Zeinab Harake shares biggest priorities this year
MANILA, Philippines — The past year marked Zeinab Harake’s crossover from the digital space to the big screen, offering something different to her 14 million followers on YouTube.
Her management team, Aguila Entertainment, told The STAR: “Zeinab really wants to do more movies. She will return to doing workshops soon at galing din abroad si Ms. Ana Feleo, her coach,” adding that “we’re waiting for the pitches of those inquiring. If the right project comes along, then she’ll dive into acting again.”
In a separate media interview, the 25-year-old Fil-Lebanese content creator stated her main reason for dipping her hands into movie acting for the first time via the Metro Manila Film Festival 2023 entry Kampon (with Beauty Gonzalez and Derek Ramsay).
“The reason I entered showbiz is because I wanted people to see something new from me. I wanted them to watch something different from me,” she said.
She got herself an acting coach, Ana Feleo, because she didn’t want to become an embarrassment on screen. True enough, she showed a lot of promise for her performance in the feature debut, particularly the opening scene where her character got possessed while giving birth to what turned out to be a malevolent child who’d wreak havoc later on in the story.
“I enjoyed it,” she said of filming. “I had a lot of learnings from taping kasi grabe ang production.”
She added that not everyone on the set has the same job and when she observed the others, theirs were tougher so she couldn’t afford to get tired. This became her motivation to do her part better.
“Siempre ayoko naman ibara-ibara yun that’s why I’m thankful to my coach (Ana Feleo), to my management. I didn’t want to experiment. I took it seriously.”
She’s open to taking on more acting projects. But she plans on taking it one step at a time and she’s just being extra cautious because she doesn’t want to disadvantage anyone despite being a newbie. She’s already discussing with her management what her next career move will be.
As for roles she wants to play, Zeinab said, “Ayokong makikita ko sarili ko… malayo yung kwento kung ano ako, kung ano si Zeinab, tatanggapin ko. Kahit magmukha akong ano man pero unti-unti. Ayokong gamitin agad yung… ginamit niyo lang kasi vlogger siya. So, I also want to give it justice.”
This 2024, what she looks forward to is prioritizing “my mental health, health (in general) and how to become a more understanding mom.”
She explained, “Kasi talaga yung age nung dalawang anak ko, nakaka-stress talaga but lagi kong sinasabi kailangan kong intindihin, kailangan kong galingan para makita nila kung paano sila lumaki ng tama.”
Zeinab is a young mom of two: She adopted Lucas when she was only 18 years old and gave birth to Zebbiana in May 2021.
Being a mom has taught her to be more responsible in life. “Mas naging seryosong tao ako. I realized hindi habang buhay nasa teenage life tayo. There are a lot of things that I have to prioritize, especially the future. That’s really what I’m thinking about more lately — future of my kids, my future, how I can provide a good life for them. (I experience) yung mga daily struggle, nag-sku-school na yung anak ko, minsan may mga kulit na rin. I need to focus on work, my kids, my family, on my content…”
Though her followers often find her posting about luxury items she got or received, she maintained that “fake news na fake news po talaga tingin ng tao sa akin na shopaholic ako.”
“Sabihin na po natin na kumikita po ako. But now, I’ve realized na sobrang dami pong tao na ‘di ko basta-bastang iwanan, pabayaan. And I also realize ang pera ang dali lang po talaga, yung isang libo, isang daan naging barya nalang, sobrang mahal po talaga ng bibilihin…
“As a 25-year-old, it can be tiring but at the same time, I’m really still very blessed. I really thank God because every day, binibigyan niyo ako ng blessing to be able to provide.”
She said that when it comes to finances, it’s her sole responsibility as a single mom. Contrary to what others think, she also doesn’t seek, accept or rely on her current partner, cager Bobby Ray Parks Jr., because she explained they’re practically just new in their relationship.
“Actually, wala po talaga akong katulong sa pag-gagastos, wala po akong parents na-nag-su-support sa akin. I have a partner but hindi ko po talaga kayang tumanggap ng pera kay Daddy Ray. Although he wants to, like kung ano responsibilidad ko, gusto niya rin angkinin but hindi pa po muna sa ngayon lalo na po maaga pa po kami. Gusto ko po dahan-dahan lang.
“But we’re very OK, happy, even if we’re far from each other (the cager is currently in Japan playing for a B.League team), we’d video call (anytime) 24/7. If not me, the kids. They call him Daddy Ray, I didn’t tell them to, sila lang.”
So for this 2024, she hopes they will continue to show each other understanding and support.
“Ayoko yung sa simula lang, nakakatakot ‘diba? Minsan naa-ano tayo kasi sa simula lang pinapakita. But so far, in the months or almost a year that we’ve been together, grabe ang support. Ayoko po mawawala yun, I look forward to us still supporting each other and each other’s careers.”
Meanwhile, her first project of the year, Zeinab wrote on her social media, is for the Hey Pretty beauty brand of which has been an endorser for its aesthetic clinic.
She recently graced the opening of the C5 branch of the company, which is looking to double its aesthetic clinics this year. From 32 in 2023, they aim to open 50 to 100 branches this 2024, according to its young and driven chief executive officer, Anne Barretto, in an interview.
She also credited social media influencers and content creators like Zeinab for helping grow her brand.
With Zeinab, Anne noted that she has mass appeal, especially with the younger market. “Hinakot niya mga clients. She’s effective,” she added.
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