Samantha Lopez embraces her newfound role as a fitspiration for young millennials and aspiring actresses in local showbiz.
In her latest Instagram upload, she pays homage to Miley Cyrus as she matches the pop icon’s latest ‘Flowers’ music video with a reel-by-reel montage culled from her recent Cebu beach trip.
Since its initial release, the trending Miley Cyrus vid spawned a slew of TikTok and YouTube shorts, among them none other than hunky James Bond star Daniel Craig.
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Looking very fit, fab, and gloriously tanned, Sam remains an enigma to her showbiz contemporaries who can’t help but wonder how she seems to defy aging.
For Sam, the ‘Flowers’ video is a perfect anthemic hymn of self-love and women empowerment, which she hopes to preach to her followers. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, particularly since it coincides with International Women’s Month.
Sam became a household name back in the ‘90s during her stint in Eat Bulaga, where she was first introduced as Gracia, the Showdown Girl. She eventually showcased her dramatic acting prowess in the GMA teleserye Basahang Ginto, and even starred in her own drama series, Mia Gracia (1996).
She flew to New York at the height of her showbiz career in 2002, where she tied the knot with Warren Edwards, who heads a shoe manufacturing, design, and retail store in Manhattan.
Sadly, she eventually called it quits after eleven years of marriage. She flew back to Manila in 2018 to resume her showbiz career and continued dabbling in her real estate business.
At the moment, Sam is waiting for the resumption of their taping for Love. Die. Repeat, the GMA-7 serye starring Jennylyn Mercado and Xian Lim which was abruptly shelved due to Jennylyn’s pregnancy. In the show, she plays Jennylyn’s mom.
She is also slated to do two movies, namely, The Passengers, a suspense thriller with Shaira Diaz, and Separada, a drama flick which stars Sunshine Cruz, Almira Muhlach, Geneva Cruz, among others. She also enjoyed her guesting stint in GMA-7’s top-rating drama series, Abot-Kamay na Pangarap, where she played Teacher Cherry Mendoza.
An avid golf buff, Sam established the SamLo Cup, her very own golf tournament, in 2019, a fitting celebration of her 50th birthday. The tourney, attended by top golf pros and showbiz celebrities, doubles as a fund-raising event with the Kids for Jesus as its main beneficiary.
Sam also hosts other golf events such as the Bill Shaw tournament.
Aside from golf, she also does Pilates, walks regularly and lifts weights. She heads out to the beach for an occasional dive and surf.
For this year, Sam wants to be more focused with her showbiz career. She says, “I want to do action and be a kick-ass bitch, like Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider!”
Given the choice, Sam finds more challenge in playing kontrabida roles. “I actually want to follow in the footsteps of the late, great Cherie Gil,” she confessed.
“I know her. We hung out a lot in New York. I think this was the time she chose to stay there awhile to be with her kids. A friend hooked me up with her for dinner and drinks one time, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she’s so cool. No hang-ups, no drama. I was so shocked to hear of her passing.”
When not busy shooting or golfing, Sam tends to her real estate business. “I’m a licensed broker here and in the U.S, but instead of going through a company, I deal directly with the owners of the properties.”
Asked for the secret to her ever-youthful looks, Sam discloses, “It’s all about having the proper mindset. I choose to be a beacon of positivity and empowerment. Of course, it’s always good to have the discipline to take care of your body at all costs.”
Samantha is managed by ALV Talent Circuit.