Anne dreams of Cannes

Anne Curtis | Photo by Alexis Dave Co via Anne Curtis/Facebook

If you want to pitch a film to Anne Curtis, your script better be ready. “I need to read it, imagine it, and feel like, okay, this is something I resonate with, something I would love to perform, or a character I want to portray,” she tells Lifestyle Inquirer.

The thing with actors of her stature is that they’re no longer compelled to accept every single project that comes their way. They measure offers against what they would have to give up to do them—which, in her case, means time away from her family.

Besides, after 29 years in showbiz—a realization that makes her squirm just a little in her seat—the nagging urge to keep up with everyone else has already quieted down. “Mas relaxed na in a way that there’s no need to compete. Mas kampante ka na,” she says. “So I get to choose what I engage in.”

Discerning eye

One such project was “The Loved One,” a non-linear romantic drama about a couple with conflicting backgrounds and worldviews. Directed by Irene Villamor and also starring Jericho Rosales, the film reportedly earned around P300 million, making it the highest-grossing release so far of 2026. At a time when many local films barely break even, that figure feels almost like a welcome anomaly.

And what that tells Curtis isn’t so much about her drawing power as it is the public’s willingness to return to cinemas (and, as it turns out, to watch a film more than once, provided the quality is compelling, and ticket prices are affordable).

“It wasn’t a Metro Manila Film Festival entry pero pinilahan pa rin. ‘Yong movie namin medyo mapapaisip ka, so maybe they watched it again with different friends,” she says. “Malls selling tickets at cheaper prices also helped a lot… With a little kindness, babalik sa sinehan ang mga tao.”

She might not give herself enough credit for this, but perhaps her more discerning eye also played a big role in its success. The script convinced her—so much so that it prompted her to finally return to film after six years.

“When I read the script, nagandahan agad ako. It also made me think if people are ready for this kind of story, and they are,” she says.

More room to explore

Being in a position to be more selective means Curtis isn’t boxed into the same types of roles and has more room to explore. After a successful romantic drama, she’s set to return to her “action era” with “BuyBust: The Undesirables,” a nine-episode spin-off of her acclaimed 2018 action thriller film “BuyBust.”

Directed by Erik Matti, the project has been three years in the making but is finally set for release this year. “Nakakapagod siya, but when I see the preview, it all feels worth it,” she says. “I can’t wait for the world to see it.”

After that, three more films await. She has teased at doing something “campy” with her “No Other Woman” director, Ruel S. Bayani, and is discussing potential concepts with Villamor. She will also star in Mikhail Red’s paranoia thriller “Remote,” where she plays a journalist investigating a series of murders linked to a mysterious outsourcing company.

“Hindi lang ako pang-love story. Sobrang hilig ko gumawa ng mga genre films because I love getting out of my comfort zone,” says Curtis, who was recently nominated for Outstanding Asian Star: Philippines at the 2026 Seoul International Drama Awards. “It’s nice to be back with all these projects, kasi hinahanap talaga ng katawan ko ang pag-arte.”

Her ultimate dream

But while many excellent scripts have already landed on her lap, Curtis is still waiting for the one that will lead her to one of her ultimate dreams—having a film screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Yes, she has received invitations to attend the event as a brand guest, but that’s not the experience she’s after.

“I don’t think I have the heart to go if it’s not for a film or something related to art,” she says, adding that the dream isn’t limited to Cannes, but also extends to other prestigious festivals where she can proudly represent the Philippines on the world stage.

The 41-year-old star sees herself representing a film by Lav Diaz or Brillante Mendoza, or maybe reuniting with Matti or Villamor. But regardless of the director, Curtis is willing to wait for the right project, even if it means walking the red carpet in her 60s or 70s.

And here she was, just a little while ago, antsy at the thought of turning 30 in the industry. “Feeling ko kasi wala namang time limit ‘yon,” she points out.

Anne Curtis | Photo by Alexis Dave Co via Anne Curtis/Facebook

Trust the process

With that phrase, Curtis may have just unwittingly summed up the story of her career. From a teen actress in “Magic Kingdom” to her first teleserye lead in “Kampanerang Kuba,” her award-winning turns in “Baler” and “No Other Woman,” and even her long-running stint on “It’s Showtime” that brought her closer to the masses—“everything has been a slow climb.”

“I’m so proud because I really worked hard over the past 29 years,” she says.

And if there’s anything Curtis has learned from her journey—and hopes to impart to other dreamers—it’s to appreciate and trust the process. “Because as fast as you get up there, it’s as easy to fall,” she says. “Huwag magmadali, be patient.”