VP/Xlusives: Ysabel Ortega and Liezel Lopez Sailing In Passion

Ambitions started from charming dreams. We see ourselves as kings and queens with a crown on our heads and a kingdom to reign. Then, we wake up and try to emulate that dream as much as possible. Imitate every little bit of it to prolong happiness. That’s the power of dreams. It allows us to start powering up – just like what Ysabel Ortega and Liezel Lopez did as they climb the ladder to success.

VP/Xclusives: Ysabel Ortega and Liezel Lopez Sailing In Passion

For Ysabel, she started pursuing acting as a profession due to the desire of following in her parents’ footsteps. Having Michelle Ortega and Lito Lapid as parents, the said desire surely gave her some kind of pressure. Then, she tells us about the time she fell in love with acting.

“Growing up, I would always watch my parents and their movies. I idolized them when I was young and just like most kids, I really wanted to be like them when I grow up. But the moment that made me say that I want to pursue acting was my very first acting workshop. It was the first time I ever tried acting and I fell in love with the craft right away.”

Liezel, on the other hand, had a different answer to how she fell in love with acting. She also noted that she didn’t even expect the outcome of her career. Aside from that, she also admits how grateful she feels, expressing it as much as she can.

“I started acting when I was 12 years old sa church namin in Olongapo City. Then, after that, I began acting naman sa theater. I fell inlove with it kaya I tried auditioning sa Starstruck. Luckily, isa po ako sa nakuha. Hindi ko din po ine-expect na eto yung magiging career ko. Sobrang grateful po ako na isa ako sa mga naging profession yung passion nila.”

 

 

 

Ysabel feels satisfaction in her job when she knows people enjoy the work she does. When she knows that people love watching the shows she was a part of, it makes her happy knowing that doing what she loves makes her happy and that it makes other people happy, too. Liezel, on the other hand, feels that way when she gives life to a character that only came from a writer’s imagination. She loves storytelling and it makes her inner child happy.

Liezel internalizes a character by looking at their archetype. Then, she finds a way to relate herself to that character and how they see the world. Ysabel, on the other hand, says this about internalizing a character:

“I like to treat it as if I’m connecting the dots. I study the character, the world they live in and all the characters I will be meeting and encountering. For me, it’s also important to internalize the relationship of my character with other characters because, in that way, I would know how I would react and feel towards other people, acting is reacting as what people would say. Creating a world and connecting all of the other elements in the story together helps me visualize my character more, as a whole person.”

The importance of creative expression.

Ysabel admits that she’s still a rookie in the business. And, one thing she strives for is to keep learning more about her craft and how to be better at what she loves to do. Liezel, on the other hand, aims for personal growth. She wants to learn about herself more and improve her skills.

For Ysabel, creative expression is important because it gives us life. 

“It’s not just about singing, painting, or playing an instrument, there are many more ways to express yourself creatively. It can be from the way you dress to the music you listen and sing along to, it’s what makes us human. It is important to express yourself through arts in any creative way because it makes life more interesting and gives us something to love and look forward to. Life is short, so might as well do what excited you and makes you happy!”

For Liezel, creative expression is a way to express one’s self.

“I think it’s important for us to express ourselves in a way kasi yun yung magpapatunay na nabuhay ka, The artist may be gone but their art will forever live… Some in the hearts ng mga naka-appreciate ng gawa nila.”

“I think that you have to be confident [to succeed in this industry], na kahit anong role yung ipagawa sayo kayang kaya mo. Humble, kasi you always have a lot of things to learn pa and strong… Kasi you can’t please everyone all the time. And, most important, be happy… mahalin mo ‘yung trabaho mo.”

 

 

Inspiring others through art remains one of the most challenging things to do.

Ysabel thinks other people can learn from her the same way she learned from actors and actresses she watches on television. 

“I’ve always loved and watched movies and television ever since I was little. I think it is the same for a lot of other people as well no matter how young or old and now as an actress, I can also portray different kinds of people with different kinds of stories, all with lessons that I myself, and the viewers can learn from. Just like how I learned so many things from the things that I watched when I was little.”

Liezel, on the other hand, notes the shortness of one’s life becoming the reason why people should aim to reach their goals. 

“We can only live this life once. So, why not chase our wildest dreams? People may forget your name but not the way you made them feel.”