When it comes to stories that tackle the complexities of mental health, there’s always a certain weight to the responsibility of portraying the characters on screen. For Bianca De Vera and Louise Abuel, joining the Philippine adaptation of "It’s Okay to Not Be Okay" means fully committing to depicting mental health struggles with honesty, sensitivity, and depth. Through their roles as Bella and Kai, they hope to offer audiences a mirror ad a path toward healing and awareness.
Bianca takes on the role of Bella, a young woman scarred by a toxic relationship which caused her depression and PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). She hopes viewers follow Bella’s journey as she slowly finds her way back to recovery. Louise, on the other hand, breathes life into Kai, who battles alcohol use disorder. Just the sight or smell of alcohol can trigger Kai, forcing him into confinement inside a facility, and it’s through his struggles that audiences will also see how Bella becomes part of his healing process.
As they related in an episode of Kapamilya Chat, Bianca and Louise understand that such portrayals cannot be approached through mere personal interpretation. There must be awareness and sensitivity on their part. Louise shared that research was important in building Kai’s character. “Kailangan namin i-justify ’yong characters namin kasi may nire-represent kami na group of people na mayroon talagang problemang gano’n." That's why director Mae Cruz-Alviar is extra hands-on with her actors' characterization, “Kailangan talaga bantayan bawat galaw namin kasi hindi kami pwedeng magkamali on screen.”
“Kailangan mo siyang aralin because it’s a very sensitive topic,” Bianca explained, grateful for the guidance of the creatives, especially their director, who makes sure that every nuance in their performance is on point. The cast also immersed themselves in workshops.
The challenge is particularly heavier for Bianca as this is her first role that leans more into drama, a departure from the bubbly characters she used to portray that often felt patterned after her own personality. This time, Bella demands the opposite of who she is. Just Bella's physical appearance—barefaced, worn-out look—is already a new thing for Bianca who loves always being glammed up. And with the role carrying such emotional weight, she constantly finds herself tested in how far she could go with her ability to cry on screen.
"Ito, halos lahat ng eksena umiiyak ako. Minsan dumadating na ako sa point na, 'Ano pa bang iiyakan ko?' Parang nagamit ko na lahat. Minsan titingin ako sa bato tapos gagamitin ko 'yun as bubog. Dumadating na ako sa imagination point na talaga," she divulged. There was one taping day when she ended up dozing off on her chair in between sequences after being drained from a string of crying scenes. But while the crying leaves her exhausted, it feels deeply satisfying just the same because the project has become an outlet for her emotions, almost like a form of healing in itself.
Interestingly, for Louise, the biggest challenge is learning how to bring out the kilig in their scenes together, as this is his first time working with a love team partner. But they manage to pull it off through constant communication. They collaborate before and after takes to make sure they're on the same page about how to deliver their director's expectations while also considering what the audience would feel.
And while their characters carry heavy baggage in the series, the atmosphere behind the camera is the complete opposite. The vibe on set is generally light and easy, with the whole group turning loud and lively especially during hospital scenes with their friends Alora Sasam and Aljon Mendoza.
The tandem also spilled a few behind-the-scenes tidbits about the cast, with Louise admitting he was completely starstruck the first time he saw Anne Curtis, who plays the female lead Mia Hernandez, on set since it's his first time sharing a project with the actress and he practically grew up watching her on "It’s Showtime." Meanwhile, there's already familiarity and closeness with Joshua Garcia and Carlo Aquino, who portray brothers Patrick and Matmat Gonzales respectively, as he had worked with them before. But what struck him this time in "It’s Okay To Not Be Okay" was seeing more of Carlo’s process as an actor. He's noticed that Carlo is often quiet in the standby area, which he believes is his way of weaving Matmat into his being, especially with the demands of portraying a character on the autism spectrum.
Bianca, meanwhile, couldn’t stop gushing about the chemistry among the show’s central trio, which she said is just as effortless off-cam as it is when the cameras are rolling.
There was one scene, set during Mia’s literature class with the OK Hospital patients, where she asked them what they believe about fairytales. Bella, Bianca’s character, answered that fairytales teach us love conquers all, only to have Mia brush off the idea. Asked if they also believe in love’s fairytale magic in real life, Louise admitted that he does, "Kung 'yung love sa'yo ay very magical, wala namang masama na maramdaman mo 'yun." Bianca echoed his sentiment, saying, "Hindi naman masama ang magmahal. Kung doon ka nakakakuha ng motivation at lakas para magpatuloy." And just like what Bella declared in the series, Bianca also holds onto the belief that love really does conquer all.
When asked about their message to people dealing with mental health struggles like their on-screen characters, both of them agreed that the first step is learning to be kinder to yourself. For Bianca, healing takes time and patience. “May mga times siguro na maiinip ka. May mga times na gusto mo na lang sumuko. But I promise you, it will get better. Patience lang talaga."
Through the series, she has also come to realize that mental health should never be taken lightly. It taught her to be more patient with others, to show understanding especially toward people silently going through something, because unlike physical wounds, the weight of mental struggles is often invisible.
Echoing the same thought, Louise added that awareness goes a long way. He emphasized the need to check in even with friends who always seem cheerful on the outside because sometimes they’re hiding battles of their own, "Kumustahin mo sila once in a while, kung masaya ba sila, mga simpleng bagay lang na gano'n." He further pointed out how most people tend to focus only on physical health, when in truth mental health is just as vital. “Kapag hindi mo inalagaan ’yung mental health mo, susunod ’yung body mo, like, if you’re feeling down, hindi ka makakain nang maayos,” he explained.
Another point the two emphasized is the importance of carving out me-time in caring for one’s mental health. Bianca recalled how her “PBB Collab” stint taught her to balance socialization with solitude. What grounded her the most was the absence of gadgets and the noise of social media inside Bahay Ni Kuya, which allowed her to reconnect with her own thoughts. “Na-train kami para harapin at i-regulate ’yung emotions namin nang mag-isa,” she said.
Louise agreed, saying it helps to step away from the digital world every now and then. “Detach yourself minsan with social media, with your phone,” he pointed out, noting that me-time can be as simple as doing whatever puts you at ease. One example is how he finds comfort in food because beyond enjoying his meal, eating helps him slow down and stay present.
And while it may sound cliché, Louise swears by the truth of taking life one day at a time. “Huwag mong isipin masyado ’yung nakaraan mo o ’yung pupuntahan mo. As long as nakikita mo ’yung next step mo sa life mo, just trust that next step,” he imparted.
Find comfort, awareness, and a little bit of yourself in the healing journey of Bella, Kai, and the characters of "It's Okay to Not Be Okay," airing on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, and TV5, weeknights at 8:45 PM. Watch it in advance on Netflix and iWant.