Sofia Pablo
Believer of Destiny
For the first time, Sofia Pablo candidly talks about everything from her unfortunate and sudden exit in Prima Donnas Season 1 to her highly-anticipated return as Donna Lyn in the show’s second season and everything else in between.
Text by: Aaron Brennt EusebioPhotos by: Prima Donnas and Sofia Pablo Instagram
In September 2020, at the height of the pandemic, the fans of GMA Network’s top-rated series Prima Donnas received terrible news: one of the show’s main stars, Sofia Pablo, would not be joining the show’s lock-in tapings.
Back then, the production was already preparing for the new normal in television production, seven months after being forced to pack up when the government imposed unprecedented lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Sofia, who portrays the youngest of the Claveria sisters, Donna Lyn, just turned 14 that time, a year shy of the acceptable age for anyone going into lock-in tapings. Based on the guidelines released by the Department of Labor and Employment, child stars below 15 years of age were not allowed to engage in any type of work outside their homes.
“Super sad talaga ako kasi siyempre, acting is ’yung happiness ko, ’yun ’yung hilig kong gawin,” Sofia recalls in her interview with GMANetwork.com.
“Nung una, natakot ako kasi baka makalimutan ako ng tao, as in, no TV exposure tapos hindi rin naman ako super ganoon kalaking artista so medyo napraning ako that time na, ‘Ano ba ’yan, wala pa nga tapos mawawala pa ako. Paano?’”
Looking back, Sofia now believes that everything happens for a reason, even if, back then, she had no idea what was destined for her.
Life before showbiz
Sofia entered the entertainment industry at the young age of 8. Although she did not have any leading role until Prima Donnas in 2019, Sofia has no regrets. She enjoyed playing with her childhood friends.
“Childhood ko was fun, kumbaga, hindi naman ako nagsimulang mag-artista nang bata so masasabi ko na na-enjoy ko ’yung kabataan ko,” Sofia shares with a giggle. “Showbiz na ako nung eight to ten, artista na ako nun pero hindi pa super duper bida so hindi pa puno ’yung sked. Every now and then may dumadating [na trabaho] pero hindi ’yung tulad ngayon na parang wala na akong time para mag-bakasyon. Kaya masasabi ko na nakapag-play rin ako with my friends before.”
Growing up shy, Sofia did not want to be a commercial model, let alone an actress who stars in one of the highest-rated afternoon television shows.
“Nung bata ako, ayoko kasi super shy ako. Gusto ko ’pag nag-VTR ako, hawak ko ’yung Mommy ko. Super mahiyain 'ko kaya hindi ko kaya humarap sa tao na wala si Mommy, gusto ko lagi akong nakayakap, doon lang ako magsasalita,” she recalls. “Nung lumaki-laki ako, mga seven years old, doon ko na na-realize na, ‘Ma, gusto ko na pala mag-artista.’ So nagsabi agad si Mommy sa mga agents na nagko-commercials na, ‘Uy, si Sofie baka ano.’ So doon na po nag-start hanggang sa nabigay ’yung Jollibee tapos pinahanap nila, ‘Sino ‘yung Jollibee girl?’ So doon ako na-discover, sa Jollibee.”
Sofia then joined the Cinemalaya movie Mariquina (2014), where she portrayed the youngest version of the main character Imelda, which Barbie Forteza and Mylene Dizon also portrayed.
Also starring in the movie was veteran actor and director Ricky Davao, who would later on direct GMA Network’s Dading (2014).
“Kinuha ako for Mariquina. Si Direk Ricky Davao, nakilala niya ako, na-cute-an siya, then kinuha niya ako sa ‘Dading.’ Extra extra lang, parang umiiyak lang ako kasi nasira ’yung birthday ko. Mula no'n, nag-audition kami sa Artist Center (now Sparkle GMA Artist Center) and then nakuha na po and nagtuluy-tuloy na.”
After Dading, Sofia starred in several episodes of GMA Network’s weekly-anthology shows, Magpakailanman and Maynila, along with some minor roles in such series as Oh, My Mama! (2016), Destined to be Yours (2017), and Sherlock Jr. (2018).
Sofia’s biggest break came in 2019 when she was announced as a cast member of Prima Donnas alongside fellow Kapuso teen stars Jillian Ward and Althea Ablan. Also part of Prima Donnas’s first season were showbiz veterans Aiko Melendez, Katrina Halili, Wendell Ramos, and Chanda Romero.
Sofia said back then, “Halo-halo po [’yung nararamdaman ko] kasi siyempre masaya po dahil binigyan ka nila ng chance, pinagkatiwalaan ka po nila, pero siyempre, nakaka-pressure din kasi ayoko pong sayangin ’yung chance na ibinigay nila. Gusto ko pong ipakita na worth it ’yung chance.”
True to her words, Sofia gave her all as Donna Lyn, which became one of the reasons why Prima Donnas managed to win the ratings game against its direct competition. Prima Donnas continued to soar not just on television but also on the internet.
That was until the COVID-19 pandemic happened.
Blessing in disguise
On March 14, 2020, GMA Network announced that it would be suspending the production of Network-produced entertainment programs, including Prima Donnas, in accordance with the government’s declaration of a community quarantine in Metro Manila.
GMA Entertainment Group launched a once-a-week online show called Prima Donnas: Watch From Home during the lockdown. Sofia also became very busy with her studies.
When the community quarantine eased, production teams began to prepare for the new normal to deliver fresh episodes for the viewers. However, Sofia could not join the lock-in taping because of age restrictions.
At her lowest, Sofia learned to believe in destiny and that everything happens for a reason. So while her Prima Donnas co-stars went on to the lock-in taping to finish the story, Sofia planned for her major comeback.
“[Noong] nawala ako sa Prima Donnas when I was 14, doon ko naisip na gusto ko, pagbalik ko sa TV, iba na, para ’yung comeback sa TV is stronger nung nawala. So nung mga six months after nung work, doon ko naisip na ayoko na nga isipin na mawawala. Isipin ko na lang kung paano 'ko babalik nang mas pag-uusapan ako. Kumbaga, babawiin ko ’yung mga panahon na hindi ako nakikita nung mga tao.”
To keep herself busy and visible, Sofia then launched a joint YouTube channel with Allen Ansay called AlFia Official. The channel has amassed over 200,000 subscribers and 8,000,000 views in just a year. In addition, Sofia and Allen, whom fans fondly called Team Jolly, was also launched as one of the five up-and-coming loveteams by Sparkle GMA Artist Center called Sparkle Sweethearts.
Looking back, Sofia now knows the reason why a door closed two years ago.
“Laging may way si God kung bakit, and laging may reason kung bakit nangyari ’yung mga ganung bagay,” Sofia says. “And naisip ko, baka nga kaya naging ganun, bukod sa para mas mapaganda ’yung character ni Donna Lyn, is para makilala kami as Team Jolly kasi kung hindi naman kami nag-start mag-vlog, hindi naman namin sure kung makikilala kami as Team Jolly.”
Now that she has reprised her role as Donna Lyn in the second season of Prima Donnas, Sofia can’t contain her happiness as she tells herself that she has made it. As a bonus, Allen joins the cast as Fonsie, Donna Lyn’s love interest.
“Ngayon na bumalik ako, masaya ako kasi na-achieve ko ’yung goal ko na talagang napakita ko na ito na ako ulit, nandito na ako. Masaya ako kasi sa YouTube, ’yung episode highlights ni LenLen is talagang matataas ’yung views. So happy ako kasi nabawi ko talaga ’yung mga panahong nawala ako, and maybe nga, it was a blessing in disguise kasi maybe nawala ako para mas mabigyan ako ng magandang opportunity to showcase my acting.”
Although Sofia has already fulfilled her promise to come back stronger, she still thrives for more and remains as humble as ever.
“Ako, I never want to think that I’m there kasi ’pag inisip mo ’yun, hindi ka na magsa-strive to go higher. Ayokong isipin na I am someone already kasi ’pag iniisip mo ’yun parang, ‘O, okay na. Sikat naman na ako, e.’ Unlike ’pag inisip mo na hindi pa ako ganun, talagang mas magtatrabaho ka.”
Wonder what Sofia’s motivation to continue working hard is? A wallpaper she saw on a fellow Kapuso’s cell phone.
“Nakita ko nga before, wallpaper ni Kuya Kelvin [Miranda] na hanggang ngayon, tumatak sa akin. 2019, Sunday PinaSaya days, ’di ba, naalala ko pa? Wallpaper niya noon is, ‘Work and work until you no longer have to introduce yourself.’ Ang ganda.
“Ayoko talagang isipin na I am someone kahit sa nangyari sa Prima na everywhere pinag-uusapan si Donna Lyn. Ako ’yung nagpo-portray kay Donna Lyn pero ayokong isipin na, ‘Ay, sikat na sikat ako.’ Ayoko, gusto ko talaga, humble lang."
