Almost a week after the alleged hacking turned out to be a rebranding of her Instagram and YouTube accounts, actress Liza Soberano has finally opened up on the changes she embarks on what she described as the “terrifying, anxiety-filled, and confusing” part of making a new career for herself.
In a 14-minute vlog uploaded on her YouTube channel, the 24-year-old actress updated her fans on what she has been up to since leaving Star Magic and her manager, Ogie Diaz.
"The pandemic was the first time in my life where I was allowed to stop and be still. 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," Liza said, noting how she has been working nonstop for over a decade since she was 12 years old.
"I had always been told what to do, what to wear, what to say and what not to say. I know this was for my own good. It was to protect me and my career, but it was a career that I had no say in. A career that in many ways wasn't mine. I didn't even choose the name Liza. It was chosen for me," she continued.
Before being fully introduced as Liza, the actress went on at the beginning of her career as 'Hope Soberano.'
"I’ve been in six feature films, over 500 episodes of teleserye, and have only really dabbled into three main genres – romance, comedy, and drama. Since I was 16, I had only really worked side by side with one main co-star, with the same production company, rotating around the same three directors. During all those years, I was never really asked for my input, my thoughts, my ideas," she confessed.
“I’ve sacrificed myself, I’ve sacrificed my freedom, I’ve sacrificed my happiness to present Liza Soberano to the world, and I think I’ve earned the right to finally be me. To finally be able to do things for myself as Hope Soberano," she said.
According to Liza, she is not telling a story of bitterness or regret but rather a story of growth and gratitude.
"At 24 years old, I was finally given the choice to decide my own path," she said.
The 'Forevermore' actress then narrated how she met with her fellow actor James Reid, who manages the record-label Careless Music which she eventually signed into.
At the time, the actress said she was looking for a “lot more creative freedom” under her management.
"It was at this crossroad in my life that the randomest thing happened. James Reid reached out to me wondering what I was up to and seeing if I wanted to collaborate," she said.
In June 2022, Liza announced that she signed with Reid’s record label Careless Music after being managed by Ogie Diaz for 11 years.
"I love the way they respected my vision and intelligence as I did theirs," she said.
After she went on vacation in Palawan and figured in a motorcycle accident that left her with "gnarly" scars, Liza said she took a month to recuperate and train herself through yoga, meditation, and journaling.
When she felt that she was ready to be active again, she sat with them and her talk with the team sealed the deal for her.
"I asked them what the plan was for me and they said I don't know. You tell us. We're here to support whatever your dreams are. That's when I knew I had found my team," she revealed. "I had been approached by so many different management companies before, and it was the first time any of them had asked me what I wanted, what made me happy."
Growing
Liza has recently finished filming her Hollywood debut film, “Lisa Frankenstein,” where she stars as Taffy together with Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse.
And while she's the type who is hesitant to share her most personal experiences and thoughts on social media, the actress assured her fans that she understands why they feel and think it’s unfair on their part.
“But I hope you understand that by doing so, by giving into the pressure of doing what everybody else wants for me, I am being unfair to myself, Hope Soberano,” she said.
Liza also revealed that she's trying out writing and producing nowadays and that her current stay in the country is related to an upcoming project which will be revealed today, Feb. 27.
The actress said that she has recently started cutting down on some of her product endorsements, but is currently working on a new brand that will mark her “first jab at directing.”
“It has been the most amazing experience ever,” she said about the stint. “I am just so excited to see everyone’s reaction to it. It’s nothing like I’ve ever done before, that’s for sure. I am sure a lot of you guys will be shocked and will be surprised but I had the best time working on it.”
Now that she’s embarking on a new chapter, Liza expressed her happiness over making her own decisions.
“I’m finally taking control of my life, pursuing dreams that I’ve always had to hold off,” she said. “It’s exciting, terrifying, anxiety-filled, and confusing, but what I know for sure is that for the first time, I’m finally living my life for me.”
