With her much anticipated big screen comeback in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival entry UnMarry, Angelica Panganiban admitted she was happy to take a four-year hiatus from showbiz in order to focus on finally having her own family with her non-showbiz husband Gregg Homan and their daughter Amila, whom they welcomed in 2022. 

“Siguro nag-sunod sunod lang yung nangyari sa akin since I got pregnant and then gusto ko talagang mag-focus doon sa pagiging nanay dahil may kanya-kanya naman tayong mga panahon di ba? And I really believed na, all my life since I was six years old, I’m 39 now, so parang since six years old ako, nag-aartista na ako, nagtatrabaho na ako. So nung nabigay na sa akin yung time to pause and time to parang nurture being a mom, ibinuhos ko talaga doon,” she shared during the UnMarry pictorial shoot held last November 15 at a studio in Mandaluyong City.

The talented actress also revealed that when her daughter Amila turned two, she had already considered returning to work but had to endure a difficult health journey. This involved undergoing multiple surgeries during the past year after being diagnosed with a disease that affected her bones.

“Nung time na parang finally okay na, parang since nag-two years old na siya, I was diagnosed with avascular necrosis and slowly nag-deteriorate yung katawan ko hanggang hindi na ako nakalakad, I was on a walker and then napunta na nga sa wheelchair. And then I had to do so many surgeries. Hip decompression and hip replacement on my left side and then on my right. And then nag-recover pa so ang dami talagang pinagdaanan. Kaya medyo natagalan yung pagbalik,” she revealed.

During that challenging time, Angelica said the thought of quitting acting for good never crossed her mind.

“Habang pinagdadaanan ko yung mga yun, lagi akong may longing na, hindi lang longing, inggit din, sa iba mong nakakatrabaho, sa ibang mga artista di ba pag napapanuod mo sila na parang ah, gusto ko yung ginagawa nila, na-mi-miss ko na, ganun. So nung may mga projects na ino-offer, parang naghihintay lang din talaga ako ng tamang project na magpapa-oo sa akin kasi gusto ko talaga yung habang ginagawa ko yung project, isang daang porsyento ako dun at hindi ko mararamdaman na, ‘Bakit ako nandito? Eh ang saya saya na ng buhay ko dun kasama ng mag-ama ko.’ So kailangan worth it na worth it yung pakiramdam and kumpletong kumpleto yung pag-oo ko, talagang isang daan para wala kang kahit one percent na regret di ba? Kahit makaramdam ka ng pagod and overwhelming na pakiramdam,” she explained.

Watch Angelica Panganiban in the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry UnMarry, also starring Zanjoe Marudo, Kathryn Bernardo, Eugene Domingo, Solenn Heussaff. Directed by Jeffrey Jeturian. Produced by Quantum Films and CineKo Productions. UnMarry opens on December 25 in cinemas nationwide.