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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Celebrities devider Careless exec reveals Liza Soberano was offered to audition for MJ role in 'Spider-Man' but...

Careless exec reveals Liza Soberano was offered to audition for MJ role in 'Spider-Man' but...

Published Mar 8, 2023 04:04 am
"She was not allowed." This is what Korean-American businessman Jeffrey Oh revealed recently, relating to actress Liza Soberano. RELATED STORIES: [Get to know Liza Soberano’s character on first Hollywood project](https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/18/get-to-know-liza-soberanos-character-on-first-hollywood-project/) [Careless officially welcomes Liza Soberano as talent](https://mb.com.ph/2022/06/21/careless-officially-welcomes-liza-soberano-as-talent/) [Liza Soberano on Enrique Gil, James Reid, Ogie Diaz](https://mb.com.ph/2022/06/22/liza-soberano-on-enrique-gil-james-reid-ogie-diaz/) [James Reid on Liza Soberano breaking into Hollywood: ‘Very promising’](https://mb.com.ph/2022/06/22/james-reid-on-liza-soberano-breaking-into-hollywood-very-promising/) James Reid's business partner shared the story at the recent Philippine Creative Industries Summit. He started by asking the audience about "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and the fictional character Michelle "MJ" Jones. According to Jeffrey, Liza was actually offered to audition for the film and that role. "They reached out for her to audition to be Mary Jane, one of the most iconic characters. And she was not allowed because she had to do the same thing she was always doing," he said. Realizing he may have said too much, he added, "I really shouldn't have said that. But it's the truth."
Jeffrey continued: "This wasn't, like, as if she was being marketed - they reached out." "There are people looking for Filipino talent. People are looking for that." RELATED STORIES: [Liza Soberano is moving to LA](https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/16/liza-soberano-is-moving-to-la/) [OH NO! Liza Soberano’s IG account wiped clean](https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/21/oh-no-liza-soberanos-ig-account-wiped-clean/) [Ogie Diaz on Liza Soberano: ‘Nanghihinayang ako’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/24/ogie-diaz-on-liza-soberano-nanghihinayang-ako/) [Netizens express concern over alleged removal of Enrique Gil’s comment on Liza Soberano’s post](https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/24/netizens-express-concern-over-alleged-removal-of-enrique-gils-comment-on-liza-soberanos-post/) "Imagine, a Filipina actress was a star of one of the biggest Marvel movies in history. Imagine she was Mary Jane, what that would do for Philippine entertainment," he said. "But then she was in a 10-year contract, which is also unheard of anywhere else in the world." He related that the "big reason" why a lot of stars and creatives here are not able to make it internationally isn't because they're not talented enough or because people aren't looking for them but because they "legally can't most of the time." Jeffrey said: "I've sat down with executives, they were like: 'Holy crap, did Liza just come from a 10-year contract that she signed at 12? Isn't that illegal? Would the option to renew exclusively the manager's discretion? Which is a standard practice of any major management company." RELATED STORIES: [Boy Abunda, Ogie Diaz differ on Liza Soberano’s career move](https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/25/boy-abunda-ogie-diaz-differ-on-liza-soberanos-career-move/) [Former ABS-CBN head writer on Liza Soberano: ‘I’m rooting for her with all my heart’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/27/former-abs-cbn-head-writer-on-liza-soberano-im-rooting-for-her-with-all-my-heart/) [Ogie Diaz to Liza Soberano: ‘Pinapakinggan ka din naman’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/28/ogie-diaz-to-liza-soberano-pinapakinggan-ka-din-naman/) [James Reid reiterates support for Liza Soberano](https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/28/james-reid-reiterates-support-for-liza-soberano/) "That's why, you know, people were like: 'Oh my God, how did you guys get to sign some big actress when you're a start-up?' It's because our contracts are normal. We're like, 'Hey, it's four years but if you don't like us you could leave after a year.' 'We only take 20 percent and at that 20 percent, if we messed up we'll give it back to you...That's the standard talent entertainment contract," he reiterated. "But then after 10, 11 years, she (Liza) wanted to try something and the whole country flipped out," Jeffrey maintained. "She's the most talked-about person on social media for the last six, seven days. And not even one percent of the conversation, that's holy crap. She was in 11 years contract since she was a child? Is that okay? And the answer is no." RELATED STORIES: [Liza Soberano: ‘I’m in constant communication with my Star Magic family’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/28/liza-soberano-im-in-constant-communication-with-my-star-magic-family/) [Boy Abunda to Liza Soberano: ‘Do not disregard the hard work that your managers put into who you are today’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/01/boy-abunda-to-liza-soberano-do-not-disregard-the-hard-work-that-your-managers-put-into-who-you-are-today/) [Ogie Diaz on Liza Soberano: ‘Hindi siya naging puppet’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/01/ogie-diaz-on-liza-soberano-hindi-siya-naging-puppet/) [Cristy Fermin calls out Liza Soberano for being ‘ungrateful’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/01/cristy-fermin-calls-out-liza-soberano-for-being-ungrateful/) He went on. "You know, my partner, James Reid, he started Careless because he was like: 'This is ridiculous... We need to represent the country but we can't.' I think, if you look at any major (industry), whether sports, or entertainment, we always talk about, like, gratefulness - that was the word of the week. For us, Careless, ingrata - I learned that word this week. Utang na loob - I learned that word this week too. "But should we wait until our biggest stars -- that has the best chance at representing us -- Should we wait until they're 35, until they're 40? Until their prime has passed? It's like, you know, if we think of our stars and our creatives as national athletes that are supposed to compete in the Olympics of culture, why wouldn't we want to send our best? Why would we lock them up all here? Why would we shame them for trying to take risks, right?" Jeffrey said they're called Careless because the whole idea is supposed to be "careless with your career and your brand." RELATED STORIES: [Liza Soberano’s dad: ‘Everybody blows everything out of proportion’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/01/liza-soberanos-dad-everybody-blows-everything-out-of-proportion/) [Liza Soberano reiterates she’s grateful](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/03/liza-soberano-reiterates-shes-grateful/) [Ogie Diaz contradicts Liza Soberano’s claim](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/03/ogie-diaz-contradicts-liza-soberanos-claim/) [Liza Soberano on losing ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye:’ ‘Why did they do that?’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/06/liza-soberano-on-losing-hello-love-goodbye-why-did-they-do-that/) "Take big risks so that you could be careful with the culture and the growth," he related. "We're too careful about the wrong things and too careless about the right thing and that's why Careless is what we are. And it's very timely that I'm on this panel." Note that back in 2016, Liza herself mentioned the offer. “It’s not really an invitation. I think it was what the fans wanted lang, fans of Marvel. I think one of them is Pinay and parang she tweeted that, parang kung merong magiging Mary Jane Watson, she would want it to be me. All my fans started retweeting it and everything but wala naman po talagang invitation,” she was quoted as saying. RELATED STORIES: [Ethel Espiritu on Liza Soberano: ‘Andun yung magandang intention niya’](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/07/ethel-espiritu-on-liza-soberano-andun-yung-magandang-intention-niya/) [Liza Soberano opens up on relationship with parents](https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/07/liza-soberano-opens-up-on-relationship-with-parents/)

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