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For Sofia, there's sanctuary in solitude.
It's been a while since I last saw Sofia Andres onscreen.
The last time I saw her on television was when she breathed life into the character of Nyx Bonifacio in The Iron Heart. A femme fatale and mafia member, she was a clear-cut professional who would and could get rid of anyone who stood in her way.
The next time I clapped my eyes on her, however, it was like seeing a whole new person. Gone were the sneers, the knitted brows, and the often-bloodied clothing. Standing just a few feet in front of me was a woman clad in timeless neutral hues as she struck pose after pose—often without any aid—in front of an adoring camera, with bright lights that only seemed to make her look more ethereal. After every layout, she would examine each and every shot, often taking notes on what could be done better. I was reminded of Nyx Bonifacio once more: a professional who had a job to do.
Sofia Andres knows what she wants, and she loves being in control. She'll also be the first to tell you that it's not a bad thing.
Sofia Andres for Cosmopolitan Philippines December 2024
Like many of her celebrity peers, it seemed like showbiz was always in the books for Sofia—even if she didn't know it when she was younger. At six years old, she appeared mostly in fashion shows and commercials. But at 12 years old, she fell in love with acting. "My mom [actually] said, 'Mag-aral ka na lang muna,' but then I thought I could really step up and join showbiz,'" she shared. "And then we fought a bit, you know, the misunderstandings and stuff. Kasi if I really wanted something, I'd really do it. I really had to prove to them that I'm gonna do my best."
And like her fellow celebrities who were thrust into the limelight as a kid, she was also the breadwinner of her family. However, she clarifies that she wasn't pressured by her family to step up and help. "It's just [to thank] my mom, you know, for all the help. I gave everything that I have, even until now. I even built a house for my mom because that's how I show her my gratitude for allowing me to do what I want," she shares.
Sofia is wearing a Love & Lemons top from RNT Wardrobe, trousers from The Editor's Market, and jewelry from Nami.
Sofia and her mom might not have seen eye to eye in the first few years of her showbiz career, but little did she know that her biggest acting opportunity—so far—was about to manifest itself into fruition. In 2012, she landed her first role in a television show, starring as Dindi Maghirang in Princess and I alongside longtime friend Kathryn Bernardo and Enrique Gil.
After a slew of supporting roles, mostly as the "third wheel" of popular love teams at the time like KathNiel in She's Dating The Gangster and LizQuen in Forevermore, her big break finally came in 2014 when she was cast in the lead role of the sleeper hit Relaks, It’s Just Pag-Ibig—her first lead role with Iñigo Pascual and Julian Estrada, who were also fellow relatively unknown celebrities at the time. The movie was praised by the public and the critics, with the latter naming her as one of the actresses to look forward to. Her role as Sari Nakpil later bagged her the New Movie Actress of the Year award at the Philippine Movie Press Club’s (PMPC) 31st Star Awards for Movies in 2015.
It seemed like things were finally looking up for Sofia, who shared that she tried hard to prove to her family that her decision to join showbiz all those years ago was worth it. "In my head, I said na I'll prove to them that I'll be good. So I tried that for how long, like, years, until they said, 'Oh, okay. Okay naman pala. We're proud of you,'" she reminisces.
Luck—and a big dash of hard work—was on Sofia's side as more blessings came her way in the form of her first lead television role in 2017 as Vida Verdadero in the afternoon soap opera Pusong Ligaw. More roles came one after the other, most notably her special participation in the LizQuen-led 2018 drama fantasy soap Bagani.
Sofia was finally reaping the fruits of her hard work, getting offers and auditions left and right. That is, until 2019 when she decided to lay low from showbiz and go to Australia for a couple of months, where her boyfriend and racecar driver Daniel Miranda was studying at the time.
It was during that time when pregnancy rumors started surfacing on the Internet. On November 24, 2019, after months of her sudden showbiz hiatus, she gave birth to her and Daniel's bundle of joy, Zoe Natalia.
Her relationship with her longtime boyfriend has always been a source of comfort for Sofia. In their first years as a couple, however, she reveals there was a lot more push-and-pull between them. "When we were young, we knew how to push each other's buttons…'cause you want that 'thrill', 'di ba?”
Sofia is wearing a Helmut Lang skirt from UNIVERS and jewelry from Nami.
Things changed when they finally welcomed Zoe into their lives. "Now, we're just not stressed anymore. Basically, I have 2 kids…I love it!" she quips. "So we're just chill. 'Whatever you want to do' and all that. He's supporting me with whatever I want to do still, so of course, I'm here to support whatever he wants as well."
Though the couple has been keeping their relationship mostly private and low-key, they've consistently been hounded with questions from followers asking why they weren’t married yet, especially seeing as they already have a child together. "A lot of people are like, 'Oh, you have a kid now, you have to get married,” she recalls. But there's no rush for Sofia and Daniel—they're adamant about taking their time.
"You have to feel that. You have to both know that you're at that stage," she stresses, saying that it's not just an "IYKYK" type of feeling—it involves a lot of hard work, patience, and commitment. "Because…what's that saying? 'You don't rush things when you want it to last.'" With both of them coming from broken and incomplete families, marriage is a big deal for both of them. "It's gonna be forever, so you also have to know who you want to be with for the rest of your life. And we have a lot of time naman."
I ask Sofia directly if she thinks Daniel is The One, her so-called endgame. With a schoolgirl giggle and a coy look in her eye, she says, "You will know."
As for her daughter Zoe, there's a twinkle in Sofia's eyes whenever the conversation goes to her mini-me. "She's turning five soon, and she's very naughty," she admits. "She knows what she wants, she knows what to do. I'm not scared of describing her like that, because I want that. Instead of being 'weak,' [I like that] she has the power to protect herself."
Despite not having any acting projects in the pipeline just yet, Sofia is grateful for the continuous stream of opportunities that come knocking on her door. Earlier this year, she was given the chance to attend Milan Fashion Week with Onitsuka Tiger, where she was able to rub elbows with the "who's who" of the industry—including Filipina fashion icon Heart Evangelista.
And as a certified beauty girl herself, Sofia is glad to be able to have the chance to have endorsements with brands near and dear to her heart, like being chosen to be the ambassador of Aveeno's Calm + Restore line. As someone with sensitive skin, skincare is undoubtedly important for the 26-year-old. "I have dermatitis kasi, so my skin is super dry. So I always put on lotion," she shares. "This line, in particular, is very good for my skin. They really helped in stopping the rashes and redness I would randomly get." It's also a good aftercare product for her many colored tattoos, which she reveals as a pro tip.
For the people who miss her on the small and silver screen, Sofia shares that she's just waiting for the right project, whenever that may come. As a big believer in manifesting and putting things out into the universe, she names either drama or action to be her dream genre, as she really gets to flex her acting prowess in more serious roles. "[I want] action, something challenging that I'm not comfortable with," she says, sharing that she dreams of working with veterans like Jericho Rosales, Jodi Sta. Maria, "big artistas, mga veterans talaga."
At the moment, Sofia seems to be in no rush to go back to her old life in showbiz. She's been enjoying her time beefing up her social media presence, taking care of her brand deals and various businesses, and spending time with her daughter. People may say that Sofia's career has gone to waste, that she threw away a promising glittering career for a quieter one, but at 26, she's all about enjoying—and giving back time—to the important things in her life.
"I'm really just taking my time. If I go back to taping again, it's not gonna be the same. Like I feel guilty that I'm even out of the house right now," she laughs. "I have to go back home and rush back to [Zoe], you know. So I'm focusing on social media. It's more convenient for me because I'm more in control of my time. It's balanced.”
According to Sofia, being on social media gives her more sense of peace than being in showbiz ever did. "You can still protect yourself and just choose whatever you want to show," she explains. "On television kasi, like yes, you're playing a role, but on the side, you still have guestings, you meet a lot of people. You have to mingle and all that," she notes, saying that you "have" to be a people-pleaser to make it—and stay—in the industry.
"For the past few years, I'm always misinterpreted kasi. They think I'm like the girl with the attitude…things like that," Sofia opens up, sharing that her outspoken nature has gotten her in trouble more than once. "But," she immediately follows up, "I just set my boundaries. I just know what I want. I know what to do and what not to do. I'm all about protecting myself…opening too much of your personal life to people. It's always chosen, it's always selected."
Sofia is wearing a top from The Editor's Market, a Sunnei skirt from UNIVERS, and Prada heels with jewelry from Nami.
This wasn't always the case for Sofia, however, especially when she was more active in showbiz. "Before, I would cry talaga. I used to read everything," she divulges about the hate comments she would receive daily. "But now, I'm like, whatever, it's a waste of time. They might be going through some things, so I can't judge. But for me, I just think they're bored."
After all all those intense years under the spotlight, Sofia has finally found her calm—and she's in control of it, too. "I just focus on my blessings, on the family and friends I have. [The hate is] nothing compared to what I have."
***
PHOTOGRAPHY: Dennis Sulit
ART DIRECTION: Ica Del Mundo
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Ida Aldana
PRODUCED BY: Alyana Olivar, assisted by Cheska Santiago and Clara Umali
STYLING: Cath Sobrevega, assisted by Mika Alejo and Angel Zamora
MAKEUP: Miz Raffy, assisted by Maffy Tirol
HAIRSTYLING: Vannie Claveria
NAILS: Extraordinail
SET STYLING: Jes Dizon, assisted by Ianne Leoncio, Joey Selidio, and Mark Jayson Selidio
WORDS BY: Cheska Santiago
VIDEOS: Greeko Junio and Cherrie Julian
SOCIAL MEDIA: Aina Lizarondo, assisted by Keonna Atienza
Shot on location at B&B Studios
