Beyond her career aspirations in America, actress Liza Soberano shared what she hopes to achieve through her Hollywood journey: to inspire fellow Filipinos to dream big.
Photo: Liza Soberano/Instagram
In an interview on veteran journalist Karen Davila’s 1ON1 podcast, Liza encouraged Filipinos to never be afraid to dream big and never let anyone limit their potential.
“But more than anything, I wanna inspire them to dream bigger. Kasi, one thing that I learned about being in America, and that I really appreciate about American culture, is there’s this strong dreamer mentality—no limits,” the 28-year-old actress said. “And like, when people talk about their dreams and share them with other people, other people encourage them to go after it no matter how absurd it sounds.”
Soberano also reflected that some Filipinos may struggle with “self-belief” and sometimes feel discouraged from pursuing bigger dreams, prompting her to question why people are held back from reaching their full potential.
“I wanna encourage people to keep dreaming big, because even if it doesn’t seem like it’s possible because of where you’re at right now, as long as you keep putting it out there, just saying what it is that you want, what it is that you want to achieve, I feel like the universe and God have a way of bringing it to you,” the former Kapamilya actress explained.
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Resonating with her statement, several netizens agreed with Liza’s perspective.
“So true. And sometimes, instead of uplifting other Filipinos for their dreams and their courage to dream, crab mentality still persists,” one comment read.
“Kaya it’s important to surround yourself with dreamers… I’ve shared some dreams with my friends and some will greatly encourage you, while others will share their worries and other ‘realistic’ scenarios… So if I want to get pushed more, I share my ambitions with the dreamers… Some crazy ideas will only happen if you pursue them wholeheartedly and stop listening to others’ opinions,” another netizen added.
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While many admired Liza’s brave decision to leave her established career in the Philippines to pursue opportunities in Hollywood, social media users offered differing perspectives on her message.
“Unpopular opinion: When Filipinos doubt your big dream, it’s not really crab mentality. It’s just that the Philippine system has taught and programmed everybody, especially the common people, that dreaming in this country is just impossible for many,” one Facebook user commented. “In the US, of course, people are encouraged to dream big and reach for it because they have access to all the opportunities they need to actually achieve their dreams. Here in the Philippines, it’s 10x harder. Not everybody has access to these opportunities. There are limited career paths that can guarantee success.”
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Other commenters echoed similar sentiments regarding Liza’s statement, noting that many Filipinos may not have the financial security to risk uncertainty while pursuing their aspirations. Some pointed to the stark reality of prioritizing stable careers and immediate financial needs over long-term dreams.
Leaving an established career for Hollywood
Despite an already established track record at home, Liza stepped away from her flourishing local showbiz career to pursue her Hollywood dream—a decision that initially drew questions from the public.
“When I started pursuing my career in America, I think there were a lot of questions around why—why would I leave my career at its peak to pursue something that was uncertain? And for me, I knew the risk that I was taking at that time,” Liza explained. “For me, I value learning and growing as a human being and as a professional, and so that’s kind of what I want to prove, I guess, to the Filipino people.”
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In the Philippines, the former Kapamilya star had cemented herself as a major name across both television and film.
Her experience was entirely different in the US. Soberano had to navigate auditions and build her footing in a new industry. She landed her first Hollywood film role after auditioning for Lisa Frankenstein, following a chance meeting with director Zelda Williams in Los Angeles in 2022.
In August 2022, Soberano was officially announced as part of the cast for the horror-comedy Lisa Frankenstein, playing Taffy, the stepsister of Kathryn Newton’s titular character. The film hit theaters in 2024.
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Expanding her horizons beyond live-action acting, Soberano also ventured into voice work, lending her voice to Raissa in the DreamWorks Animation feature film Forgotten Island.
The animated film debuted in the North American top five with an estimated $12.8 million (roughly P805.6 million) opening weekend, drawing praise from critics for its vibrant homage to Philippine folklore, as well as Soberano’s voice performance—which JoBlo praised as bringing a balance of “jubilation and mindfulness” to her character alongside co-star H.E.R.
Through these milestones, Soberano continues to share her message of pursuing one’s dreams even when the path ahead feels uncertain. Much like the sentiment behind the hit song “Puede Nang Mangarap,” her journey reflects the idea that Filipinos can dare to dream—even when those dreams initially seem improbable.
ALSO READ: Liza Soberano and H.E.R. to Visit Manila With the Filmmakers of “Forgotten Island”
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