Jodi Sta. Maria talks about her career milestones during a recent press huddle celebrating her recent best actress win at the Asian Academy Creative Awards. ABS-CBN

MANILA — Now it can be said: Jodi Sta. Maria considered leaving showbiz as recently as last year, but what transpired in the months that followed led the screen superstar to, in her words, take a “U-turn” instead.

Sta. Maria, 40, even remembers the precise date she started seriously contemplating on a career switch after over two decades in front of the camera.

It was December 23, 2021, the day she finished filming what would become the acclaimed teleserye “The Broken Marriage Vow.”

“After we shot our last sequence, sabi ko, ‘Parang wala na yata talaga akong mabibigay. Parang na-exhaust ko na ‘yung kaya kong ibigay as an actor.’ Twenty-four is twenty-four. Ang daming nangyari doon sa 24 years na ‘yun, na parang feeling ko, ‘Parang okay naman na, parang nasulit ko naman na.’ Nasa ganoong mindset ako noong mga panahon na ‘yun,” she said.

Referring to quitting acting and eyeing a fresh pursuit, Sta. Maria went on, “To be very honest, oo, pumasok ‘yan sa isip ko.”

“Especially ‘pag may mga panahon na you’re just physically tired and emotionally exhausted, maiisip mo siya, eh. ‘May iba pa bang puwedeng gawin bukod dito?’ … I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. You have those moments when you’re just so tired, and feeling mo you can’t go on and you just want to throw in the towel and be like, ‘Bahala na!’”

Sta. Maria made the candid revelation during a press huddle on Wednesday, to celebrate her recent win as best actress for “The Broken Marriage Vow” in the Asian Academy Creative Awards.

Jodi Sta. Maria unboxes and poses with her trophy for Best Actress in a Leading Role from the Asian Academy Creative Awards, on Dec. 14, 2022.

“But then, kung iisipin mo, we can make plans talaga for our lives. But at the end of the day, si Lord pa rin talaga ‘yung mag-di-direct ng steps natin kung saan tayo pupunta. ‘Pag siya na ‘yung kumilos, iyon talagang kahit ano’ng gawin mo, hindi ka makakatakas. Dadalhin at dadalhin ka niya kung saan ka dapat, doon sa pinurpose niya para sa ‘yo,” she said.

That purpose was made tangible anew to Sta. Maria when “The Broken Marriage Vow” received successive international recognition after its June conclusion. Aside from her regional acting prize, the Kapamilya series also won best TV adaptation at the recent ContentAsia Awards.

Sta. Maria had in fact already envisioned a different life for her five years from now. She mentioned spending more time with her teenage son, Thirdy, and the possibility of continuing her studies after earning a psychology degree in mid-2021.

“Ang bigat, actually!”, Jodi Sta. Maria said of her trophy for Best Actress in a Leading Role from the Asian Academy Creative Awards for her lead portrayal in ABS-CBN’s The Broken Marriage Vow, on Dec. 14, 2022. Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

“Before all this happened, I was thinking, after ‘TBMV,’ okay na ako. [Whether I return to school or not] I would still be 45 anyways. Hindi naman titigil ang life. Might as well gawin ko ‘yung sa palagay ko na tama for my life,” she said.

“And then, si God kasi talaga mahilig mag-surprise, eh. Ang hilig niya mag-plot twist. ‘Yung sinet kong plan para sa life ko, parang biglang na-detour.”

Whereas in December 2021 Sta. Maria looked forward to a life away from showbiz, now she can say with certainty, “I hope I’ll still be here five years from now.”

The next five years is already off to a great start, with Sta. Maria’s first-time team-up with Coco Martin in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Labyu with an Accent” — a “welcome breather” for the actress, following her back-to-back drama series.

Still ahead are major projects Sta. Maria opted to keep mum about for now. But going by her evident excitement — a telling smile and an unmistakable gleam in her eyes — they will be more reason to stay on for after once considering stepping away from the limelight.