They say that the entertainment industry is a fast-paced and ever-changing world –one day you are in, and the next day you are out. That is why some celebrities make it a point to have a backup plan.
While many dream of becoming a prominent actor or performer in the country, there are some celebrities who choose to give up their showbiz career and live an ordinary life behind the camera.
Here are some former celebrities who found success in their chosen career paths outside show business.
Carol Banawa
Carol Banawa rose to fame in the late 90s and early 2000s after appearing on several TV shows in the Philippines, such as “Tabing Ilog”, “Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggang”, and “Bituin”.
She is also the voice behind classic OPM songs “Bakit ‘Di Totohanin” and “Iingatan Ka”.
Banawa left Philippine show business years ago, but she recently showed her fans a snippet of her life abroad.
Banawa now holds a nursing degree and has graduated Summa Cum Laude.
It was back in September 2017 when Banawa shared on social media her journey to becoming a registered nurse in the United States. She also revealed through a recent Instagram post that she will be working as an OR Nurse soon.
Josh Santana
Josh Santana, or Michael Pamular in real life, began his showbiz career in the early 2000s when he starred alongside Carol Banawa in the now-defunct teleserye “Bituin”.
However, it was during the Meteor Garden fever when Santana became a household name after recording “Biyahe”, the tagalog version of “Qing Fei Di Yi”.
He decided to take a shift in his career, leave show business and pursue a career in the medical world.
The former singer-actor, who was an AB English graduate from Far Eastern University, admitted that he doubted leaving show business while pursuing his medical degree. But on March 15, 2018, the list of the passers of the Physician Licensure Examination were released, and one of the names on the list was that of Santana.
Serena Dalrymple
Serena Dalrymple became a well-known and well-loved child star when she appeared on the films “Bata, Bata… Pa’no Ka Ginawa?”, “Type Kita, Walang Kokontra”, “Daddy O! Baby O!”, and “Ang Tanging Ina”.
She then gave up her life in the limelight to pursue a career out of show business. In 2010, she graduated with a Business Administration degree from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Manila.
The former child star then took her Master’s degree at Hult International Business School where she finished an International Business degree.
She then worked for Paramount Pictures, one of the biggest film companies in the United States, as a Sourcing Analyst.
After two years of working for Paramount Pictures, she moved to its parent organization, Viacom, a major media company in the US, where she now works as a manager.
Miko Samson
Miko Samson, or Ramon Miguel Samson in real life, made a name for himself in the Philippine entertainment industry after he appeared on the now-defunct youth oriented show G-mik.
According to his website, Samson is now working as a lawyer. He is a senior associate who is a member of the Securities, and Project Development & Finance departments. His practice focuses securities, project development and finance, and corporate law.
Nancy Castiglione
Filipino-Italian TV personality Nancy Castiglione rose to fame in the Philippines in the early 2000s after she took on several supporting roles for a number of television shows and films, including “Kahit Kailan”, “Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga”, and “Encantadia”.
Now, Castiglione, as stated on her LinkedIn account, is based in Calgary, Canada and works as a Business Development Manager at Sharp Insurance.
Leandro Muñoz
Leandro Muñoz became a household name in the Philippines during the late 90s and early 2000s after appearing on “Saan Ka Man Naroroon” and “Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan”.
Even though he still makes TV and film appearances every once in a while, Muñoz is now busy working as an entrepreneur in the United States
