Former manager Ogie Diaz has spoken up following the explosive revelations of Liza Soberano about her harrowing childhood in the United States, saying he both sympathizes with and admires the actress for her courage.
In the August 17 episode of his vlog, Diaz confirmed that he knew about some of Soberano’s past struggles, which the actress recently shared in Sarah Bahbah’s Can I Come In? podcast.
“Nai-kuwento ‘yan ni Liza sa amin. Syempre kapag tatanggap ka ng talent, kailangan makilala mo ‘yong talambuhay niya,” Diaz said. “Naawa ako at the same time, ang tapang. Napakatapang ni Liza Soberano.”
Soberano earlier recounted how her biological mother’s meth addiction led to her and her younger brother being kidnapped by the latter’s boyfriend when they were toddlers. After their mother’s arrest, they were placed under the care of foster parents who, instead of nurturing them, subjected them to cruel abuse — making her eat dog feces and forcing her to crouch inside a cardboard box “like a pet.”
Diaz added more context, recalling that Soberano had an aversion to dolls and even egg trays, as they triggered memories of being locked in a room full of dolls during her childhood.
“She didn’t like receiving dolls as a gift… She would also find egg trays weird. She had those moments. Of course, as her manager, I had to understand where the child was coming from,” he explained.
The entertainment insider also revealed that the actress once sought help from a psychiatrist to process her trauma.
“Kami ni Tita Joni, parang guardians ni Liza, hindi naman kami mga doktor. Alam ko rin na nakikipagkita siya sa psychiatrist noon,” he said.
Despite the pain, Diaz believes Soberano’s difficult past may have shaped her exceptional talent as an actress.
“I want to attribute this to why she is great at acting and great at crying. I don’t want to invalidate her feelings and recollections. It’s her story.”
The veteran manager also clarified one point of contention: contrary to Soberano’s earlier claim that she never intended to be an actress, Diaz said it was truly her dream.
“Ako ha, kuwento ko naman ito na gusto niya talaga mag-artista. Ngayon kung ang claim ni Liza ay ayaw niya… sabi ko nga sa inyo, kanya-kanyang kuwento natin,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the same podcast, Soberano confirmed that she and Enrique Gil have been separated for almost three years. She still described Gil as her “first love” and admitted that their popular love team once served as her “safety net,” though she eventually realized they were no longer a match.
Soberano, who was once one of Diaz’s prized talents, is now signed under James Reid’s Careless Music after moving to the U.S. to pursue a Hollywood career.
