Remember when Liza Soberano was starting out in showbiz and playing third wheel in the love team of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla?

Liza was first introduced by ABS-CBN as Hope Soberano in 2012 when she played a supporting role as Jake Cuenca’s sister in an episode of Wansapanataym entitled “Kung Ako’y Iiwan Mo.”

In 2013, the budding star was repackaged and given a new screen name.

In that year, her first project as Liza Soberano was to play the third party in the KathNiel’s movie, Must Be… Love.

She played Angel, the cousin of Patchot (Kathryn) whose best friend, Ivan (Daniel), happened to like Liza’s character.

In January 2014, Liza started appearing in the second season of the 2013 prime-time series Got To Believe.

The project was the second time she played third wheel to Kathryn and Daniel, the lead stars of the teleserye.

She portrayed Alex, the girlfriend of Joaquin/Ryan, Daniel’s character.

The video clips of Liza’s participation in the series are currently being shown on ABS-CBN’s YouTube channel.

“MAS MARAMI PONG NAGING BASHERS.”

In her February 2014 interview with the gag show Banana Nite, Liza said working with Kathryn and Daniel in Got To Believe had been fun.

She also said her life changed when she joined the series as Alex.

Laughing, Liza shared, “Mas marami pong naging bashers at saka mas marami pong nagpapa-picture sa akin ngayon, nagpapapirma. Masaya!”

She remembered how KathNiel fans got too protective of their idols that she was regularly bashed during her third-wheeling days.

How did she take it?

She recounted, “Binabasa ko lang po ‘tapos kapag hindi ko ma-take, sinasabi ko sa tita ko o kaya sa daddy ko or kung sino iyong unang taong makikita ko.

“And then, iyong tita ko minsan, sobrang OA niya mag-react, ‘Wow, bakit ganyan? Replyan mo nga!’

“’Tapos ako, pinipigilan ko po pero alam ko nagdyu-joke lang naman si Tita.”

Liza also recalled telling the story to Kathryn and Daniel, “Nakuwento ko sa kanila isang beses, ‘tapos wala, tawa lang sila nang tawa.

“’Tapos sabi nila, iyong mga fans nila ngayon, mas nagiging mabait. Na-realize ko na rin iyon.

“Kasi iyong ibang KathNiel fans, magtu-tweet sila, ang ganda ni Alex. So, nagiging mabait sila sa akin.”

THE BEGINNING OF LIZQUEN

Months after Got To Believe, Liza got her big break in television.

It happened in October 2014, when she and Enrique Gil were paired together in the prime-time series Forevermore.

The two first worked together in the 2013 movie She’s The One, which was top-billed Dingdong Dantes and Bea Alonzo.

Forevermore received high ratings throughout its run, with Liza and Enrique’s love team becoming famous as LizQuen.

Subsequently, LizQuen was added to ABS-CBN’s list of its prime love teams.

Liza and Enrique would do more projects together after Forevermore.

They did the movies Just The Way You Are (2015), Everyday, I Love You (2015), My Ex and Whys (2017), and Alone/Together (2019).

They also top-billed the teleseryes Dolce Amore (2016), Bagani (2018), and Make It With You (2020).

Unfortunately, the production of Make It With You was halted because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

It was supposed to continue once ABS-CBN resumed taping, but the Kapamilya network decided to cancel the series with an unfinished storyline.

The cancellation, aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, came after Congress denied the renewal of ABS-CBN’s broadcast franchise.

Currently, Liza and Enrique are being managed by Star Magic with Ogie Diaz and Carlo Orosa, respectively.