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For our Women of Influence headliner, intentional art is an advocacy in itself.
Janine Gutierrez remembers her school days in the simplest yet sweetest way—lunchtime negotiations, pooling coins with friends to buy 10-peso lumpia or 20-peso French fries. When I ask what comes to mind when she thinks of girlhood, it's these small but meaningful moments that surface. "Girlhood is like a helping hand," she reflects. "It's sharing what you can—whether it's food, stories, or even the way you do your homework."
As she grew older, that same sense of community evolved. The conversations shifted from snacks to life's bigger dilemmas—"Next, you're asking about like, 'Oh my god, my boyfriend did this. What do I do?'"—but the constant remained: girlhood was always about support, about showing up for each other in different ways at different times.
Her sisterly concept of girlhood has made her intentional—with her words, her actions, and the spaces she occupies. Now, that helping hand takes a new form in the stories she tells and the characters she brings to life—women who are complex, multifaceted, and real.
Janine Gutierrez for Cosmopolitan Philippines March 2025
Photographed by BJ Pascual
"Girlhood has always been about community for me, about lifting each other up and being a safe space," she shares. "I hope to provide that same safe space and be a friend to everyone I encounter, whether on social media or through my roles."
Whether she's playing a woman navigating love and ambition or using her voice to highlight important issues, Janine—Cosmopolitan Philippines' Women of Influence 2025 headliner—makes sure her work resonates with the very people who have lifted her up throughout her own journey. Every choice she makes, every role she takes on, is deliberate—an extension of the purpose she has steadily built for herself. It’s a testament to why we’ve dubbed her The Creative Catalyst—a force for storytelling that sparks conversation, representation, and change.
READ MORE: This Is Girlhood: Meet The Cosmopolitan Philippines Women Of Influence Awardees Of 2025
Her evolution—from the panganay who once felt the need to protect herself to someone who fully embraces the power of softness—is deeply reflected in her career. "I always try to be part of projects that are for the girls, you know? Like for the girls and the gays," she says with a laugh.
More than just entertainment, her projects are about representation, about telling stories that matter. "I think about roles that they might relate to, or see as a friend, or issues that mean something to them." Just like she once pooled coins with friends for lunchbreak snacks, she now invests in stories that bring people together.
This manifested in a defining moment in her career. Coming off a fantasy teleserye, Janine was eager for something more grounded, something that carried weight. Around the same time, she was also facing criticism for being outspoken online. "Medyo napapagalitan ako because I was being kind of political on Twitter," she admits. "A lot of people would say, 'If you're an actress, just act. Don't get involved.'" But she refused to stay silent.
And then came Babae at Baril. "During our first meeting, they told me one of the reasons they thought of me for the role was because of the things I spoke about," she reveals. It wasn't just another acting opportunity, it was proof that her voice mattered.
The film—driven by a powerhouse team of women—became a turning point, not just in her career but in how she saw herself in the industry. "It was so cool to be part of a very female-led project," she says. Her outspokenness, once seen as a liability, had become her greatest strength.
For Janine, success in the industry isn't about the numbers—it's about making choices that align with her values. "When you enter showbiz, you kind of get lost in the numbers and in the popularity race. And that's your assumed measure of success," she reflects.
Early in her career, she attended a workshop that changed her perspective. "I [realized that] at a workshop in my first network from Anthony Pangilinan, Donny [Pangilinan]'s dad. Sobrang tumatak siya sa akin. He had these workshops kasi for actors that had nothing to do with acting. And he said that you make your measure—you choose your measure for success."
She reflected, "It's so daunting to think how do you become the number 1 actress? But the question is how do you become number 1 for yourself? What values matter to you? Are you playing roles that are meaningful to you? Are you honest in your decisions? Are you honest with who you are? That's helped me so much making decisions."
That clarity has guided her as she carves her own path—one that balances mainstream teleseryes with bold, boundary-pushing films. "The dream career I have for myself is to have a great teleserye and at the same time, have a cool film in a film festival," she shares. "Teleseryes are so uniquely Filipino. I grew up watching teleseryes and I love them. And it's the free media, 'di ba?"
It's heartening to see someone so immersed in the world of teleseryes yet deeply aware of their significance—never dismissing them as mere entertainment, but recognizing the impact they have. Because beyond the drama and the kilig, teleseryes are a lifeline, reaching Filipinos in every corner of the country, regardless of WiFi access, streaming subscriptions, or the latest gadgets. Free TV remains a great equalizer, making storytelling something that truly belongs to everyone.
I quickly ask her what her favorite teleserye was growing up. "I don't want to say Pangako Sa'yo," she laughs. We both know why—but honestly, I wouldn't blame her if it really was her answer. That show set the bar for teleseryes. "I grew up watching the Claudine Barretto ones, Mulawin, Encantadia... And even up to recently, the shows of Ate Jodi [Sta. Maria] like Broken Marriage Vow."
Janine appreciates that her recent teleseryes explore themes she cares about, like justice in Dirty Linen and complex female characters in Lavender Fields. "There are women who are capable of doing these dark things. But what pushes them to that, 'di ba?" she reflects.
Meanwhile, indie films give her the freedom to tell stories without limits and share Filipino narratives with the world. "I love the idea of how indie films are shown in festivals in other countries because you kind of get to share a piece of what happens in the Philippines to those people who have no idea what it's like here."
Beyond the screen, Janine's advocacy extends to her work with the World Wildlife Fund, where she champions sustainability and responsible tourism. One of her most memorable experiences was swimming with the butanding in Donsol, Sorsogon, an eco-tourism site in Bicol where interactions with the gentle giants are carefully regulated. "We don't disrupt anything about the whale sharks. We'll adjust to them. We'll try to sight them. If they're not there, then that's fine," she shares.
The experience reinforced her belief in sustainable tourism and the power of education. "Any little thing you can share, any information you have about the environment—even as simple as plastics—it's so important, especially to share with kids because education is necessary for us to be able to make a dent."
She carries these values into her daily life and work. Even in fashion, where she favors vintage and reworked pieces over fast fashion. "It's the little things, but if we all make small changes, they add up," she says.
On set, she appreciates productions that share the same mindset. "In my Lav Diaz film [Phantosmia], there were never any plastic containers. For lunch and dinner, we'd go back to base camp and eat together to save on waste," she shares. "I was like, this is so cool. And hopefully, even the bigger-scale productions can adapt to a similar way."
Janine has made it a point to carve her own path—one that moves between mainstream and independent projects, commercial and critical success. But having a famous last name comes with its own set of expectations. It can open doors, sure, but it also makes proving you deserve to be in the room that much harder.
Rather than be weighed down by the weight of her family name, she's learned to set her own expectations. "I have to forget about all that legacy stuff for me to even function because kung inisip ko siya, then I would never have entered showbiz," she says. "It sounds kind of cheesy, but it's true when they say that you shouldn't compare yourself to anyone. Your only competition is yourself."
Part of her journey has been learning to give herself grace—including something as simple as accepting a compliment. "Yung response mo always has to be like, 'Hindi, hindi, wala 'yun, wala 'yun.' Pero it's so important din pala to accept compliments because it's also a way of acknowledging your hard work and that other people value you," she reflects.
"It's also super important to give yourself a pat on the back if you tried something or put yourself out there." It's a shift in mindset that goes hand in hand with embracing her femininity and softness—realizing that strength doesn't always have to mean resistance.
Her perspective keeps her grounded, even as she navigates fame and public scrutiny—including in her personal life. We've all seen the v sweet photos of her and Lavender Fields co-star (and our February 2024 cover star!) Jericho Rosales.
But Janine isn't stressing over public attention. "Before, I was super conscious and super private. But now, as I've gotten older, I feel like—it's not that deep. If people say something about you and it's not true, you have to be okay with the fact that you know what's real."
For Janine, the journey is what matters. "A career is a marathon, not a sprint," she says. "I really had to take the pressure off to be comfortable being a beginner, making mistakes, and getting rejected. As long as you're slowly moving forward, that's a win."
The 35-year-old Janine feels more sure of herself than ever, rejecting the pressure to follow a predetermined path for career or marriage. "When I was turning 30, I was like, 'Oh, okay, this is great.' There's nothing to be afraid of. If anything, I've grown more confident and I got more agency with my decisions. And I feel like now, age is an advantage," she says.
"Your timeline is yours. Your life is yours. You can choose to do whatever you want with it. I hope you're never swayed by pressure from any external factors. Because at the end of the day, it's your life and your happiness."
That belief extends to her career, where she's been intentional about the roles she takes on. "When I started, I thought you had to be a sweetheart, that rom-coms were the way to success. But through my different films, I've learned that there are so many characters you can play."
She gravitates toward layered, complex women—the kind that exist in real life. "One of my favorite films is The Worst Person in the World. It's about this girl, and she's kind of messy with her relationships and getting to know herself and her life. I want to see more characters like that, and I want the audience to look forward to more than just a love story."
Janine also hopes to see less competition and more space for women in the industry. "Stop pitting women against each other for clickbait or clout. There's space for everyone. Not everyone is competing with someone. You can just be on your own path, and people can be successful at the same time."
She admires women who have blazed their own trails—Jane Fonda, Nicole Kidman, and others who have redefined what it means to be an actress at every stage of life.
And as for her own future? She doesn't want to predict it, because so far, life has surprised her in the best ways. "If you had asked me five years ago where I'd be now, I would never have guessed. So, I can't answer because I'll probably give you the wrong answer. But hopefully, I'm able to produce projects that I have chosen, that I built the team for, and that have a really wide audience. And that I'm still happy doing what I love with the people I love."
I asked her for one word she'd use to describe herself. There was a long pause—enough to quickly remind me of what she had said about learning to accept compliments. It seems her humility also shows in talking about herself in front of other people. Finally, she comes up with an answer, sharing with a bit of shyness.
"Destined," she says after a pause, letting the word settle. She's had her share of rejection—missed opportunities, jobs that went to someone else, moments of heartbreak that left her asking, "Bakit kaya?"
"But then, I learned that every rejection, may kapalit siya, like a better role or a better experience or a better trip," she says. "It comes back in another form and then a better form. I've learned that everything that I lose will get replaced with something better that's really for me."
In the end, everything Janine has built—her career, her advocacy, her perspective on life—comes back to the lessons of girlhood: the strength found in community, the quiet power of showing up, the courage in choosing softness. She has long outgrown the lunch table negotiations of her school days, but that instinct to share—to uplift, to create, to stand for something—remains.
And maybe that's what makes her journey so compelling: not just the roles she plays, but the real-life role she embraces every day: a woman who, in her own words, is exactly where she's meant to be.
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PHOTOGRAPHER: BJ Pascual
ART DIRECTOR: Ica Del Mundo, assisted by Bea Bognot
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Ida Aldana
PRODUCER: Alyana Olivar
SET STYLING: Jagger Studios
MAKEUP: Anthea Bueno
HAIR: Jay Aquino
STYLING: MJ Benitez, assisted by Laiza Dionisio
STORY: Ida Aldana
VIDEO: Cherrie Julian, Jino Del Mundo, and Olan Pingco
SOCIAL MEDIA: Aina Lizarondo, assisted by Elsa Macanilao
