At 18 years old, Jillian Ward has already captured the hearts of many as one of the most promising young actresses in the Philippines. With her impressive acting skills and charming personality, the former child actress has earned the moniker “teen queen.” In an exclusive interview at the opening of San Jose del Monte’s Tanglaw Festival last Friday at City Sports Complex, Jillian shared her aspirations, insights on her hit afternoon series, “Hawak Kamay Na Pangarap,” and her upcoming project with Sen. Bong Revilla.
The young star is ecstatic about the success of “Hawak Kamay Na Pangarap,” currently the leading afternoon soap. Mothers, health workers, even medical students have been commending her for her acting and thanking her for inspiring them. However, she has not been been inspired to enter the medical profession.
Jillian, who recently graduated first honor at the Homeschool of Asia Pacific, revealed she dreams of becoming a lawyer. “Bata pa ako, gusto ko siya matutunan. Mahilig ako manood, mag-research, magbasa. Siguro nasa puso ko na,” she laughed.
She has no plans of leaving showbiz as she hopes to juggle college and her career, especially with people now calling her “Teen Queen.”
“Masaya po ako pag naririnig ko na tinatawag ako nun [pero] ginagawa ko lang po ang kailangan ko gawin,” she dismissed, adding that her focus remains on her craft and her fans’ satisfaction, rather than dwelling on titles.
As of now, she’s thankful for “Hawak Kamay Na Pangarap,” which she thinks has become a hit because the show feels like family. She explained, “Pamilya na po kami. Laging pinagdadasal namin na hindi ma-bore ‘yung mga audience kasi kami po sa taping sobrang saya talaga.”
She also shared that this has been the happiest set she’s ever worked on, with the show inspiring countless viewers, particularly in portraying the life of doctors in a hospital setting. Interestingly, the medical scenarios in the show are based on real stories from medical consultants.
As to what’s next, Jillian chooses to approach her career with a sense of optimism and a commitment to giving her best. She shared, “Sa ngayon po kasi, wala pa namang next project, so binibigay ko lang best ko dito sa ginagawa kong show ngayon at si God na rin po bahala kung talagang mahihigitan ko po si Dr. Analyn sa next project ko or hindi.”
Jillian also confirmed her upcoming project with Sen. Bong Revilla, whom she had previously worked with in “Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote” when she was five years old.
She expressed her gratitude to the senator for remembering her and shared her excitement about the project, which is a mix of comedy, drama, and action.
She is grateful to GMA for supporting her throughout her career and as she looks forward to her future, Jillian remains grounded and focused on her goals. She believes in enjoying her work and personal growth before anything else. “Sa akin mas importante enjoyin ko ginagawa ko more than kung sisikat po,” she emphasized.
Love, for now, will have to wait. She wants to focus on herself, her career and her family, before entering into a relationship with, hopefully, someone with whom she has shared a strong foundation.
“Kung meron ako makakatuluyan, gusto ko maging kaibigan ko muna sya, hindi straight up na ligaw,” she said.
In the meantime, she has been learning how to effectively handle her earnings with the help of her parents and advice from her co-stars. She has let go of two cars to purchase a lot where she hopes to build their next home.
“Naisip ko po 13 years na rin po ako nag wo work so parang gusto ko mas matatag na investment, ‘yung long term talaga.”
Yes, Jillian is in for the long haul – and to paraphrase the title of her hit series, with her talent, dedication and drive, “abot kamay na nya ang mga pangarap.”
