Set to light up the big screen in “Call Me Mother” alongside the Unkabogable Superstar Vice Ganda, multi-awarded actress Nadine Lustre proves she’s in her mothering era---even on Kapamilya Chat, where she dove into a fun challenge like the unbothered queen she is.
In the reflective “Mother is Me” segment, Nadine revisited snapshots from her childhood to adult years, and her mission was simple but motherly: give advice to the young Nadine staring back at her.
Up first was a 1995 snap of 2-year-old Nadine. She couldn’t help but laugh as she remembered how super makulit she was, recalling how she used to randomly leap off a church fountain like it was nothing. She gave mini-Nadine a message of “Go lang girl, maging makulit ka lang.” After all, that playful spirit led her exactly where she needed to be.
When a photo of 5-year-old Nadine popped up, she immediately remembered that this was the age she fell in love with music. Kasi ako ‘yung typical na [gagawin kapag sinabihang] ‘can you sing for your tita’ ako ‘yun, but I really enjoyed it,” she laughed. She said her parents had tons of home videos of her singing and dancing, thanks to a household that was always filled with music.
When asked about the moment she realized she wanted to be an entertainer, Nadine said she couldn’t recall the exact age---but she does remember the spark. It came from watching a DVD of Britney Spears’ Las Vegas concert, which instantly lit up her performer dreams. “Na-imagine ko talaga na gagawin ko rin ‘to paglaki ko,” she shared.
Nadine lit up when she saw a photo of her 11-year-old self taken during a big Hong Kong Disneyland event. She proudly recalled being one of only five kids chosen from Southeast Asia---and the lone representative from the Philippines. After that, Nadine shared that by this time she was already doing VTRs and magazine shoots---a fact highlighted even more when the next photo showed one of her early shoots in her teenage years.
Jumping into her 20s, the next photo took Nadine back to her “Wansapanataym” days---specifically the 2014 special “My App #Boyfie,” where she played a girl who literally created her dream boyfriend through an app. She laughed as she recalled the fun memories from filming the series.
The next image came from another pictorial she did, which Nadine recalled as something they shot super casually. But when the photos came out looking so artistic, it instantly became one of her favorites.
Next up was a photo from the FAMAS Awards last August, where Nadine snagged Best Supporting Actress for “Uninvited,” officially making her a three-time FAMAS awardee. When asked if her big wins add any pressure to her future projects, Nadine kept it real by saying, “Hindi eh, I do films just so that I could act. Hindi ko iniisip ‘yung awards. It's really just for me to enjoy making films”
To wrap up the challenge, Nadine left a message for her future self: “Kapit ka lang, girl!” She reminded herself to always give her best, and when burnout hits, she just needs to keep pushing forward.
Throughout the years, Nadine has proven her versatility---from her childhood roles to her teen projects, and now as one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation.
Watch out for her upcoming movie “Call Me Mother,” an official entry to the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival, showing in cinemas starting December 25.