Alexa Ilacad, inaming minsan na niyang naisipang mag-quit sa showbiz
- Alexa Ilacad admitted that she once seriously considered quitting showbiz
- The actress-singer has spent more than 16 years pursuing her passion in entertainment
- Alexa said she eventually accepted the slow pace of her career and remained grateful for consistent projects
- She believes her long-awaited opportunities came when she was finally ready to handle them
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Alexa Ilacad is currently enjoying a busy chapter in her entertainment career, but the actress-singer revealed that reaching this point came after years of uncertainty, impatience, and moments when she seriously considered leaving showbiz.
Source: Instagram
With projects such as hosting duties on Pinoy Big Brother, her appearance on Your Face Sounds Familiar, and her latest project Miss Behave, Alexa has found herself taking on opportunities she had long hoped would come her way.
During an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN at the finale premiere of Miss Behave, Alexa reflected on the lengthy journey that led her to her current career momentum.
She compared her experience with international artists Sabrina Carpenter and Zara Larsson, whose own careers also took years to reach a major breakthrough.
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"My journey sort of reminds me of Sabrina Carpenter or Zara Larsson's journey. Parang there was an article released about Sabrina Carpenter, and the headline was something along the lines of 'It took her 10 years to become [successful].' Mine, more pa," she said.
Alexa estimated that she has been working in the entertainment industry for more than 16 years. Despite the lengthy wait, she said her love for performing kept her from giving up.
"I think I've been doing this for more than 16 years, if I'm not mistaken. It's been a long time coming talaga. But I love what I'm doing so much, that's why I held on. And now I feel like, finally, things are slowly coming together."
The actress-singer now sees the delays in her career as something that may have happened for a reason. She believes that the opportunities arriving now came at a point when she was more emotionally and professionally prepared for them.
"I feel like maybe ito kasi 'yung panahon na baka handa na ako, or I'm ready to deal with everything thrown at me. Sabi nga, parang 'God wouldn't put a dream so big in your heart if you weren't capable of making it happen,'" she said.
Alexa described her experience as a form of delayed gratification, suggesting that achieving success earlier may not necessarily have been better for her.
"So maybe in my case, parang delayed gratification – maybe it just had to take some time. Baka if I experienced it any earlier, baka hindi ako handa. Maybe I wouldn't be equipped to deal with it, unlike ngayon. Baka ngayon ako talaga handang-handa to receive all of the blessings na binibigay sa akin," she added.
Despite being in the industry for many years, Alexa acknowledged that some people still consider her a starlet rather than a major star. However, she said she does not allow that perception to diminish her appreciation for her career.
"Kasi most people would argue na, 'Ang tagal mo na, starlet ka pa rin. Ang tagal mo na, ganyan ka pa rin.' Pero ako kasi, parang kontento ako. I'm content with my career, never ako nawalan. Hindi man ako superstar, I've always had shows," she said.
Alexa also took pride in remaining visible while continuously finding ways to reinvent herself.
"Kahit paano, hindi naman ako nawawala sa radar ng mga tao. I'm still able to reinvent myself or make myself relevant time and time again. So 'ayun, I'm just very happy na I feel like now it's slowly becoming my time," she shared.
Still, her positive outlook did not erase the difficult moments she experienced throughout her career.
Alexa admitted that there were periods when she became frustrated watching other artists achieve their goals much faster, especially since she began working as a child star.
"Well, I'd be lying if I said na hindi ako nainip. I'd be lying if I said na never ko naisip na mag-quit – or na baka hindi ito para sa akin. I would think about that all the time. Kasi nga, ang tagal. Ang tagal talaga," she said.
She recalled comparing her progress with people who appeared to achieve their dreams almost immediately.
"Samantalang some people get it so quickly. Some people, unang taon pa lang, nakukuha na nila lahat ng mga pinapangarap ko. So minsan napapaisip ako na, 'Ah, baka hindi ito 'yung para sa akin. Maybe this is God's sign na I should start doing something else with my life,'" she said.
Whenever those doubts surfaced, however, Alexa returned to her original reason for entering showbiz: her passion.
"But then I always come back to why. Why did I start this in the first place? Una sa lahat, passion ko eh. And I know in my heart na this is something you can't take away from me. Kahit tanggalin ko pa 'yung sarili ko dito sa pag-arte, sa pagkanta, babalik at babalik ako because this is what I love to do," she said.
She also admitted that she once questioned whether something was missing from her career.
"So parang nagkaroon din ng time na naiinip ako. Sabi ko, 'Ako ba may mali? May problema ba sa akin? What do I lack? Bakit although steady, hindi umaangat? 'Yung hindi umaalagwa?'" she said.
Eventually, Alexa learned to appreciate her own definition of success rather than constantly measuring herself against others.
"Tapos parang may time na sabi ko sa sarili ko, 'You know what, maybe I wasn't meant for great things. Maybe I was just meant for good things. And that's not bad. Good is good.' And looking back, I've been happy. Happy naman ako," she said.
She also considers herself fortunate to have consistently received projects throughout her transition from child star to adulthood.
"Hindi nga ako nawawalan ng project eh. Hindi ako dumaan sa awkward stage na usually when you transition from being a child star to a teen star to a woman," she said.
"Talagang magdadaan at dadaan ka sa awkward stage na 'yun. I never went through that. So I still consider myself so lucky and so blessed talaga," she added.
For Alexa, her current stability is something worth celebrating. Rather than seeing a steady career as a failure to reach superstardom, she now views it as something valuable.
"And 'ayun nga, sabi ko, steady isn't bad. Steady paycheck isn't bad. Doing what I love. And 'yun nga, na I've come to terms talaga with the fact na ito talaga 'yung gusto ko, ito talaga 'yung mahal kong gawin eh," she said.
Her love for the craft ultimately remains the strongest reason she continues pursuing entertainment.
"Kung hindi niya ako mahal, ay pipilitin natin. Mahal ko 'to. Ito 'yung gusto kong gawin. Kaya sabi ko, I'm doing it for the passion and for the love talaga," she added.
Alexa Ilacad is a Filipino actress, singer, host, and model who first gained widespread recognition as a child star on the sketch comedy show Goin' Bulilit. Managed under Star Magic, she has built a diverse career starring in television series such as Luv U and Pira-Pirasong Paraiso, while also thriving as a music artist, theater performer, and television host.
In another report, Alexa Ilacad addressed the conclusion of her long-running love team with KD Estrada through an emotional message shared with the public. The official statement from KDLex International Sweethearts explained that the decision to go their separate ways was mutual and influenced by various circumstances, external factors, and those around them.
Meanwhile, Alexa also expressed her appreciation for Darren Espanto after he supported her through an emotional moment before an important performance. According to ABS-CBN News, Darren helped her regain her composure after she experienced an anxiety attack backstage.
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