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Kapuso actress Ayen Munji-Laurel has made quite an impression among viewers with her turn in the hit Philippine adaptation of the hit Korean series Start-Up, as well as several teleseryes over the years, but what most people don't know is that she actually started out as a singer and a theater actor.

In an interview on the Updated with Nelson Canlas podcast, Ayen admitted that she already misses doing live performances both in singing and theater acting.

“Recently kasi puro TV ang ginagawa ko. Nakakamiss yung pagkanta, doon naman ako talaga nagsimula. But at the same time, acting really is my passion pero nung umpisa doon ako nakilala sa pagkanta sa teatro,” she said.

She revealed that she took a break from the industry when she left the Philippines and got married to her husband, Franco Laurel, 22 years ago. She returned to doing TV series in 2009.

She then recalled a recent performance she did as a tribute to the National Artist Tony Mabesa whom she had studied with when she was still a theater student.

“Kumanta ako doon, nag-enjoy ako. I'm comfortable being on stage and I also miss doing theatrical production actually, iba pa rin 'yung live performance,” she said.

Aside from singing, Ayen said that one of the things she wants to go back to is acting in a play.

“Sana magkaroon ng opportunity na gumawa ng play. Kung hindi man play, show, you'll never know ang daming possibilities,” she added.

“Actually bago mag pandemic, meron dapat akong gagawin. May plano na hindi natuloy because obviously, nag-lock down na tayo nun. But I would want to really do something for theater naman, maiba naman.”

TAKE A LOOK AT THE CELEBRITIES WHO SUCCEEDED IN BOTH THEATER AND TV SERIES: