Iana Bernardez, Elijah Canlas share acting advice from Sylvia Sanchez

After the premiere of “Misis Piggy,” fans can’t help but fall in love with how relatable and touching the story is. Add in the dynamic relationship of siblings Lani, Steffi, and Jeffrey – played by Ria Atayde, Iana Bernardez, and Elijah Canlas respectively — which everyone easily recognized as common among siblings.

As many want to know more about the actors and actresses behind the characters, this Kapamilya Confessions episode satisfies that. Iana and Elijah took some time out of their busy schedule so we can get to know them better and their experience after filming “Misis Piggy.”

To start off the conversation, the two played the “Say What’s On Your Mind” challenge, wherein they were simply given different categories and then would talk about the first thing that popped into their head.

When asked about “Misis Piggy,” Iana instantly said that she considers the cast as “pamilya” because she really found a home with them. Elijah added that they are also comfortable and fun to be around because everyone was so passionate about what they were doing. Tapings were also a breeze because it was really easy with the people they worked with. And even if it was stressful or tiring, it would all melt away after a while because they really had fun.

On the topic of their fans, both expressed how grateful they are, as Iana wholeheartedly shared, “Sobra ko sila na-a-appreciate. Sila mismo ang nagpro-promote ng show more than anyone. So, marami pong salamat.”

For Elijah, he is also so happy that his supporters are always understanding of his situation and continues to support him no matter what. “I really have the best fans and the best supporters. They always understand at tinatangkilik nila lahat ng ginagawa ko,” he said.

They also confessed what they thought about their moms. Iana, whose mother is prominent actress Angel Aquino, said that she is so proud of her mom. She will always be grateful to be born into her family and have her as her role model in life. Elijah also bared missing his own mom and shared that he’s excited to go home and taste her homemade cooking again.

After going over some more topics, Iana and Elijah proceeded to answer some of the netizens’ burning questions.

Lots of questions were definitely about “Misis Piggy” and its story. Elijah gladly shared that the show was an early Mother’s Day offering and hoped that many – especially moms and their kids – can appreciate its stories and characters.

“Sobrang makaka-relate talaga kayo dito. Walang halong bola ‘yon. Lahat ng characters buong-buo,” he added and explained how the characters would seem like people you know in real life.

One question was directed to Iana because her character Steffi was the middle child. She was asked what she thinks about being a middle child and their struggles. For her, she saw how middle children like Steffi can be competitive because they want to make their own mark outside the shadows of their older or younger siblings.

She also learned the importance of finding a way to communicate and listen to your family. Regardless of the many disagreements, you should find a way to build a respect and a good relationship with your loved ones. Elijah, on the other hand, found value in loving whatever and whomever after playing his character Jeffrey.

Behind-the-scenes questions were also common. Iana and Elijah were asked how they bonded to ensure they would work well together as siblings on cam. They confessed that they didn’t do anything special. They and Ria were all open books, so once they were on the set, the chemistry between them as brother and sisters came naturally. They also didn’t feel any issues, except maybe for the fact that they didn’t look very much alike.

According to them, it was also comfortable working with veteran actress Sylvia Sanchez, or as many fondly call her “Tita Ibyang.” There wasn’t much pressure because she would always give them the freedom to act in a scene. They also appreciate her advice to them, who are relatively new to the acting scene. She always tells them to act from the heart and there is no need for tears because the heart of it just needs to be felt by the audience.

As for their advice to those in a broken family, Iana warmly shared some of her own learnings coming from a family where her mom and dad are separated. She said kids would have to respect their parent’s decisions because it’s not something they can control. What they can do is make the most out of the situation and learn to love their parents individually. You also shouldn’t hate your parents and should just focus on overcoming the challenges, growing up, and finding your happiness and wholeness.

Elijah supported Iana’s advice by reminding viewers that the situation is not anyone’s fault, so there is no need to place blame. Parents are just trying to do what they think is best for the family.

Hear more heartfelt advice and stories from Iana and Elijah in this Kapamilya Confession video!

“Misis Piggy” follows the poignant story of Sylvia’s titular character named Marivic, a single-mom whose relationship with her three middle-aged children will be marred as they begin to live their own lives and carve their own career paths in different countries.

This digital series is written and directed by Carlo Catu. A new episode drops daily at 8 PM beginning April 25 on the iWantTFC app (iOs and Android) and website (iwanttfc.com).