When Jodi Sta. Maria was offered the lead role in The Broken Marriage Vow, the Philippine adaptation of UK’s Doctor Foster, the first thing she thought of was “Bakit ako?” She just wrapped up the drama revenge series Ang sa Iyo ay Akin at the time, and here was another melodrama knocking at her door.

For the bosses and the Filipino viewers, who know what Jodi is capable of, the question that was more apt was “Why not?” After all, throughout more than two decades of her career as an actress, she has proven time and again that she never does anything half-heartedly. When she lands a role, she truly immerses herself into it. Jodi is thankful for the roles she’s been blessed with; though they may be similar in some ways especially in terms of being strong, independent women, they’re also created differently to allow Jodi to shine in a different light each and every time.

Jodi is known and well-loved for her roles as Maya in Be Careful With My Heart, Amor Pangako Sa’Yo, Mona and Lisa in Sana Dalawa ang Puso, Fina in Sino ang May Sala?, and Marissa in Ang sa Iyo ay Akin. Today, this inspiring, seasoned actress is making waves as Dr. Jill Ilustre in The Broken Marriage Vow. Her character is a career woman but she’s first and foremost, a mother and a wife. Her family is her priority, and she has a picture-perfect life until she finds out her husband (David Ilustre, played by Zanjoe Marudo) is cheating on her with a younger woman (Lexy Lucero, played by Sue Ramirez).

On Jodi: Hair accessory by Mirth & Yift Photography by Doc Marlon Pecjo

Related Story: Celebrating Filipino Artistry With “The Broken Marriage Vow”

There was obviously a huge deal of pressure that came with portraying this character since it’s from a British series with a number of adaptations in France, Russia, India, Turkey, and of course, South Korea that gave K-drama fans the high-rated The World of the Married. But Filipino series have their own charm, and The Broken Marriage Vow maximized the opportunity to lend the material that distinctively Filipino flavor. Jodi as Dr. Jill, with her strength and motivations in life, is someone many Filipino family women can relate to and be inspired by.

Jodi shared during her solo press conference for the series, “Alam mo siguro, if there’s one thing na similar kami ni Dra. Jill is when we are put in a situation kung saan medyo difficult, siguro parang we try as much as possible to stay calm and collected. And you know, maging logical as much as possible. Siguro Jill and Jodi are the same sa pagiging passionate sa mga bagay na gusto nila sa buhay nila, or ’yung mga bagay na pinapahalagahan nila, siguro we are similar that way.”

“Passionate”一that’s the perfect word to describe Jodi who doesn’t only excel as an award-winning actress but also showed a great example when she pursued studies later on in life. Above everything else, she’s a mother, and to give her son Thirdy the best life possible tops her life’s ultimate goals.

Jodi and her The Broken Marriage Vow co-stars Zanjoe and Sue are currently featured on Metro’s digital cover. Check out our cover story here, and read more of our exclusive interview with Jodi in the gallery below:

Seeing the final edited pilot episode/week of “The Broken Marriage Vow” for the first time - “Wow… I remember we were in Baguio when the final edited trailer was shown to all of us. It was during one of our rest days. We were all gathered and they set up a television there with an audio system. I personally felt so happy and relieved that we were able to come up with a beautiful trailer. It really maakes me happy, especially when we finally saw the first week. I was like, oh my gosh, ‘The Broken Marriage Vow’ is so beautiful. All the effort and sacrifices of everyone involved in the production of the show really paid off.”On Sue: Gown by Mak Tumang | On Zanjoe: Suit by Mark Bumgarner and barong shirt by Glyn Alley | On Jodi: Gown by Mak Tumang and accessories by Mirth & Yift

Her loved ones who she gets to talk to about acting and her performances - “I guess that would be my mom and my best friend, Patricia Coronado. What I love about them is that they give honest opinions about my performance. If I did great, they’d tell me. If there’s something amiss, they tell me too. And I appreciate that about them because they are so important to me and their opinions matter because I know they come from a place of love. I also get to talk to some of my friends about it, the ones from production.”Dress by Mark Bumgarner, necklace by Natalya Lagdameo, and vintage earrings by Chanel

Seeing netizens’ reactions on “The Broken Marriage Vow” - “I have read comments from netizens because I sometimes join Twitter parties. It makes me happy to see how they fully get and understand the journey of each character, which makes me say to myself, ‘Our audience is so intelligent.’ Others are super invested to the point where sometimes I’d read comments where they curse some of the characters, and for me it’s actually a good thing except for the cursing part [laughs], because you know that they’re riding along the journey of the show’s characters.”Gown by Mak Tumang and accessories by Mirth & Yift

Her favorite scenes in the series - “I actually have a few favorite scenes. One is the revelation of the affair. This was during David’s [Zanjoe Marudo] birthday party. It was my favorite not only because it’s one of the iconic scenes but sheesh, it was one of the most challenging to shoot. It took us about three days to finish the scenes and it wasn’t done in chronological order. But, we pulled it off. Another one is the dinner scene with Lexy [Sue Ramirez], because I finally felt it was Jill’s time to somehow retaliate but not in a traditional campy way一calm and classy confrontation.”Gown by Mak Tumang and accessories by Mirth & Yift

Lessons on marriage and motherhood from Dr. Jill Ilustre - “That the only third party allowed in the relationship is God. Marriage isn’t easy. If you want it to work, you have to be consistent and work hard at it. Put in a lot of effort. Know your partner’s needs and try to meet them as much as you can. The grass may be green on the other side of the pasture, but you have to tend to your own garden and you can make your grass greener. For motherhood, I guess it is the most challenging yet the most rewarding experience ever. That a mother’s love for her child can be stronger than her pain.”Custom gown by Bella Borromeo, earrings and rings by Natalya Lagdameo, and heels by Jefferson Si

Her favorite quality/trait of Dr. Jill that she also possesses - “My most favorite trait of Jill is her being calm and collected in every situation. She remains calm even when people expect her to be enraged. As much as possible, she doesn’t let her emotions get the best of her. I would say I am like her in a way.”On Jodi: Custom gown by Bella Borromeo, earrings and rings by Natalya Lagdameo, and heels by Jefferson Si | On Sue: Gown by Ehrran Montoya

Her favorite line by Dr. Jill and how she relates to it - “‘Ang hirap talaga ng nagsisinungaling, ano? Nagmamali-mali.’ This was the scene with Grace [Empress Schuck], David’s secretary. Because it’s true, right? When you lie and pretend, there are many details that you have to remember, and you have to be consistent with your version of the story.” Custom gown by Bella Borromeo, earrings and rings by Natalya Lagdameo, and heels by Jefferson Si

Her advice to women who’ve been cheated on by their husbands - “My questions would be, ‘Was it a mistake? Or, was it something deliberately done?’ Because if he really made a mistake and is showing remorse and willing to change and work things out, I guess that person deserves another chance. But if it happens over and over again, one woman after the other, maybe you have to sit down and think. Assess your choices and options. But may I just encourage you, for everyone hurt by the betrayal of those they love and trust, you are never too broken to be healed. And your life is not too messed up to be put together again. The broken pieces of your life have the power to bring strength you didn’t know you had and also be a source of inspiration and strength to others going through the same thing.”On Zanjoe: Barong bib by Jaggy Glarino and trousers by Kelvin Morales | On Jodi: Custom pantsuit by Vin Orias and accessories by Natalya Lagdameo

Working on this project in the middle of the pandemic - “It was really challenging. Being away from family for months is no joke. Working for five days straight is not easy. Being in a bubble gets to you mentally and emotionally. Plus, the fact that even after a day’s work has ended, I feel like I am still in character. I had sleepless nights during that time. I’m always thankful for friends on set for the support they offered and those outside the bubble who served as my sounding board.”Dress by Chris Nick, rings by Natalya Lagdameo, bangles and chokers by Nawa PH, and earrings by Mirth & Yift

Being a mother to a teenage son - “Oh my! We are in a different phase now. Thirdy is turning 17 and it’s sooo different from the time when he was a toddler. Now, I know he is asserting his independence and autonomy. And that is something that I respect. And at the end of the day, even seasons change, the fact remains that I am his mom, and I will still offer and give the same kind of love, guidance, and understanding I gave him when he was a little boy. Being a parent is a complete responsibility. It never ends. You never stop being a mother no matter how old your child gets.”Dress by Chris Nick, rings by Natalya Lagdameo, bangles and chokers by Nawa PH, and earrings by Mirth & Yift

Turning 40 and her thoughts on aging - “I really look forward to turning forty. I am not scared. I am not even ashamed to say that I am getting older, but I am excited for it一how life will continue to unfold for me, what other possibilities and opportunities are out there to explore. I don’t even feel that I am running out of time because I know whatever is meant for me, as long as I go for it and work hard for it, it will happen. It has already been laid out for me... I guess we have to see aging in a different perspective. As we age, we grow in experience and wisdom that we could impart to the next generation. Then, lines on our face reveal all the moments we laughed, our victories and even painful memories.”Gown by Mak Tumang and accessories by Mirth & Yift

Setting career goals - “I have always been the type to set life goals. Like, by the time I’m at this age, I should be doing this or that. Some things happened but there were a lot of setbacks, too. But I guess, when I want something to happen, I don’t just give up, for I know that there’s an appointed time that it will happen. God has plans for me and I also have plans for myself, but at the end of the day, it’s His plans that will always prevail. And He always opens doors that no man can shut. What it really taught me is to wait patiently.”Custom suit set by Vin Orias, accessories by Natalya Lagdameo, and heels by Chris Nick

Message to her 15-year-old self as she’s about to mark her 25th showbiz anniversary - “I am proud of you because you never gave up. I am proud of you because you followed that dream that God has placed in your heart. There may be choices and decisions that you have made that you weren’t really proud of, but I am glad you learned from them. You’ve been through incredible experiences of joy, loss, love and hope. What you have gone through made you the person you are today. Keep shining, little girl.”Hair accessory by Mirth & Yift

Photography by Doc Marlon Pecjo

Creative direction by Patrick Ty

Sittings editor: Geolette Esguerra

Makeup by Ting Duque

Hairstyling by Francis Guintu

Styling by Patricia Coronado with associate Rochellashaye Manabat

Set design by Gideon Hermosa, with furniture from KARE Philippines

Shoot coordination: Grace Libero-Cruz, Ceia Ylagan, and Judy Arias

Videography by Spotlight Creatives

Video producer: Bria Cardenas

Special thanks to Dreamscape Entertainment, Deo Endrinal, Billet Sangalang, B617 Management, Biboy Arboleda, and Ailleen Discaya