Bela Padilla is temporarily closing a chapter of her life in London, as she bares plans on stepping back into acting, the actress announced in a heartfelt Instagram post on Sunday, January 26.
After taking in a few moments from her time in London, Bela recalled how the city shaped her into the woman she is today. Since 2021, the actress has been living in London, closest to her relatives and her Swiss-Italian boyfriend Norman Bay.
However, her great move to Europe was not an easy feat, as it was also the city that made her question everything she knew in life, whether it be the gut-punching reality or little reminders that kept her going.
“Even if London will forever be the city that made me question everything I know in life, and forced me to square my shoulders, walk faster and be more vigilant…it will also always be the city that allowed me to smell flowers in spring and summer. And boy did I stop and smell the flowers constantly,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
“They were the highlights of my day. On days when I forgot what I sounded like because I wasn’t talking to anybody, I had the flowers to remind me that God wanted me happy by giving me the most beautiful flowers just around my neighbourhood,” she continued.
The actress described how she embraced the “sad colors of autumn” that would crush her soul each time she swept the floors of her garden before winter.
The challenges that she faced, allowed her to develop sharper instincts. The actress proudly recalled how she stayed healthy while navigating her autoimmune disorder. Apart from personal challenges, Bela also absorbed the London lifestyle, learning how to navigate it by walking, riding her bike, and driving a car on the left side of the road.
2023 was a tumultuous year for the actress, as she navigated life in London, coming to terms with her father’s passing, and finding herself back in school at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). As she continued to embrace life in the U.K., Bela recalled how she found herself making new friends who shared her love for food, pints of Guinness or ciders, and takeaways.
“I had to figure out grief alone in my high ceiling bedroom when I got the call that my dad had passed away…so my first house in London will always be the one I hold dearest to me. The sadness ate me whole so I took a train to Scotland where, shockingly, the sun made me feel like I was in the Philippines for a few days. I will still have my house in London and maybe one day, I will call it home again,” she wrote.
“London is polite but shouts when you’re wrong. [it's] Beautiful but rough around the edges. Kind but has a darkness that could scare the tough...my friend, London,” she continued.
Bela surprised netizens in 2021 when she announced that she would be moving to London. Although the exact reason why she moved was unspecified at the time, many believed that it was because of Norman. However, in 2023, she clarified in a talk show that she moved to the U.K. during the pandemic, as most of her relatives were living in Europe.
However, she emphasised that she is open to returning to the country for projects.
“A few seconds of my life in London since 2021. I am temporarily closing this chapter as I prepare to work full-time again. And yes, I should have taken more pictures. I should have kissed and hugged my loved ones as much as I needed,” she said.
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Bela is most known for her roles in critically acclaimed films like 100 Tula Para Kay Stella and Meet Me in St. Gallen. Apart from acting, she also dabbled with writing and directing.
