As the actress goes to Hollywood, she gives us her take on what it means to be an actress, a fan, and simply herself.
Related: We’re Finally Seeing Liza Soberano Debuting in Hollywood!
In show business, one decision can make or break your career—and as an actress for more than a decade, Liza knows this for a fact.
Clad in a cozy sweater and sporting a light makeup, Liza appears on screen with a smile on her face. She knows that the whole interview will be about her, but there is something about her smile that is unassuming. Humble, even.
So we start with a simple question that probably don’t get genuinely asked that often to them—How are you doing?
“This is a new place for me, so I don’t feel very comfortable going out and about alone. I’m just in the room, working out in the gym or go to the spa of the hotel,” she confesses.
Liza is currently in New Orleans for the production of Lisa Frankenstein, the upcoming horror-romcom of Zelda Williams. By now, everybody already knows that this is Liza’s Hollywood debut.
But this decision, by looking at Liza’s eyes, is one that she does not regret.
It’s nice because it’s like my first time really being alone and taking care of myself. It’s nice, but it can get a little lonely sometimes.
Liza Soberano on being in New Orleans for Lisa Frankenstein
Liza On How Lisa Frankenstein Happened
A career move that big makes people wonder how it happened, and it was actually Zelda Williams herself who encouraged Liza to audition.
“I met Zelda during my trip to LA a few months back. It’s amazing because the first time James (Reid), Jeff (Oh), and I met Zelda was the same day the project got green-lit by the studio.
“When she found out that the project was a go, she said to me, ‘I already have the top-billing actors casted on this project. We’re looking to cast other characters. Maybe you can audition for one of the roles in the movie!’
“And I said, ‘Yeah, sure! Let me have a look at the script. I’ll read it and if it’s something that interests me, then I’ll audition for it.'”
After that, the script was sent to her while she was in Korea. Upon finding out that it was written by Diablo Cody—whom she is is a big fan of—she knew she had to audition for it.
Although the opportunity came knocking through a dinner with the director herself, Liza’s audition also involved a difficult process.
“I’ve never done a self-tape audition before, so that was very new to me. The first was actually a fail,” she recalls with a laugh. “My camera wasn’t focused the whole time, then I didn’t give myself enough headroom. I had to reshoot the whole thing.”
But sometime in August, at around 7 AM, her manager comes knocking at her door for the big news. When she found out that she got the role, she actually had to downplay her excitement.
Liza explains, “I just don’t want to hype myself up too much until I’m actually there doing the project.”
One week later after getting casted, she flew to New Orleans.
It was exactly what I’ve been wanting to do for the longest time, which is a horror-comedy-romance film. It’s just everything that I’ve ever wanted in a movie.
Liza on why she auditioned for Lisa Frankenstein
Liza On Becoming Taffy
Fans are in for a treat as they should expect a different look from Liza as Taffy!
The actress explains, “It’s a period piece, so it takes place in the 80s. It’s my first time ever doing anything from a different period, so the styling, hair, and make-up are all very 80s.
There is not much that she can reveal about her character just yet. But Liza, however, tells us that Taffy is someone she, and even everyone, can relate to.
Taffy is a genuine person who wants the best for everybody. She just doesn’t know how to put that into words.
She’s in high school; so you know, in high school, we create these realities in our heads of how high school should be and how we should portray ourselves to people. So although she is very genuine, she has that in her mind at all times. I kind of relate to that. I am genuine, but I am also very cautious and take people’s feelings into consideration.
Liza on playing Taffy
Apart from this, the actress also shares that Taffy is the most liberated character she’s ever played. But Taffy’s liberation, according to Liza, is in the form of speaking her mind and being confident—something that not all of her previous roles had.
Liza On Making Her Acting Comeback
The news of her participation broke the internet and it is not just because it’s her Hollywood debut. It also came as a shock for the fans, but also for Liza herself.
“If it didn’t leak, it would have taken longer before we made an official announcement. My fans would continue on wondering if I’m going back to acting or not. I’m happy about it but I’m also a little bit sad that it didn’t come out on our own terms.”
At the end of the day, the 24-year-old star is just grateful that everyone is happy for her.
A lot of fans have been wondering where Liza has been since the pandemic after her drama series with on-and-off-screen partner, Enrique Gil, got shelved.
The truth it is, opportunities did not stop knocking on her door. But as an artist who, at this point in her career, already knows what she wants, Liza chose not to settle.
I was looking for something that kind of scared me, would make me hesitate to do it because I wasn’t sure if I would be able to pull it off or not because I want a challenge.
Of course, there are huge risks with the career move that I decided to take, and that’s what excited me because I knew that whether it’d be good or bad, I will learn from it. That’s the important thing for me at the end of the day.
Liza on choosing a Hollywood debut for her acting comeback
And indeed, the waiting game paid off.
Liza On Shooting In Hollywood
The Lisa Frankenstein actress also shares that shooting in Hollywood makes her feel spoiled, in a sense—from having her own trailer with toilet and bath to getting 12-hour maximum taping hours.
It also came as a surprise to her that the whole filming schedule was already planned out, so she is able to solidify her plans for her whole stay in the US. She could squeeze in a work out or spend a pool day with her co-star, Kathryn Newton, who plays the namesake of the film and her step-sister.
Liza also appreciates the form of artistry that she has observed in shooting the film, wherein there is a balance of individuality and collaboration in the respective crafts of the artists. She notes that makeup artists and hairstylists were only given pegs by the directors and producers, but it was ultimately their call on how to interpret the looks.
They were also very open to asking her if she was comfortable with particular hairstyles and make-up products, which the actress very much appreciates.
Lastly, she shares that certain film terminologies are not the same. “In the Philippines, we call them lines. But here, they’re called sides. For sequences, the counterpart term is pages. I was trying to explain to them how we like to break down stuff on our call sheet.”
Liza On Being Her Careless Self
Before her Hollywood break, there was an equally big decision that Liza had to make for her career. She is now under Careless with a US Representation from Transparent Arts.
It was a big move for Liza. And Careless, in return, made this move a literal one by taking her to places.
After the change became official, Liza flew to Los Angeles, Korea, and Hawaii to meet different artists, directors, and producers. In her trips, she was a lucky fangirl who met a ton of idols and celebrities.
When I’m right in front of that person I completely forget that I’m a celebrity. But whenever they have interactions with their fans, or the staff of their concerts or music videos, I take a step back and remember that I’m also an artist myself.
Liza on meeting celebrities and artists
“It’s moments like those where I get to appreciate and understand where the artist is coming from, and how they express themselves in their artistry. How they also connect with their fans. That’s something that I also can relate to and wish that I could also do better at. Especially with the K-Pop industry, they’re very good at fan service. Their production quality is amazing. That is something I wish to get better at through the years.”
As Liza goes global, Careless cheers their newest star from behind. “Every now and then, I get a text from people at Careless congratulating me or asking me how I am. It’s moments like those where I say to myself, ‘Oh, there are people who genuinely care about how I’m doing. There are people who genuinely want to see me shine and thrive in my career. It’s exciting and heartwarming.”
People on Twitter constantly rave about the “big sibling energy” that Liza and new manager James Reid have been exuding.
And just like any cool brother, Liza reveals that James did not give him any solid advice. He just checks up on her, making sure that she enjoys the process.
James just told me to soak in the whole experience. He just told me, ‘This is your dream! Just go for it and do it, experience it. Live in the moment. And that’s exactly what I’m doing right now.
