Nadine Lustre Breaks Her Silence on Motherhood Fears
NADINE LUSTRE – Award-winning actress Nadine Lustre is baring her heart in a candid revelation about why she believes she would never have survived becoming a mom at a young age.
Nadine Lustre is thrilled to reunite with Phenomenal Box-Office Star Vice Ganda in the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2025 entry, Call Me Mother—a project she considers an answered prayer.
Nadine said she immediately accepted the film offer from director Jun Lana even before learning what role she would play. “Hindi pa sinasabi sa akin kung ano ang role ko, ang sabi sa akin, ‘Nak, gusto nila magpitch ng role sa iyo kasama mo si Ate Vice,’ sabi ko, ‘Game po!’” she shared. When she later learned she might portray a mother, she admitted she had hesitations, but her excitement to work with Vice again outweighed them. “Hindi ako papayag na hindi ko makakasama ulit si Ate Vice,” she added.
Nadine and Vice first worked together in Petrang Kabayo (2010) and again in Beauty and the Bestie (2015). Their third collaboration in Call Me Mother marks a dream project for Nadine, even if she initially felt uneasy about playing a 21-year-old mom.
Preparing for the role, Nadine sought insight from friends who became mothers at a young age. “Ako kasi 32 na ako and I feel like I’m not done growing up… if feeling ko na katulad nila na magiging nanay na rin ako, I don’t think matututunan ko iyon sa sarili ko,” she explained. Reflecting on her own mom’s experience, she added, “For her to actually give up a lot for me, sobrang saludo talaga sa moms. Kung tatanungin niyo ako ngayon, hindi ko talaga kaya iyon.”
Call Me Mother aims to explore what truly makes someone a mother. The story follows Twinkle (Vice), a flamboyant former beauty-queen trainer raising Angelo (Lucas Andalio), and Mara (Nadine), Angelo’s biological mother, who left him to chase her dreams but still carries deep emotional wounds. Twinkle wishes to legally adopt Angelo for a job abroad, and Mara agrees—but only if Twinkle helps her win a major national beauty pageant.
The film’s trailer garnered a massive 20 million combined views within 24 hours and quickly became a top trending topic in the Philippines. Call Me Mother premieres on December 25 as part of the 51st MMFF.
READ ALSO: Nadine Lustre On Why She Accepted A Mother Role In “Call Me Mother”