Maris Racal Is Done Chasing What's Next

Maris began her showbiz journey in 2014 as a Pinoy Big Brother housemate, and from then on, the 28-year-old actress kept saying yes to every opportunity that came her way. Looking back, some may feel that her earlier projects didn't fully showcase the calibre she has today—but they were all steps that led her to where she stands now.

But—she raised her hands as she said this—the chances she took were all part of her very core as an actress. It was the foundation that she's still building upon.

"Lahat ng projects na yun, meron akong napulot na lessons. Hindi siya super putok talaga. It [didn't] really get me to where I am right now. [Pero] may mga tao akong na-meet who taught me a lot of valuable lessons. I met directors who gave me breaks—that eventually gave me a break," the actress illustrated.

One such project was Sunshine. It didn't just trigger emotions and stir discussions on the Internet. Ultimately, the film became the turning point that showed Maris the real influence of her craft.

"Working on Sunshine really made me realize how powerful my job is. Dati kasi, there are roles na may nata-tap ka na demographic or community to give fun, to give people a good time," Maris humbly told Cosmo. "Nung nagkaroon ako ng Sunshine, nagkaroon ng deeper purpose yung pagiging actress ko, and it really empowered me to choose my roles wisely and for my roles to be more intentional."

It's never a question of passion, though. Maris has always poured her heart into every role she's had. "I learned out of survival." It's just that this season of her life feels different, and she's moving forward by unlearning a lot of things as an actress.

"Bini-break ko na yung 'leading lady' stereotype na kailangan ikaw yung laging nililigtas, na you have to act, dress, and present yourself a certain way. What if that's not you?" she pointed out.

Now, she's choosing roles that don't just uplift her viewers but, most importantly, strengthen her, too. Amid the industry's relentless pace, she's fighting to stay anchored to her identity. 

"So, what if maging ako, ako? Maging unfiltered, maging ako pa rin—kalog pa rin at kaya kong mag-lead sa isang series and be part of an unsung cast di ba? So, what if i-break ko yung labels and live my life, do my job, and what if it will lead me to something really exciting and to actually discover something that will make me even more successful and at the same time happy?" she asks, her curiosity wrapped in a confidence that signals she already knows the direction she's headed.

A lot can happen in a year, and Maris has certainly seen her share. Certain moments made her pause and rethink how she was moving through life. "May kanya-kanya tayong triggers—and I discovered my trigger for the first time, and it wasn't easy," the actress carefully told Cosmo.

Maris opened up about navigating major mental health struggles earlier this year—an experience that, she admits, spiraled until it became too heavy to hold. "It was ugly," she added.

While she didn't go into detail, Maris acknowledged that it prompted her to finally look inward. "I think we've all been there na we're setting it aside because a lot of things are happening, but the truth is, we have issues inside of us, but pag sobrang busy ka, wala kang time [to face it]," she illustrated.

Maris didn't just try to work through those emotions on her own. She admitted, "I actually craved therapy, and I just wish people would talk about it openly. Kailangan natin ng therapy." For her, mental health illnesses are real, and she stresses, "Kailangan mo siyang i-process."

It was then that Maris realized how much weight she'd been carrying—quietly, constantly, and almost always alone. It hit like a wake-up call: not just to slow down, but to the parts of herself she had tucked away in the name of the grind.

Yes, the grind—the same relentless chase that so many in this generation know too well.  There was a time it consumed her completely, filling every space before her family, before her friends, and, inevitably, before herself.

When asked how she got caught up in it, she answered honestly: "I think it was [because of] my love for my dream—the gigil, the determination, the fear of not doing anything, and not embracing boredom. I have no space for that. Even though it was my day off, I'm thinking of things, next pasabog, ganon."

For Maris, it all ties into the unspoken—but very felt— pressure to be on top of everyone’s algorithm. "I feel like social media is really built that way to keep your attention. Once you look away, you're not part of this world anymore, you're not cool anymore. That's what I learned—and that's very sad. Kasi, what if gusto mo lang mag-let go? What if gusto mo lang maging totoo? But in our business, you have to keep up," she stated.

As much as she's open to sharing fragments of her life with her fans, Maris is learning the cost of being always on display. Now, she moves with care, with intention. Slowing down has meant stepping away from the strong pull of social media—less screen time, more space to breathe. It's one of the lessons she's unlearning this year, and, to her surprise, letting go hasn't been as difficult as she thought it'd be.

"I don't do social media anymore. Now, it's purposeful. It's for research na lang, kung anong need gawin for work. Lagi na akong huli sa balita, para na akong bagong tao," she said with a laugh.

Now, a perfect day off for Maris involves just herself and her journal—phones totally put aside. "I avoid social media. I avoid my phone. I grab my journal, then I write to God," she shared.

"Lahat ng thoughts ko, lahat ng dreams ko, lahat ng ambitions ko [I write it]. Every time I think about my dreams, parang it makes me feel pressured that I'm not doing a lot. But when I write it down, when I talk to God, it makes me feel calm and present because I already developed this mentality that it's gonna come true because I talked to God about it," Maris declared.

As our conversation unfolded, Maris and I discovered common ground—one that readers would likely recognize: the constant push to juggle showing up online and living fully in real life. “I'm not saying that I'm not an ever-present person. But I'm trying to find the balance,” she said.

If 2025 has taught Maris anything, it's how grounding feels—and how necessary it can be. "Life happened—lumapag ako sa lupa," she said. But it wasn’t easy getting there.

"The process of grounding was not easy. When I did, I felt this warmth in my chest. I think that was my proudest moment this year, too."

Life truly has its own way of humbling us to the core. For Maris, that meant taking a closer look at her relationships—and recognizing both how much they've grown, and how much more care and attention she could give them.

"I saw how people actually treated each other. Ganito pala yung tunay na friendship, ganito yung tunay na relationship with parents, and so on. This is the real life."

Then, she broke into a grin. "And I'm actually freaking loving it." 

As the year winds down, Maris is confident that she's looking at things from a different perspective now, in a new and better light. Change is happening, and she's embracing it wholeheartedly.

Part of that growth has meant setting boundaries and communicating her feelings more openly. "I actually set boundaries this year. I learned to say no, and I learned to communicate it properly, not offending anyone. And I don't feel sorry for saying no," Maris expressed.

After all, opportunities come and go—especially for someone as hardworking as her. But she's no longer chasing every chance or sprinting toward whatever looks like success. She's learned to trust the timing of her own life.

"Ang buhay isang marathon. You may not have it all in your 20s, in your 30s, in your 40s, may 50s pa, may 60s pa, may 70s pa, and that's okay. Maybe that's your life path, and that's okay," Maris declared.

In an industry where everything is public and instant, it's easy to feel pressured to perform success. So these days, Maris is choosing patience over pressure.

"I believe that there's a divine timing that it's all gonna happen. You don't have to do everything this week. You don't have to fix a lot of things. Alam mo magiging totoo naman pangarap mo kasi you're working on it. Mabagal lang. Hindi lang kasing bilis ng iba, but at least you're working on it."

Maris is all in on her dreams—and no one can take away her drive to grow. You see it in her range: comedy, romance, horror, action… she's done it all. But she's still manifesting bigger moves. At the top of her list is another rom-com film. 

"I'm actually really praying for that next leading man that I can make an iconic rom-com with. As in, forte ko talaga rom-com. I know how to have fun in a rom-com. And I'm really praying for that one movie na parang Starting Over Again, [or] How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."

"Mga rom-com ng mga trentahin," she joked, bursting into laughter that echoed around the room. Maris truly gets the joy of rom-coms—not just in playing them, but in imagining how they make people feel. "Ang hirap gumawa ng rom-com in this economy," she said. "Sana sa lahat ng mga nagsusulat ng rom-com, nasa utak nila ako. Ibigay mo na sa akin, Lord."

The future is stacked for Maris. Beyond the roles she's set to conquer, she's also letting the world in on another part of her artistry: her music. She reveals to Cosmo, "I'm also finalizing my album for next year. And that's gonna be my main focus for the next year. I've been finishing my songs, recording, and conceptualizing music videos."

Even as she prepares for new chapters in her career, Maris knows happiness isn't only in milestones—it's in the simple moments.

"Happiness to me is eating at the dining table with my family. Happiness to me is that I actually get to go to my taping and have a good time with my workmates. And then, I go home with a smile because I did the scenes pretty well. That's happiness to me," she said, her voice warm with emotion.

Teary-eyed, Maris added, "Once you actually realize na those are the real things na magpapa-happy sa'yo, you actually realize na it happens every day. And that makes me really content."

That one-hour conversation revealed a Maris rarely seen online—beyond the highlight reels, with rough days and off days like anyone else.

"Simpleng tao lang ako. Tao lang ako, guys. I go through what you go through," she said.

As 2025 closes, Maris is choosing what to leave behind—and what to carry forward. She's letting go of what no longer serves her—the overthinking, the need to always be "on," the urge to outrun herself. 

She's stepping into the new year with a lighter heart, more grounded, more intentional, and more in tune with what truly matters. Like the pages of her journal that help her make sense of each day, she's carrying forward a version of herself that's simple, joyful, and ready to share that newfound light with others.