Anna Marie Lukban

Why “What Lies Beneath” stands out as a powerful experience for its exceptional cast

Article (news)

Rianna Mae Santiago

When the curtains powerfully close for the spectacular run of “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/what-lies-beneath" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What Lies Beneath</a>,” it will ultimately leave viewers with a profound sense of clarity about their personal lives and the realities around them.  This is especially true for its cast, who bravely embodied the harrowing experiences of their compelling characters. After playing their multilayered roles, each of the show’s outstanding stars candidly shares newfound knowledge about themselves.  Sue Ramirez, who plays the admired celebrity stylist and domestic abuse survivor Mel Barrera-Montenegro, zeroes in on a renewed personal belief, saying that before the teleserye, she would often doubt her acting skills. Eventually, the greater the support the production staff members and fellow artists showed her, the stronger she believed in herself. “Hindi naman sa naghahanap ng validation… Pero grabe din ‘yung encouragement [tuwing] binibigyan ka ng magandang material tapos at the end of the day, nagawa mo nang tama,” Sue explains.  For Charlie Dizon, who portrays the forthright teacher Beth Sevilla-Mora, she dwells on the worth of appreciating what she has in her life, something that her character would often overlook. Charlie comments further about Beth’s most pressing and realistic flaw, in which she is blessed with a loving family yet often becomes overpowered by envy upon seeing her successful peers.  “If you just look closely sa paligid mo at sa kung anong meron ka, mare-realize mo na sobrang blessed ka,” Charlie expresses.  On to the mysterious and emotional persona of Alice Quintana-Miller, brought to life by Janella Salvador, the Kapamilya actress mainly highlights the timeless essence of motherhood. She then emphasizes that this was her first role as a mother, after becoming one herself to son Jude.  “Dito ko na-apply ‘yung mga instincts [and] bagong nafe-feel [ko] as a mom… Naa-apply ko siya sa character ko,” Janella details.  Like most moms and her character Alice, Janella concurs with the reality of how they are prepared to go above and beyond when it comes to safeguarding their children, even when it puts them in serious danger.Kaila Estrada, who perfectly owned her identity as the formidable lawyer Erica Melendez, focuses on the technicalities, referring to how she is now capable of memorizing lengthy lines even when undergoing a lot of pressure. She particularly holds her “What Lies Beneath” role to a high degree, as being a lawyer in the series included arguments filled with legal jargon.  Keeping things simple yet impactful, JM de Guzman, who embodies Lucas Santiago—the youngest of the Santiago Brothers—centers his insights on how he took in the lesson of unconditional love. He conveys awe at how he can actually be selfless when it comes to his family, particularly Edong, even when he is faced with death.  Finally, with regard to his dedicated preparations to fully comprehend the complex life story of the series’ tragic villain, Edong Santiago, Jake Cuenca reveals that it actually took ten months to do so. He took on the tough challenge of method acting, staying at a City Jail, which he describes as having changed his perspective on life. “At the end of the day, everyone’s human. [It] was the most powerful experience I ever went through. [I’m] grateful to ‘What Lies Beneath’ and RCD Narratives,” he articulates.Catch the remaining episodes of “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/what-lies-beneath" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What Lies Beneath</a>,” Mondays to Fridays, 8:45 PM, on ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2. Viewers can also watch it on Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, and <a href="https://app.iwanttfc.com/dFR6MWHAcVb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iWant</a>.

“What Lies Beneath” stars Kaila Estrada, Charlie Dizon, Janella Salvador, Sue Ramirez, Jake Cuenca, and JM de Guzman speak about self-discoveries gained from portraying their challenging and eye-opening characters in the show.

“What Lies Beneath” stars Kaila Estrada, Charlie Dizon, Janella Salvador, Sue Ramirez, Jake Cuenca, and JM de Guzman speak about self-discoveries gained from portraying their challenging and eye-opening characters in the show.

Why “What Lies Beneath” stands out as a powerful experience for its exceptional cast

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Why “What Lies Beneath” stands out as a powerful experience for its exceptional cast

Rianna Santiago

Published March 27, 2026 12:52 AM PHT

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Updated March 27, 2026 08:47 AM PHT

Read More:

What Lies Beneath

Kaila Estrada

Charlie Dizon

Janella Salvador

Sue Ramirez

Jake Cuenca

JM de Guzman

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