Belle Mariano Gets Real About the Pressures of Adulting
In a podcast guesting, the young actress also shared the best piece of advice she would give her younger self.
by Kyla Villena
Published on Apr 2, 2026
Belle Mariano, who turns 24 this year, has been in the entertainment industry for more than half her life. The Gen Z star began building her path at the age of eight, starring in commercials and ABS-CBN’s kiddie gag show Goin’ Bulilit.
Today, she is one of her generation’s most promising actresses—but there is more to her journey than meets the eye. Belle opens up about it in a recent interview. Read on.
Belle Mariano on Adulting, and Making Mistakes in the Process
Belle was the special guest for the debut episode of Oh My Gan!, a new podcast by her home network. She sat down for an interview with entertainment journalist Ganiel Krishnan, who raised questions about her fears and personal philosophies.
When asked about the most difficult decision she’s ever made, Belle got candid about facing this challenge every single day. “Since I’m an ate, and being in the industry, I obviously want to put something good out there. I want to be a good role model.”
She labels this as the “best but hardest question” that she always has to answer, because it sets an example for her siblings and for everyone else who looks up to her.
There’s also tension that comes from adulting, which she finds “scary.” She explains, “May pressure [at] that stage na I have to work hard and do my best and strive [...] pero I have to enjoy and take a step back sometimes just to have a balance.” With that said, “Where will this direction take me?” is another question she often asks herself.
Belle handles her doubts with maturity, acknowledging that there will always be fear present when working in an unpredictable industry. “You have to remind yourself why [you’re doing] this, and more than takot na pangugunahan ka, dapat mas maging motivation mo siya to try harder.”
It’s easier said than done, according to Belle, because celebrities like her are expected to face the cameras showing that they are “all good.” She adds, "But at the end of the day, we are also just humans. We also go through things.”
For the singer and actress, falling down is acceptable as long as you don’t stay there. “Remember na you can rise above those things. Nadadapa kami—tao kasi kami—pero we'll do our best to rise up again.” She also left her younger self a piece of advice that may be important for other young people to hear, too.
This year, Belle shares that she is working towards more growth, both within and outside of show business. She admits that she sometimes feels the need to take a pause, but it is rooted in love and concern for her health and well-being. “It’s okay that we acknowledge na sometimes, we really need to take a step back to check on ourselves—that's just self-care.”
Kyla Villena loves a good lip gloss and a trip to the art gallery. She is Preview's beauty girl, who doubles as a self-proclaimed motivational speaker.