After decades defined by iconic roles and an enduring presence in Philippine cinema, veteran actress Hilda Koronel is stepping back into the spotlight — not out of nostalgia, but out of purpose.

Her comeback film, Sisa, is a historical spy thriller set during the Philippine-American War of 1902. For the actress, the project comes after a chapter of her life spent far from the country that shaped her career.

Speaking on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, she admitted that leaving the Philippines came at a time when she felt she had earned a pause.

“In a sense, I was a bit tired already because, you know, like 56 years na rin ako sa industry by this year. So, noong umalis ako, matagal na rin [akong nasa industriya]. Ilang decades na rin ako. So, my husband was saying like, ‘Pahinga ka na.’”

Yet distance did not erase attachment.

“And some of my kids are here. My grandchildren are here. So, I miss the people. And Manila will always be home for me. So, it’s kind of hard to leave my friends, my family. Mahirap din, but you do what you have to do.”

Life away from the spotlight

Living in the United States meant trading studio schedules for ordinary routines — a transition she described as unexpectedly demanding.

“Mahirap nang konti. Ikaw lahat, wala kang katulong.”

“Sanay naman ako. I cook, you know, I clean, I do everything.”

The quiet life gave her rest, but not detachment. The pull of storytelling eventually brought her back.

A different ‘Sisa’

In Sisa, directed by Jun Robles Lana, Koronel portrays a character far removed from the tragic mother in Noli Me Tangere — a misconception she immediately clarified.

“She’s a spy. So hindi ’to — they have a misconception na si Sisa ’to ni Rizal. It’s not. Because it’s in 1902. This is the Philippine-American War already.”

Her character operates with intention, not madness.

“Really focused na gusto niyang gumanti. Gusto niyang kahit papaano makaganti siya.”

“Nagloloko-lokohan lang siya.”

The film opens in cinemas on March 4, marking her return not just to acting, but to historical storytelling.

A project that never happened

During the interview, Koronel also revealed she had been preparing for a film with the late Nora Aunor under director Adolfo Alix Jr. before tragedy intervened.

“We were supposed to do a film, you know.”

“Nag-meeting na kami ng aming director si Adolfo Alix Jr., na sa ’kin na yung script. And then after a week, she passed.”

“That was really sad for me.”

For Koronel, Sisa is more than a comeback vehicle — it is a continuation. A return to Manila, to history, and to the craft she never truly left behind, only paused long enough to remember why it mattered.