Valerie Concepcion is thankful to GMA-7 for giving her a second chance in her career.
Valerie started her career in the Kapuso network via the youth-oriented show Click in 2002.
While doing Click, Valerie was also given lead roles in the shows Walang Hanggan and Love to Love that both aired in 2003.
But in 2004, just as she was being promoted to lead roles, Valerie suddenly got pregnant with her first child, Heather Fiona.
Coinciding with Valerie’s pregnancy was Click’s demise on air.
Although her pregnancy halted her promising career, Valerie was able to stage a successful comeback in 2005.
During her PEP Live guesting in July 2022, Valerie looked back to that moment in her long showbiz career.
She recalled, “Actually, it was just after a year, that’s why I am very, very grateful to GMA.
“So, I got pregnant and then nanganak ako, after giving birth, tinatanong na nila kaagad ako, ‘Ready na ba si Valerie bumalik?’
“Kasi, when I got pregnant, I had SOP, I had Click, and then meron pa ako yung mga Love to Love, ang daming binigay na shows sa akin ng GMA.
“So, when I got pregnant, they were like, ‘Okay lang sige, hihintayin ka namin.’ So, pagkapanganak ko, ‘Ready na ba si Valerie?’
"Kaya I remember before, October ako nanganak, January nag-i-interview na kami sa S-Files pa noon, ini-interview na ako about my pregnancy and everything.
“’Tapos yun, dire-diretso naman na kaya talagang paulit-ulit kong sinasabi na very thankful ako sa GMA.”
When Valerie returned to showbiz after giving birth, she was given a lead kontrabida role in the first season of GMA’s afternoon umbrella series, Now and Forever presents Mukha.
Valerie played kontrabida to Ryza Cenon and LJ Reyes in the afternoon series.
DOING KONTRABIDA ROLES
According to Valerie, she did not mind playing kontrabida for her comeback project, having done lead roles before her pregnancy.
“Not at all, I was just very thankful and very happy na binibigyan pa rin ako ng chance, binibigyan ako ng shows.
“Kasi I don’t really care about yung fame na gusto ko, sikat na sikat ako, ganyan. Ang importante sa akin, gusto kong nagagawa ko what I love, which is acting.
“So, as long as may binibigay sa aking role no matter how small or siyempre, if it’s big, I’m really thankful, di ba? If it’s small, I’m still thankful.
“Kasi for me, nagagawa ko yung gusto ko, e. How many people can say na ‘O, kumikita ka by doing what you love?’
“So, doon pa lang, ang swerte swerte ko na so I didn’t mind at all.”
After Now and Forever, Valerie would do play every kind of characters.
In 2007, Valerie did a lead role in the afternoon series Sine Novela presents Sinasamba Kita.
After Sinasamba Kita, Valerie transferred to ABS-CBN where she did lead and kontrabida roles.
Since then, Valerie would do projects intermittently with ABS-CBN, TV5, and GMA-7.
CELEBRATING HER 20 YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY
This 2022, Valerie is celebrating her 20 years in showbiz.
Even Valerie can’t believe that she would last this long as an actress, that’s why she can’t help but be thankful to everyone who showed support.
She is also thankful not only to GMA-7, but also to ABS-CBN for giving her projects.
She said with a laugh, “Who would’ve thought na tatagal ako ng 20 years kaya salamat po sa lahat ng tumatangkilik ng shows ko.
“Thank you so much sa lahat ng nagbibigay ng projects sa atin, siyempre sa GMA, pati siyempre ang ABS kasi hindi rin naman ako pinabayaan ng ABS.
“Kahit papaano, pasulpot-sulpot sa Kadenang Ginto ‘tapos pinaka-recent na ginawa ko Saying Goodbye, so thank you so much, and, siyempre, sa lahat ng taong sumusuporta sa atin kasi wala naman tayo dito kung hindi tayo sinusuportahan pati yung mga shows natin.”
Valerie’s last project is the GMA Afternoon Prime series Raising Mamay. She has also two pending projects with the Kapuso network: Love. Die. Repeat and Seed of Love.