LIZA SOBERANO: CONFIDENCE AND COURAGE

By Anne Venancio-Bendanillo T went y-one-year-old Liza Soberano (real name: Hope Elizabeth Soberano) wants to be recognized for her con- fidence and courage to take on new roles in her career. Born on January 4, 1998 at Santa Clara, California, Liza’s father is John Castillo Sober- ano from Pangasinan, while her mother, Jacqu- lyn Elizabeth Hanley, is an American. Liza’s paternal grandparents raised her in Visalia, California, and she moved to Manila with her dad in 2008.

Liza started her showbiz career at 12, when she appeared in a couple of print ads. A talent scout introduced her to showbiz columnist-host-comedian Ogie Diaz, who has since acted as her manager.

Liza made her acting debut in the fanta- sy-drama-comedy anthology Wansapanataym (2011). She played Claire Raymundo in Kung Ako’y Iiwan Mo the year after. Soberano then portrayed Angel in Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo’s movie Must Be... Love. In 2013 she starred as Gillian in She’s the One, alongside Bea Alonzo, Dingdong Dan- tes and Enrique Gil. Liza shifted to an antag- onist role, when she played Daniel Padilla’s the other woman in primetime series Got to Believe.

Year 2014 saw Liza going big time as she played her first ever lead role role in the ABSCBN series Forevermore. Liza was strawberry farmer Maria Agnes Calay, Enrique Gil’s love interest. The two made other films and TV series together, until they became an item, not just on screen, but off.

In May 2017, the Star Network cast Liza in the iconic role of superhero Darna. But an accident during primetime drama series Bagani, resulted in a finger injury that required surgery. It forced Liza to back out from the project months ago (the role went to newbie Jane de Leon).

Liza has proven her worth as an actress and box office draw. The 46th GMMSF (Guill- ermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Founda- tion) Box Office Entertainment Awards named her the Most Promising Female Star of the Year (2014). She was PushPlay Best Female Celebrity and PushElite Female Celebrity of the Year in 2015.

Other recognitions include the Most Influential Celebrity Endorser of the Year (6th EdukCircle Awards), ALTA Media Icon’s Most Influential Female TV Personality (for Dolce Amore) and Best Actress for Film (Everyday I Love You), RAWR Awards’ Favorite Actress of the Year, Best Drama Actress for (Dolce Amore) at the 3rd Aral Parangal Awards of the Young Educator’s Summit, Best Television Actress at the 4th Paragala: The Central Luzon Media Awards, Television Actress of the Year at the 4th Lyceum of the Philippines Universi- ty Umalohok Juan Awards, EdukCircle Awards’ Most Influential Film Actress of the Year (for My Ex and Whys) in EdukCircle Awards and Box Office Queen at the 49th GMMSF Box-Office Entertainment Awards.  BG Liza Soberano: Confiden e and Courage Liza with on and off-screen partner Enrique Gil