Actress Nadine Lustre has been in showbiz for several years now and she definitely has come a long way.

“[I’m] Completely different,” shared Nadine in an interview with Karen Davila. “I’m growing everyday. I’m learning a lot of new things. I’m discovering a lot of new things about myself.”

In fact, she feels she is completely different from who she was just a year ago.

“Every time I look back, I always think to myself na parang that person was a different Nadine,” she shared. 

To answer the question on everyone’s mind: is Nadine still in touch with former love team partner and ex-boyfriend James Reid?

The long and short answer of it is no.

“He’s busy, and so am I,” explained Nadine. “We don’t really have time to see each other or talk to each other.”

James has been busy cultivating his international contacts and music career. Joining him in hoping to break into the international scene is friend and now talent Liza Soberano. 

Nadine admitted that, while she isn’t closing her doors on going international, it would depend on the project.

“It really depends on whether there’s an opportunity,” said Nadine. “Right now, I’m harvesting the fruits of my labor here in the Philippines.”

“There’s so many things planned for me here so I think I want to to focus on that,” she added. “Ang hirap din kasi if you’re accepting too many things at once. Hindi mo magawa ‘yung 100% mo.”

Her most recent project is a techno-horror film by Mikhail Red which is part of this year’s line up for the Metro Manila Film Festival. Nadine stars in Deleter, alongside Louise delos Reyes and McCoy de Leon.

WATCH: Nadine Lustre in teaser trailer for her new film ‘Deleter’

While Nadine did express excitement over being part of a psychological thriller, she doesn’t think her personal mental health journey had anything to do with it.

“The challenges that I go through every day are so different, and the things that challenge my mental health are completely different,” said Nadine.

Nadine is a vocal advocate for mental health. Nadine previously shared her own personal struggles. She has been active in promoting mental health awareness along with fellow actresses Yassi Pressman and Liza Soberano, even investing in Mind You, a company that aims to provide easier and affordable access to mental health experts.

READ: Nadine Lustre collaborates with Liza Soberano and Yassi Pressman for mental health awareness

Nadine clarified that her wanting to do psychological thrillers was more for her need as an artist. It was simply something she wanted to do to further challenge herself an an actress.

“I like doing things that are beyond my comfort zone, just so I can grow from it,” Nadine revealed.

Nadine has graduated from the rom-com movies and has since experimented with more risky films. Asked about her insecurities as an actor, Nadine said that she deliberately doesn’t think about it.

“When I’m on set, I just let go,” shared Nadine. “I just let all of my emotions go.”

As a professional actress, Nadine is able to compartmentalize and separate her real self from the character she is portraying.

“I’m a different person when I’m acting,” she explained. “I’m not really Nadine, the actress or the star. I’m the character.”

Nadine is already at the stage in her career where she gets to choose her projects, and she thankful to her management for supporting her choices. She also finds that having a better work-life balance works to her advantage, physically and emotionally.

“Now, I have the time to rest; I’m not burning out. I’m always excited to do things,” she shared. 

It is definitely a bolder and braver Nadine now.

“Eventually, you’ve got to live life on the edge, you know,” she said. 

As to future projects, Nadine is keeping her options open. 

“I don’t like looking too far ahead, just because I know things change,” she explained. “I like to be surprised.”