Maja Ross Andres Salvador was born on October 5, 1988 in Aparri, Cagayan, Philippines. Her father, Rosauro Salvador (popularly known as Ross Rival), was an actor. Her mother is Thelma Andres. She studied in San Benildo Integrated School and moved to ABS-CBN Distance Learning Center. She is a cousin to Jobelle Salvador (one of the casts of the Bagets movie) and niece of Phillip Salvador, a Filipino drama and action star. She is also a niece to Leroy Salvador, who was also an actor, and grandchild to the late Lou Salvador, a Filipino basketball player during the prewar era who has played for the Philippine national basketball team, later became an actor.