Actress Liza Soberano candidly opened up about the sacrifices she has made in pursuit of a Hollywood career, admitting that it was painful to be labeled “washed up” after leaving behind a highly successful career in the Philippines.
During the second part of her conversation on the Painfully Human podcast hosted by Edward Barber, Soberano reflected on the financial and personal challenges she has faced since relocating to Los Angeles in 2024.
“Now, I think that I moved to LA obviously, money is the biggest thing that I’ve sacrificed because I could be here in the Philippines doing the same thing I’ve been doing since I was 12, making lots of money,” she said.
The actress acknowledged that she could have continued earning substantial income in the Philippines, particularly through endorsement deals.
“Endorsements pay really well, not taping and movies, but endorsements pay really well,” she explained.
“I could still be easily just doing that and still making the same amount of money that I used to, but now I don’t. That’s what I sacrificed to be living in LA.”
Soberano admitted that adjusting to life as a newcomer in Hollywood has not been easy, especially when people in the Philippines assumed her career had declined simply because she was no longer as visible locally.
“Because, now that I’m living in LA, obviously, I’m a new artist, so I’m going through all the ‘new artist things,'” she said.
The actress revealed that online comments questioning her relevance deeply affected her when she first moved to the United States.
“When I first moved to LA, it really hurt me when people would be like, ‘oh, laos na siya, we don’t see her anywhere,’ ‘oh, laos na siya, she’s like, only doing this, like, small, little influencer gigs.'”
According to Soberano, many people do not realize that those smaller projects help support her while she works toward her long-term goals.
“But guys, that’s how I stay alive. Like, I’m not making as much money as I did before. And on top of that, majority of my money still comes from Asia, but I’m living in the US.
“So, the conversion is crazy. And so, I have to do all these like, little gigs every now and then because that’s how I pay my bills and that’s like the price that I’m paying so that I can like, fulfill this ambition or dream of mine.”
She also disclosed the significant costs associated with pursuing acting opportunities in Hollywood.
“And it’s not cheap. Like every self-tape, I spend like, $500,” she revealed.
Soberano said she typically submits three to four audition tapes each week, often facing rejection despite the effort and expense involved.
The actress admitted that one of the biggest adjustments has been moving from a position of stardom in the Philippines to having to audition for every opportunity in Hollywood.
“Coming from a country where they would mold a show and a movie around me and then all of a sudden, having to go there and audition for everything and everyday just to be rejected over and over again,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Soberano said she views the experience as an opportunity for growth.
“I’m learning and growing so much,” she shared.
“It’s okay, ’cause I’m doing the thing that I said I wanted to do.”
In the first part of the interview, Soberano also discussed her decision to step back from social media and how it has positively affected her mental health.
“So much better,” she said when asked how life has changed since becoming less active online.
“For the first time like I can actually breathe and I have like a better perspective on the world.”
The actress explained that distancing herself from social media helped her realize that online conversations do not represent the entirety of public opinion.
“I understand now that like the world is so big and like the problems that I face or the problems that kind of like pop up on my algorithm or social media isn’t like the whole world and isn’t the opinion of everyone.”
Soberano also reflected on how she spent years trying to meet other people’s expectations.
“I felt like the need to be understood by everyone. I didn’t know who I was. I was just building this person to be the perfect person for everyone.”
Today, she says she feels freer and less concerned about public validation.
“Now that I’m not like on social media, I just don’t care about being understood by people and I don’t care about competing or just showing people what they want to see.”
While continuing to build her career in Hollywood, Soberano is also preparing for the release of ‘Forgotten Island’, a Philippine mythology-inspired animated adventure from DreamWorks Animation.
The film features an all-star cast that includes H.E.R., Lea Salonga, Manny Jacinto, and Dolly de Leon.
Scheduled for theatrical release in September 2026, the film marks another milestone in Soberano’s continuing efforts to establish herself in the international entertainment industry.
