few months.

Of course, the party was even more lit with their “It’s Showtime” family around. Vhong Navarro and Jhong Hilario were in the ballroom too, with Jhong bringing his adorable daughter, Sarina, who definitely brought smiles to many of the grown-ups. Also joining the ‘Showtime puksaan’ ABS-CBN Ball edition were Darren Espanto, Ryan Bang, Jackie Gonzaga, Cianne Dominguez, Jugs Jugueta, and the comedy duo MC and Lassy.  

But there’s a different kind of thrill when artists go moving around the venue to mingle with colleagues outside their usual circles. The "Incognito" cast was seen bonding together, but what caught our eye was Barbie Imperial sitting right next to Richard Gutierrez at their table.

Meanwhile, Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano were expected to walk the red carpet together, and they did. But once inside the ballroom, they weren’t afraid to step out of their little bubble. Both went around and greeted fellow guests. Belle even had some ‘ganaps’ with the girls of BINI—talk about a cute crossover we didn’t know we needed. 

It’s also refreshing to find some of the biggest and busiest stars finally taking a break. Coco Martin hit pause on the intense grind of "FPJ’s Batang Quiapo" to just chill with his co-actors. His sweetheart Julia Montes was right there too, joining his group.  

Kathryn Bernardo also seemed to be enjoying a well-deserved night off. It was honestly so heartwarming to see her glowing as an independent woman, making the most of the moment. She was spotted rubbing elbows with fellow artists, looking carefree and completely in her element. No worries, just pure fun. And we couldn’t be happier for her. 

The night was full of healing moments, like the super queenly interaction Kathryn shared with Nadine Lustre. Fans of these two know that a KathDine encounter like this only seemed like an impossible dream before. But, wow, what a lovely sight to see! Kathryn also took on the dancefloor with her 'girlies' like Maymay Entrata and Chie Filomeno.  

And speaking of 'healing,' KyleDrea fans are definitely going to have their hearts flutter when they see Andrea Brillantes and Kyle looking like the good old times. 

There’s something extra special about old friends reuniting during the ABS-CBN Ball. Iza Calzado, Piolo Pascual, and Lovi Poe sure had lots of ‘kuwentuhan’ to do. Maricel Soriano may have skipped the red carpet, but she certainly brought her luminous star power to the ballroom and socialized with friends from the industry.  

The AngBeKi squad—Angelica Panganiban, Bela Padilla, and Kim Chiu—was fully complete, soaking in the fun and merrymaking with their other friends. From the snaps, it looks like Paulo Avelino joined Kim’s squad during the main program.  

In the gallery, you can almost hear the girly squeals of the ladies who once worked together and were side by side again at the Ball. "Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin" castmates Aya Fernandez and Iza were caught catching up, as well as Maxene Magalona and Kaila Estrada, who once played mother and daughter in "Viral Scandal."  

For some reel and real-life couples, the ABS-CBN Ball felt like the perfect date night. Jake Cuenca and Chie Filomeno, RK Bagatsing and Jane Oineza, Sue Ramirez and Dominic Roque, KD Estrada, and Alexa Ilacad, Loisa Andlio and Ronnie Alonte,  and “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition” host Mavy Legaspi with ex-housemate Ashley Ortega sprinkled a little romance in the star-studded room.  

Attending the Ball with a family member really takes the jitters away. Daniel Padilla was sighted in the ballroom with his mom, Karla Estrada, making the event extra special. Vhong also had some proud dad moment with his son, Yce Navarro. And of course, the Gutierrez clan made the occasion feel like a true family affair, with so many members in attendance: Eddie Gutierrez, Annabel Rama, Richard Gutierrez, Ruffa Gutierrez, Raymond Gutierrez, and siblings Janine and Diego Gutierrez.  

The experience of attending the ABS-CBN Ball must be absolutely exhilarating for first-timers, just like for Megastar Sharon Cuneta. There’s no way Sharon wouldn’t have felt happiness surrounded by so many old friends. We can just imagine how epic her catch-up must’ve been with CocoJul, whom she considers her 'kids' in showbiz. 

On the other hand, we can totally imagine the butterflies felt by the “Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11” alumni as they made their red carpet debut, but seeing the photos of Fyang Smith, Rain Celmar, Kolette Madelo, Kai Montinola, Jarren Garcia, JM Ibarra, Jas Dudley-Scales, Dylan Yturralde, Binsoy Namoca, JP Cabrera, Dingdong Bahan, Patrick Ramirez, Marc Nanninga, Joli Alferez, Gwen Montano, and Therese Villamor in full party mode, we can tell they quickly adjusted to the star-studded atmosphere. 

The ballroom also witnessed some outstanding performances from new-gen OPM favorite Maki; as well as from Carmelle Collado, who made her ABS-CBN Ball debut, fresh off her "Tawag Ng Tanghalan" win just last January; and  Six-Part Invention, who are a staple performer at the Ball. 

The iconic "ASAP" pillars—Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, and Martin Nievera—took a break from their usual performances and simply let loose, with their fellow ASAP Kapamilyas. 

And what’s a party without some dancing? The energy in the ballroom was so contagious, with even the timeless Charo Santos caught on camera dancing the night away.  

Also in the gallery are plenty of moments where guests are seen raising their glasses—we couldn’t help but just wonder what exactly they were toasting to, though.  

And of course, no event is complete without some selfies! Vina Morales, Dimples Romana, and Enchong Dee snapped selfies with fellow celebrities. Yes, even the ‘artistas’ themselves have their 'stan' moments too. And with a constellation of stars in attendance, the Ball was the perfect venue to fangirl or fanboy hard!