Liza Soberano opens up on transition to Hollywood: ‘It’s hard’

Liza Soberano on the transition from working in Philippines to Hollywood | Images: Instagram/@lizasoberano

Liza Soberano admitted she had a difficult time navigating her career through Hollywood, noting the differences in culture and production style in the Philippines, and the backlash she received when she announced her decision to explore international opportunities.

Sitting down on the Fun with Dumb podcast, the Filipina actress spoke candidly and revealed that it was a stressful journey when she decided to take her chances in Hollywood and set aside her career in the Philippines.

“It was really nerve-racking because I’m coming from a 12-year long career in the Philippines, not to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty established already in Manila. There’s this certain privilege that I had, the comfort that I had back home but I decided to leave all that in search of personal growth and professional growth,” Soberano said. 

The “Dolce Amore” star reflected on the criticism she received from the Filipinos after she announced that she was venturing out to Hollywood, especially after her statements lamenting the love team culture of the Philippines.

“When I came out here I started to make big moves, meeting a lot of amazing people like Zelda, and then I came out with this movie. There was a lot of backlash that I received from people back home in the Philippines. It kind of stemmed from me just talking more and more about my experiences from the industry in the Philippines and kind of comparing America to the Philippines, I meant Hollywood to Filipino entertainment,” she said. 

Soberano noted that regardless of her efforts to describe her experiences in the Philippines from Hollywood in the way she knows how, some people would take it differently or out of context, making the shift rather hard. 

“For me, at first, I was explaining to them I can’t really compare it ‘cause they are so different but so the same at the same time. If I take all the small details and explain them to people, nobody is really going to understand. They’re just going to think I’m saying Hollywood is better, whatever, but it’s really not that,” she underscored. 

“It’s just that I’m stating the facts. It was hard. It was definitely difficult. It was a huge transition for me, culturally. Even though I’m an American and I grew up in America, I spent more time in the Philippines,” added the actress. 

The “Alone/Together” actress opened up about having thoughts of not knowing where to belong as she struggles to fit in wherever she is.

“I had a hard time navigating that. I thought initially maybe I don’t belong here, maybe I don’t fit in ‘cause just I felt I’m always awkward amongst people but then I realized I felt like that in the Philippines too. I guess it’s just that this weird thing of being like a halfie where you just truly feel like you don’t belong anywhere. I feel like I belong amongst other halfies,” she said. 

Soberano made her global acting debut starring alongside Cole Sprouse, Kathryn Newton, Carla Gugino, and others in the Hollywood film “Lisa Frankeinstein,” which will premiere in cinemas on February 9.