Once again, it seems, that the former Star Magic talent has vexed the public over her comments.
Last April 28, 2023, Hope Soberano – most known by her former stage name Liza Soberano, appeared on Dive Studio’s “Get Real” podcast with South Korean singers Ashley Choi and BTOB’s Peniel, where she dished out on a couple of topics. One of these topics was on the “love team culture” in Philippine showbiz.
On the podcast, Soberano asserted that the “only way” for aspiring actors to succeed in the industry is to become part of a love team. “In the Philippines, the only way to become a big star really, if you’re not a singer, if you’re an actor, is to be in a love team.”
Liza Soberano explains the loveteam culture in the Philippines on the Get Real podcast.pic.twitter.com/Ob7f7K1qGg
— Philippine TV & Film Updates (@phtvandfilmupd) April 28, 2023
After basically explaining the concept of what a “love team” is to hosts Ashley Choi and Peniel, Choi asked about what would happen if she was part of a love team and was dating someone else in real life and was caught with the person they’re actually dating. Hope Soberano then said that “You can’t…you better not,” in that case.
“That has happened and it’s sad because the fans become so caught up in this kind of illusion that the love team is actually a real-life couple.” Said Soberano. Those statements alone got Hope Soberano back on the hate train by some netizens, who seemed to be really riled up by her speaking out.
At the same time, people were backing Hope Soberano and agreed with what she had said about the love team culture in the Philippine industry. Others also said that what Hope had said has been experienced by almost all actors who were part of the love team phenomenon.
While some of the criticisms thrown against Hope Soberano hold some weight (you already know what they are, so theres’s no need for us to reiterate), we have to understand that she was opening up about her own experiences in the industry.
Surely, Hope Soberano understands that her fame does come partly (or greatly) from her love team with reel to real partner Enrique Gil (LizQuen). Most of her acting gigs have almost always involved Gil, and her rose to fame was due to their first ever romcom teleserye, “Forevermore” back in 2014.
However, in Hope Soberano’s perspective, despite the phenomenon being behind her fame in the Philippines, it has also caused a handicap in her development as an artist. In her vlog, “This is Me,” which has also caused quite the controversy, she opened up about her feelings about her career and was aware of the “scandals” caused by her career move.
“I’ve sacrificed my childhood, I’ve sacrificed my freedom, and I’ve sacrificed my happiness to present Liza Soberano to the world. I think I’ve earned the right to finally be me, to finally be able to do things for me, as Hope Soberano.” She said.
It’s disheartening, to say the least, that people who once applauded Hope Soberano for her roles are now the same people who are demonizing her for wanting to speak up about her own experiences and feelings from the Philippine entertainment industry.
It’s always the same people that always say things like, “let me grow in the spaces where I’ll thrive” or something like that who also say the vilest things about celebrities wanting to start anew.
As audiences, we all have boundaries on the kinds of things we should comment on when it comes to celebrities. We’re just people enjoying their work—we don’t know everything that goes behind the scenes in the Philippine entertainment industry.
No matter how chismosa we all are, let’s just keep it at a healthy level, pwede ba?
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