'Healed and Ready': Carla Abellana on why she's finally ready to say 'Yes' again

Stars gathered last Thursday, Dec. 18, for the premiere of the 51st MMFF entry Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Evil Origins.

The red carpet was packed with the film's cast and prominent supporters who turned out for the big night.

Kapuso actress Carla Abellana was among the stars who graced the red carpet. In the film, she portrays 'Madre Clara,' a visionary haunted by terrifying premonitions, in the film's first segment, set in 1775.

In an exclusive interview with GMANetwork.com, Carla opened up about her journey, sharing the moment when she moved on from being “wounded and broken” to being “healed and ready” to embrace love once again. This comes after her recent social media announcement regarding her engagement to her non-showbiz partner.

“Siguro if not a moment; pero through time s'yempre, 'di ba? With lots of healing, lots of efforts, growing mature, and time, do'on mo masasabi na you're okay, you're healed, you're ready,” Carla said.

Drawing a parallel between her character and her real-life situation, Carla was asked if she possessed Madre Clara's 'visionary' gift, and whether she ever envisioned this season of joy and her upcoming marriage, especially after everything she had been through in the past.

“Actually hindi naman, s'yempre. None of us knows what's going to happen tomorrow, di ba? Kahit i-plan natin 'yung tomorrow, we'll never know kahit 'yung later 'di natin alam. Life is very unpredictable; 'di naman tayo may hawak ng story natin, so walang nakaka-foresee,” she explained.

In light of her previous interest in portraying a serial killer, Carla was asked if her performance as 'Madre Clara' in this MMFF 2025 entry served as a stepping stone toward darker and more complex roles.

“Yes! Although very innocent siya [Madre Clara], she's in a way, a bit heroic pa nga, maganda 'yung movie, if only I could be part of 'yung second and third episodes 'din I would love that. Tignan natin kung magiging stepping stone siya; hopefully sa mga next, 'yun naman yung roles ko,” she said.

With two major milestones happening at once—her wedding and her latest film entry for MMFF 2025, Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Evil Origins, Carla is embracing a joyful December.

She took a moment to explain the special significance of the month and why it has become her absolute favorite.

“December is my favorite month, kahit pa walang movie, kahit pa walang engagement or what, or wedding; it's my favorite time of the year, lalo na 'yung Christmas. Kahit ano pa man ang dumaan or mangyari, favorite time ko pa rin; very special pa rin ang December,” she explained.

Carla joins a powerhouse cast in Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Evil Origins, an official entry to the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival. She stars alongside prominent industry names, including Richard Gutierrez, Ivana Alawi, Janice De Belen, and Manilyn Reynes, as well as rising stars Dustin Yu, Ashley Ortega, Ysabel Ortega, and Elijah Alejo.

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