Liza Soberano has long established herself as one of the most popular stars in the country, but she still wants to do more. In fact, she has wrapped up filming for her upcoming Hollywood debut film Lisa Frankenstein with Cole Sprouse and Kathryn Newton. Since then, so many things have happened to her career that caught some off-guard. After being low-key for quite a while, she returns to the limelight with a new tell-all vlog, explaining her new journey as an artist. Here’s everything you need to know.

“This is Me.”

“Hey. It’s been a while. I know I’ve been distant, but please know it wasn’t my intention to make you feel abandoned.”

These were the opening words of 25-year-old Filipina-American actress Liza Soberano in her latest YouTube vlog, uploaded yesterday.

This comes after relaunching her Instagram and YouTube accounts, which many people thought were hacked. Soberano explained she was going through some changes, and it felt like she didn’t have the time to process what was happening. 

“But, I’m ready now. So, to fill you in on what’s been happening, let’s rewind a bit,” she said. 

The start of a new era

The actress said in her vlog that the COVID-19 pandemic allowed her to stop and be still after working for over a decade in show business. 

“This forced me to think. I didn’t have a childhood nor did I have the chance to grow and become an adult on my own terms. I had always been told what to do, what to wear, what to say, and what not to say.”

Although she knows these things are for her good, Soberano said it was a career, that in many ways, wasn’t hers. During the pandemic, James Reid asked Soberano if she was interested in collaborating. One thing led to another, and Soberano eventually found a home for her aspirations under Careless Music’s management.  

For so many years, she was under ABS-CBN’s talent management arm, Star Magic, being managed by Ogie Diaz. That’s why people were shocked after the announcement that Soberano had joined Careless.

A flower ready to bloom

Anyone who closely follows Philippine showbiz probably knows the name Liza Soberano. And honestly, how can you not? She has top-billed several films and teleseryes like Alone/Together, Just The Way You Are, Dolce Amore, and Forevermore. On top of that, she’s a bankable brand endorser.

However, even a successful actress like Soberano yearns for more, too. After 13 years in the industry, she realized that her career revolved around a few directors and mainly worked side by side with one main co-star while dabbling in specific genres like romance, comedy, and drama. 

“During all those years, I was never really asked for my input, my thoughts — my ideas. I felt like I was being told to be just a flower for so long, and I finally started to explore the world of being able to create and tell my story. 

“I’m slowly starting to dip my toes into the world of writing and producing — and it’s such an exhilarating feeling that I’ve never felt before,” she shared.

Growth and gratitude

But contrary to some people calling her “taklesa” and an “ingrate,” Soberano had nothing but words of appreciation for everyone who has helped her reach where she is now. 

“I also just wanted to take the time to say that I’m truly so grateful for everything that I have — everything that I have experienced in life professionally and personally. And everything else that came with it.”

Now that Soberano wants to take control of her path, supported by a newfound team, it’s sad how she suddenly became a villain in many people’s eyes. This begs the question; how long should one express or convey their sense of gratitude for all the support they’ve received? 

The culture of pagtanaw ng utang na loob is so deeply embedded in our society, that some forget we’ve all been in Soberano’s shoes at one point in our lives — a person who only wants to do what they’re passionate about without hate or judgment.

But that’s not just our takeaway from her tell-all. Here are more words of wisdom from Soberano that you can take to heart:

Not everyone will like your decisions, and that’s okay

Even a famous celeb like Soberano knows that with every decision comes people who support you and those who question it. But you know what? The latter doesn’t always matter.

“I struggled with how some people were disappointed and upset with my decision. Many thought I had changed, but that wasn’t change. It was in fact the first real choice I made myself, for myself.”

At the end of the day, it’s best to remind yourself why you’re doing all of these. Are you pursuing this unknown path for yourself or them? Once you find the answer, that’s the only time you can move forward.

Authenticity matters

Soberano also touched on cutting down her brand endorsements and how she wants to be more intentional with her partnerships moving forward. “I wanna make sure the products I preach for, are actually products that I believe in.”

She excitedly shared an upcoming project with a brand, where she had the opportunity to work with them, including pre-production meetings, storyboarding, directing, and writing of the script. Talk about a woman of many talents! We could take a thing or two from Soberano’s work ethic and not be afraid of expressing our ideas to create better outputs. After all, you could never go wrong with collaborative efforts.

You’re the writer of your own life

“I know I’ve been getting some backlash and I obviously know that it would be much easier to stick to what has been working for me — to stay forever the same,” she said. However, Soberano also acknowledged that by doing whatever people want from her, she’s being unfair to herself.

“I’ve sacrificed my childhood, I’ve sacrificed my freedom, and I’ve sacrificed my happiness to present Liza Soberano to the world. And I think that I’ve earned the right to finally be me — to finally be able to do things for me.”

Sure, it’s scary and nerve-wracking, especially if you have no fame or millions of followers to back you up. But if Soberano could break out of her box, and embark on a fresh chapter, then so can you.

What are your thoughts on Liza Soberano’s vlog?

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