Rivera hosted a reality show, Extra Challenge, with Richard Gutierrez and Boobay. The show is a recurring reality show originally aired in 1999, 2003 and 2006.

Marian Rivera pursued ramp modelling in her elementary schooling years then later as TV commercial model for SkinWhite lotion, Sky Flakes biscuits, and other labels. These commercial appearances led TAPE Inc. executive producer Tony Tuviera commission her for roles in the afternoon TV soap operas Kung Mamahalin Mo Lang Ako, Agawin Mo Man ang Lahat, and Pinakamamahal. Rivera made her first supporting role film appearance through OctoArts’ Enteng Kabisote 2: Okay Ka Fairy Ko: The Legend Continues in 2005 as the fairy Alyssa. In 2006, she signed a contract with Regal Entertainment that featured her debut in the horror film Pamahiin.

From February 2007, GMA Network cast her for motherly roles; first in the Filipino-Malaysian TV drama series Muli. and lastly in the fantasy TV series, Super Twins as the protagonist twins’ mother, and villain on later episodes that concluded on 1 June 2007.

In 2007, Rivera auditioned for and won the lead role in GMA Network’s adaptation of the popular Mexican series MariMar (based on Televisa’s the 1994 Mexican telenovela of the same title). Opposite to Dingdong Dantes, the show became the highest-rated prime time drama show on Philippine television at that time and launched Rivera to stardom.

She was acknowledged as a Phenomenal TV Star in the 38th Box-Office Entertainment Awards by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation, Inc. in 2008. That year she won an award for her work in the show, as well as several product endorsements. She was named the country’s sexiest woman by FHM magazine, and was also included in the “hottest” list of other magazines like Maxim and Uno.

In 2008, Rivera played the title role in Dyesebel, which aired on 28 April 2008, the famous Philippine mermaid character acted by many famous Filipinos actresses from as early as 1970. The series is another team-up with Dantes. The year marked Rivera’s first lead role opposite Richard Gutierrez in My Best Friend’s Girlfriend. In the same year, Dantes and Rivera debuted in One True Love, directed by Mac Alejandre. She also appeared in two Metro Manila Film Festival entries such as Shake, Rattle & Roll X, an omnibus horror trilogy in which she played “Nieves, The Engkanto Slayer”, and Desperadas 2, a sequel of the 2007 film of the same with Rufa Mae Quinto, Iza Calzado, Ruffa Gutierrez, and Ogie Alcasid. She was among the third batch of stars honored in the Eastwood City Walk of Fame located in Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City in 2008.

Rivera released her first dance music album entitled Marian Rivera Dance Hits under Universal Records in 2008. It was a compilation of 12 songs, danced and choreographed by Rivera. The album certified a 2-time Platinum Record Award by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (or PARI).

Rivera was declared as FHM Magazine’s Sexiest Woman in 2008. With her victory, the FHM staff clarifies that contrary to popular impression, Rivera was already being eyed by FHM even before her career skyrocketed because of Marimar. Before arising as Top 1 in the Top 100 list, she was already listed in the list in 2006 and 2007 at #38 and #24 respectively.

In 2009, she released her first single, “Sabay Sabay Tayo” under her second album Retro Crazy. The single and the album both received Gold Award and later on, a Platinum Record Award from PARI.

In February 2009, she appeared in Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang, an adaptation of Carlo J. Caparas’ graphic novel. It was her third team-up with Dingdong Dantes. Later that year, she was paired with Dennis Trillo in an adaptation of the famous historical fiction heroine created by Mars Ravelo, Darna. She played Narda, who turns into superheroine Darna, after swallowing a magical stone. Nestor Torre of Philippine Daily Inquirer described the series as “loud and livid”, praising Rivera’s acting. Trillo and Rivera later teamed-up for the second time on the horror-suspense film Tarot produced by GMA Films and Regal Entertainment.

In 2009, Rivera and Dingdong Dantes, with assistance from Yes Pinoy Foundation, Philippine National Red Cross and Philippine Marines went to Cainta, Rizal to help the victim of Typhoon Ondoy. Aside from being a volunteer in GMA Network’s telethon, she helped repacking relief goods from the GMA Kapuso Foundation, a charitable institution from the network.

She is consistently at the upper top 10 after her declaration as Philippines’ finest woman, ranking #3 in 2009, #4 in 2010 and #2 losing to Sam Pinto, in 2011.

In 2009, Rivera was listed as #5 in “Top 20 Celebrity Endorser”‘s list of Manila Standard and #1 in QTV’s “Ang Pinaka…” List of Endorsers. In 2010, she was listed at SPOT’s list of “Top 10 Most In-demand Celebrity Endorsers” at #3. Christine Marie Leido of AB Communications, Inc. stated, “In our choice, for instance, of Marian Rivera[…]she provided the excitement, fresh look and instant recognition the brand needed. The market understood the product and was able to relate to it because she embodied the values the brand stood for … As could be expected, she motivated purchase because of her appeal across all classes and gender.”

Rivera, starred in the Philippine adaptation of Endless Love, a Korean series, aired on GMA Network. Rivera reunited with Dantes in You to Me Are Everything, a romantic-comedy film under GMA Films which premiered on 5 May 2010. She played Francisca Carantes, a girl from Cordillera who turns out to be the daughter of a millionaire.

In 2011, she was cast in Temptation Island, a remake of the 1980 film of the same name. She reprised the role of Cristina G., a beauty queen aspirant who has been trapped on an island together with contenders acted by Heart Evangelista, Solenn Heussaff, Lovi Poe, and Ruffa Mae Quinto. She also starred in Bong Revilla’s film, Ang Panday 2. That same year, she headlined Amaya, a historical drama fiction depicting early Filipinos in the 16th century. She won several awards and accolades including “Favorite TV Actress” on 2011 KZONE Awards, “Best Actress” in a Prime Time Television Series on NSSUA Awards, and for the first time as “Best Actress” in Golden Screen TV Awards in 2013.

In 2011, Rivera joined “Marriott Manila”, in reaching out for victims of Typhoon Sendong particularly the children in Pasay City.

In 2011, YES! Magazine listed her on their “Top 20 Endorsers” list which was a result of cumulative earnings of each celebrity on their endorsements alone.

In 2012, Rivera headlined on different programs of GMA Network such as My Beloved, a Filipino romance drama-suspense-thriller series created and written by RJ Nuevas, under the helm of Dominic Zapata and Lore Reyes.

The series premiered on 13 February 2012, it follows the life and love story of an angel of death named Arlan, a fictional character portrayed by Dantes, who falls in love with a human named Sharina, played by Rivera. He was punished and sent to earth to become human being. But complications arise when he found himself trapped in the body of a notorious criminal. She was cast on her second sitcom Tweets for My Sweet, which earned her two nominations as “Best Actress in comedy show” on 2012 PMPC Star Awards and 2013 Golden Screen TV Awards.

In August 2012, Rivera joined the Philippine Red Cross team during their mission in Quezon City to help out the victims of the flooding. Rivera, together with former senator Dick Gordon, waded through floodwaters to get to an area where some 500 families sought refuge from the floods caused by the non-stop rains. She stated that helping out the victims is her 28th birthday gift to herself. She also said that she didn’t mind getting wet and tired during the mission, as she says it was a small sacrifice compared to the hardships that the victims are experiencing. According to Rivera, she went as a volunteer and not as a celebrity.

In 2012, Rivera entered the chart at #5, her lowest since topping the said list in 2008. She became a cover for the first time on FHM through its January 2013 issue, which made her one of the biggest contenders for the title, Sexiest Woman of the World for 2013. Rivera appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan Magazine in the same month. For the third time, she was given a cover of Women’s Health in March 2013. She stated she owes her physique to Muay Thai and Wushu; both are forms of martial arts.

In 2012, she charted at #9 on the “Top 10 International Beauties of 2012” published by TopTenz, the only Asian who made it to the list. According to the web site, Rivera belongs to the major stars in the Philippines.

In 2013, Rivera and her boyfriend Dingdong Dantes contributed for the fund-raising event at the annual Noel Bazaar, the long-running Christmas shopping event in the Pasay City for GMA Kapuso Foundation. During the Philippines’ Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest typhoon ever recorded, Rivera also helped in the packing of relief goods to be distributed to the affected families and supported the Yes Pinoy Foundation’s victim assistance program. In addition to that, she launched Oplan: Bangka, a livelihood project in which Rivera will shoulder the expenses for the construction of fishing boats that will be given for Cebu’s fishermen.

In 2013, Rivera, along with Dingdong Dantes, joined PETA in their campaign to free the elephant Mali from the Manila Zoo.

In 2013, Rivera was declared by FHM Philippines as “the sexiest woman in the Philippines”, making her second to reclaim the coveted title five years after she first won it (the first was Angel Locsin, who won it in ’05 and ’10). According to FHM, more than 16 million votes were cast this year, and the final tally saw Rivera raking in a total of 890,490 votes against Sam Pinto’s 778,681.

In 2013, Rivera became the image of popular brand Ginebra San Miguel following her successful stint for the brand way back 2009.

Rivera returned to prime time with a heavy-drama project temporarily entitled as Carmela (formerly “Catarina”) broadcast by GMA Network on 27 January 2014, wherein she was occasionally paired with Alden Richards.

On 19 April 2014, she headlined in another Lenten television drama anthology special, Panalangin. It was the fourth time she had starred in a Lenten series which was also produced by APT Entertainment and broadcast in the same network.

On 31 March 2014, she lent her star power to promote the rights of women and children with disabilities in the country as she was appointed by the Congress of the Philippines as Ambassador for Women and Children with Disabilities. She proposed a public-private partnership for the establishment of a special school for children with disabilities so that they can have better access to education. On the latter part of the year, Rivera adds another advocacy to her list as she actively supports “Smile Train”, an international children’s charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate.

In August 2014, during a live airing of Rivera’s dance program, Dantes, her longtime boyfriend, made a special guest appearance. Dantes made a surprise live proposal to Rivera. It was the second proposal by Dantes; the first one was in Macau. In order to marry him, she had to be received into the Roman Catholic Church via conditional baptism as her baptism in Spain was not recognized as valid.

On 30 December 2014, she married Dingdong Dantes. The wedding was held at Cubao Cathedral in Quezon City, while the reception took place at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, and was televised on GMA Network. Dantes and Rivera had invited over 1,200 guests to their wedding. In April 2015, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child. Rivera gave birth to a daughter, Maria Letizia (named Zia), at the Makati Medical Center on 23 November 2015.

In 2015, Rivera was supposed to appear in her comeback television program entitled The Rich Man’s Daughter, but due to her pregnancy, she was then replaced by fellow Kapuso celebrity Rhian Ramos respectively. Despite of her first pregnancy, Rivera pursued to continue some of her appointments in which she appeared in different television commercial ads namely Biofit Tea, Hana Shampoo, Kopiko Cafe Blanca, 555 Tuna, and the recent Del Monte Quick & Easy TV ad, together with her husband Dingdong Dantes. Magazine covers that featured Rivera such as UNO Magazine, MEG Magazine, Preview Magazine, Speed Magazine, Weddings & Beyond Magazine are to be name the few. In the cover of UNO Magazine, Rivera was quoted as saying “Pregnancy is a beautiful thing”, describing her present condition in her Instagram account.

That same year, she headlined with Ai-Ai delas Alas, joined by Alden Richards, Julie Anne San Jose, as well as comedians Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola in the comedy-variety show Sunday PinaSaya. In 2016, Rivera marked her comeback in television as part of the remake of GMA Network’s fantasy TV show, Encantadia.

Rivera supports breastfeeding in public. She was given the Breastfeeding Influencer and Advocate Award by the Mother and Child Nurses Association of the Philippines on 25 November 2016, citing her advocacy for public breastfeeding.

In 2017, Rivera debuted in her drama anthology for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), Tadhana, which premiered 20 May. She appeared in Super Ma’am since September.

In September 2018, Dantes and Rivera announced that they were expecting their second child. Their son, Jose Sixto Gonzalez (named Ziggy), was born at the Makati Medical Center on 16 April 2019.