After taking a break from acting during the past four years, Judy Ann Santos came back with a vengeance last year when she starred in the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Espantaho where she ended up taking home the Best Actress award at the MMFF Gabi ng Parangal. During her launch as the new celebrity ambassador of an international skincare line last July 15, the multi-awarded actress admitted she never expected to be representing a beauty brand at her age.
“I was never bothered naman in aging. Actually I’m excited to get old. Probably because because I’m excited to know ano ba yung wisdom na makukuha ko, to grow old with my kids, to grow old with my husband. Aging for me is something that we all have to look forward to kasi it’s inevitable. It will happen. It’s not as if may pause ang buhay natin na, ‘Okay Lord, i-pause mo muna ng 10 years yung life ko kasi hahanapin ko pa si Prince Charming.’ Eh paano kung si Prince Charming mo nandun na sa iba di ba? So it was something na I was never bothered,” she told the press during the Bioten Golden Hour event in Makati City.
The 47-year-old actress also revealed where she gets her confidence regardless if she’s on or off camera. “When I’m just myself. I guess from the get go naman I never really pretended that I’m someone who I am not. Probably because I just grew up like that. Alam ko kung hanggang saan ako, alam ko kung sino ako, alam ko kung ano yung kakayahan ko. And I never really compared myself to people na alam kong never naman ako magiginig ganun. Hindi ko siya nakikitaan ng dahilan na ikumpara yung sarili ko sa iba kasi unfair naman yun para sa akin. I learned to love and embrace my own imperfections early on in life.”
During the event, Juday also revealed why she didn’t mind putting showbiz in the backseat these past few years. “It’s overwhelmingly fun. Probably because I’ve been working since I was 8 and sinagad ko na yung trabaho ko nung dalaga ako and before I got married. So now, parang lahat ng schedules ko, for some reason, it’s just easy for me to do it simply because nailatag ko na yung workload ko nung bata ako. So I can now choose my projects. I can give more time for my family,” she shared.
Before accepting any project, Juday said she makes it clear to her producers the parameters of her work setup so that she still prioritizes her family.
“I can actually talk to my producers if this is a set up that is okay with you because this is my set up now. Okay po ako. But if you have a deadline and you can’t do it, I totally understand. Hindi ko naman pinipilit yung producer na dapat ibigay niya sa akin ito, dapat ganito. Wala namang demands na ganun. I would always work with my producers both ways na parang if I can get this, then you can get this. Kasi para fair. Kung hindi naman, i totally get it. I’m just very and blessed na most of my producers understand naman where I’m coming from,” she explained.
READ:PROUD MOM! Judy Ann Santos is daughter Johan’s biggest cheerleader in swimming
Happy to be a doting homemaker to her husband Ryan Agoncillo and a hands-on mom to their three children Yohan, Lucho, and Luna, the new Bioten endorser shares why her fans should not worry about her planning to retire anytime soon, “I have a very supportive husband, my children are always with me and na-mi-miss ko din naman magtrabaho, na-mi-miss ko din naman umarte. I’m not saying mag-re-retire ako, nag lay low lang ng slight!”