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Fil-Canadian actress reflects on breakout role in 'The Umbrella Academy'

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Yong Chavez

TFC News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yo2QOgt5SAw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>Victoria Sawal was on vacation in Batangas, Philippines when she received an invitation to record a self-tape audition for a starring role in season four of “The Umbrella Academy.”Due to the time difference, she did her audition in the middle of the night and it ended up being a performance that sealed the deal for her.The Filipino-Canadian actress plays Jennifer, who is a crucial part of the show’s final season.&quot;I couldn’t believe that there were going to bring me on for such a big character,&quot; Sawal recalled. &quot;I was a fan of the show prior to, so I knew about the ‘Jennifer incident,’ but we didn’t know the background so it was really cool.&quot;In the fantasy-drama superhero series, Jennifer is paired with Ben, played by Justin H. Min.Min shared that his friendship with Sawal developed throughout the season. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1724844348332umbrellaacad1.jpg" style="width:766px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Fil-Canadian actress Victoria Sawal stars with Justin H. Min in " The="" Umbrella="" Netflix=""/>Fil-Canadian actress Victoria Sawal stars with Justin H. Min in &quot;The Umbrella Academy.&quot; (Courtesy: Netflix &quot;The Umbrella Academy&quot;)</div>&quot;She&#x27;s so great,&quot; he said. &quot;We love a Filipina representation as well, but it was just really lovely to have this relationship for Ben, especially because he&#x27;s never really had any sort of real love interest over the years. That really brings out a different side of him that we&#x27;ve never seen.&quot;As a proud Filipino actress, Sawal has always championed diversity and the representation of Filipino stories in Hollywood.She shared that while she was born in Canada, her mother is from Capiz in Western Visayas while her father is from Pampanga in the Central Philippines. But Sawal&#x27;s journey has not been without personal challenges.She shared a deeply emotional moment in revealing how losing her grandmother while she was working affected her.&quot;That was hard,&quot; Sawal said. &quot;But I wanted to make her [and] my family proud. That&#x27;s why I kept pushing through.”Sawal also reflected on her journey and how her Filipino heritage has shaped her experience in the industry.&quot;I don&#x27;t see being Filipino as a hindrance at all,&quot; she said. &quot;That&#x27;s one of my favorite things about myself, that I&#x27;m Filipino. It really plays a huge part in how I see the world and how I navigate.&quot;The actress added: &quot;I think it&#x27;s a plus, it&#x27;s a strength. But I think the biggest hindrance is that people aren&#x27;t used to seeing us in larger roles and carrying more of the weight of a project. We&#x27;re very capable.&quot;Sawal’s growing list of credits includes roles in critically acclaimed shows like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Station Eleven.”She also has a recurring role in &quot;Star Trek: Discovery.”With her breakthrough performance in “The Umbrella Academy,” Sawal’s star continues to shine.And through it all, she remains grounded, crediting her family and community as the keys to her success.

The final season of the Netflix series "The Umbrella Academy" features a Filipino actress in a breakout role.

The final season of the Netflix series "The Umbrella Academy" features a Filipino actress in a breakout role.

Fil-Canadian actress Victoria Sawal reflects on breakout role in 'The Umbrella Academy'

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Fil-Canadian actress Victoria Sawal reflects on breakout role in 'The Umbrella Academy'

Yong Chavez,

TFC News

Published August 28, 2024 07:33 PM PHT

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Updated August 28, 2024 08:06 PM PHT

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