Nadine Lustre prioritizes well-being over juicy movie role

CEBU, Philippines — For Nadine Lustre, the transition from perennially working with on and off screen partner James Reid to doing films on her own wasn’t that difficult, knowing that being part of a love team is a fleeting phase of a celebrity’s career.

“It’s not really hard kasi para sa akin, love team is just a stepping stone. Alam naman namin ni James na hindi siya [love team] forever,” said the actress during Tuesday’s “Indak” press conference at Cebu Parklane International Hotel.

Doing projects without the other, she said, encourages career and personal growth. “Yung JaDine hindi naman mawawala, nandiyan naman yan. [But] It’s nice to have separate projects,” she said.

Now with more room to explore, Nadine admitted that there was a bit of pressure in choosing roles, especially after her back-to-back FAMAS and Gawad Urian Best Actress wins.

“But I realized that if I let it affect me, if I’m always conscious in anything that I do and always nitpicking at everything, baka mas lalo ako mahirapan. So I just follow my heart. Ginagawa ko ang gusto kong gawin and I make sure I do my best.”

While fledgling actresses would trade places with her any day, what with the back-to-back movie assignments, Nadine decided she’d much rather put her well-being first. This was why she had to refuse starring in the Filipino adaptation of the hit South Korean drama film “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” a Metro Manila Film Festival 2019 entry which was supposed to team her up with Aga Muhlach. Bela Padilla, her fellow Viva talent, has been reported as her replacement in the film.

“It was [a difficult decision]. Everyone was telling me na maganda yung material although I haven’t seen the original version. Sabi nila, ‘Congratulations’ because it’s very good material. But at the end of the day, inisip ko yung sarili ko. I want to put myself first. I want to take a break,” she explained.

“Now, honestly I’m okay. I don’t have any medical conditions or anything. I just really need a vacation,” she chuckled.

After top billing two movies this year (“Ulan” and premiering in cinemas yesterday was “Indak”) and then doing another show with ABS-CBN, Nadine asked her management if she could possibly have the rest of 2019 to herself, or perhaps work on something else – like her music –  to switch things up.

“I don’t want to hate what I love doing just because I’m tired or just because I can’t put all of my effort, I can’t put my 110 percent.”