What are you even saying? You’re shameless. You already stole from us and then you burned down our money. You’re such a fool. Is this how it is? I’m hungry.

Hope Elizabeth Soberano, more popularly known as Liza Soberano, was born on January 4, 1992, in Santa Clara, California, USA. Her parents are John Castillo Soberano and Jacqueline Elizabeth Hanley. Her father is originally from Pangasinan, Philippines, while her mother is pure American.

Liza’s parents separated when she was still a child, so she was raised by her grandparents. Her mother had more children with a new partner after separating from Liza’s father. Liza was only 10 years old when she first came to the Philippines. A talent scout once approached her to join Goin’ Bulilit on ABS-CBN, but Liza reportedly declined the offer, which caused an argument with her father.

At the time, she was shy, acted tomboyish, and could barely speak Tagalog. Liza didn’t expect to stay long in the Philippines, as she only intended to vacation there. However, her stay became extended when her grandfather, who was in the U.S., got sick. Although they wanted to return to the U.S., her family couldn’t afford to bring her and her sibling back.

Determined to return to America, Liza had to stay in the Philippines to work and earn enough money for the trip back. She eventually starred in several TV shows and movies. But despite her success, she still felt that something was missing from her career.

In 2022, she decided to return to America to try her luck in Hollywood. In 2021, even before fully breaking into Hollywood, she had the opportunity to voice one of the lead characters, Alexandra Trese, in a Netflix animated series. In 2022, she landed a supporting role in a comedy-horror film in the U.S.—a genre not typically her strength—but she still accepted it to help grow her career.

That same year, she also played the stepsister of actress Kathryn Newton in an English film. Additionally, she was one of the jurors at the Jimin City International Film Festival. However, due to the lack of meaningful roles in the U.S., Liza announced in 2024 that she would return to the Philippines to resume her showbiz career.

She is now preparing for new projects in the country and says her upcoming work is highly anticipated, especially since she’ll also be working with producers from different countries.

From 2015 to 2023, Liza consistently appeared in the list of “100 Most Beautiful Faces in the World” from various international magazines, beating out numerous stunning women from across the globe.

In 2023, Liza’s comments about her experience in Philippine showbiz sparked public discussion. She remarked that in the Philippines, artists are often forced into love teams to achieve quick fame—a system she wasn’t entirely in favor of.

She introduced herself as an actress in the Philippines, but she is now based in Los Angeles, California, pursuing her dreams. Before entering showbiz, Liza was a model at the age of 12, a career that lasted about six months before she transitioned into acting.

She also discussed the concept of “love teams” in the Philippines. According to her, it’s a huge phenomenon where two actors are paired and marketed like “Brangelina” (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie). They are expected to act as real couples both on- and off-screen, and typically, they can only work with each other for their entire careers.

Liza’s story shocked Ashley and Pell (interviewers or colleagues), who weren’t aware this was the norm in the Philippine entertainment industry. When asked if her love team partner was chosen for her, she shared that there were challenges when love teams weren’t paired in projects, especially when the popularity of the pairing waned, and producers opted to match them with someone else.

In an interview with veteran talk show host Boy Abunda, Liza admitted that she never dreamed of becoming an actress. She said she entered showbiz at a young age out of necessity—to help her family. She took on acting jobs to fund her and her sibling’s education and to support her family financially, as they were struggling.

Because she started working so young, she didn’t get to live like a normal child. She didn’t experience a typical childhood. Liza also acknowledged that she’s not the only one who had to work early to help her family.

She clarified, however, that she’s grateful for all the opportunities she received in her career. It allowed her to send her sibling to school and provide her family with a home both in the Philippines and in the U.S. She expressed gratitude to her former management and everyone she worked with.

Recently, rumors have spread that Liza will be working again with her former onscreen partner, Enrique Gil. In the first week of March, she attended Elton John’s 2025 Oscars afterparty, where she wore a daring dress designed by Cong Tri.