Maris Racal Still Overwhelmed by ‘Sunshine’ Wins, Dedicates Awards to Her Younger Self
MARIS RACAL – Actress Maris Racal admitted she has yet to fully process a month of back-to-back acting honors for the indie film Sunshine, in an interview published on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
“I’m still overwhelmed right now. You’re right, this month has been so good to me. Thankful ako sa mga awards and award-giving bodies,” Maris said.
In Antoinette Jadaone’s Sunshine, Maris plays the title role, a teenage gymnast who discovers she is pregnant ahead of a national tryout. This month, she tied with Odette Khan for Best Actress at the Gawad Urian, then tied with Maricel Soriano at the Star Awards. At the FAMAS Awards, Soriano took Best Actress while Maris received the body’s first-ever Actress of Distinction award. Related: FAMAS Clarifies Maris Racal and Maricel Soriano Did Not Tie for Best Actress.
Maris credited the “sobrang bigatin” actresses she has been nominated alongside, including Charo Santos, Angelica Panganiban and newcomer Krystel Go.
“I’m just glad that they consider me and binibigyan nila ako ng recognition, ’yun pa lang masaya na ako,” she said. “I’m happy because I’m proud of my younger self. Those awards, I dedicated to her, I’m just the one receiving it all!”
The actress admitted she was confused at first by how the FAMAS night turned out, but said she later felt proud that her performance merited a brand-new honor.
Instead of comparing herself with Soriano and Khan, Maris said the wins only push her further. “It just inspired me to work harder, to pray harder for roles like Sunshine,” she said.
“Gusto ko lang naman magtuloy-tuloy as an actress because, hindi ko alam anong gagawin ko kung hindi ako umaarte. Hindi ako marunong gumawa ng email, or anything! ’Di ko alam ano trabaho ko basta gusto ko lang umarte,” Maris added.
She said she hopes for more roles like Sunshine and that audiences keep enjoying her work.