BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

Joshua Garcia, Carlo Aquino, and Anne Curtis are collaborating on the Filipino version of the popular South Korean drama series “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.”

At the project announcement on Friday, Aquino and Garcia, who will portray Mathew and Patrick Gonzales, expressed their excitement about working on the project with Curtis, who is returning to series work after a decade.

This is the first time Anne and Joshua will be working together on a project, while Carlo and Anne have previously worked together in the movie “Baler.”

“Very honored, sobra. Of course, pagkatapos ng napakatagal na panahon babalik siya (Anne Curtis) ng series, tapos isa ako sa mga makakasama niya. Isang karangalan,” Joshua explained.

“Excited kasi the last time we worked together parang ‘Baler’ pa ‘yon and sobrang tagal na no’n, so and I’m sure kita n’yo naman very willing and capable naman ang isang Anne Curtis sa role, so I am excited,” Carlo said. 

Anne will play the role of Emilia “Mia” Hernandez, a children’s book author who has antisocial personality disorder.

Anne also revealed that she wanted to play the role of Emilia Hernandez ever since she first watched it, and if she were to return to doing series, this was the role she wanted to take on. She mentioned this to her Viva management. Fortunately, ABS-CBN, in collaboration with Netflix and produced by Star Creatives, secured the project.

“I love her journey of growth and I talked about it with Ms. Mae (Cruz-Alviar) earlier you see it from the very beginning of the episode until the last. You see it in how she dresses and how she changes her hair, how she speaks, how she controls her emotions how she goes thru the process, pati ‘yong mga outburst niya sabi ko ‘I can see myself,’ so I think it was a light bomb moment and she can be relatable to so many. And maybe I recognize and I acknowledge that with myself also,” Anne explained.  

The project will be helmed by Mae Cruz-Alviar, the box-office director known for the successful series “Can’t Buy Me Love” produced by ABS-CBN and Netflix collaboration, and of course, the captain of the ship behind “Rewind,” the highest-grossing Filipino movie of all time.”

ABS-CBN received approval to make adjustments to ensure the adaptation has a distinctly Filipino flavor. Cruz-Alviar also mentioned plans to potentially shoot in Iloilo or the island of Negros, due to their colonial heritage houses, which could add another layer to the storytelling.

Since the series addresses mental health issues, the cast will participate in group and individual immersions to learn how to accurately portray and interact with individuals experiencing mental health challenges.

“It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” is a South Korean drama that blends romance, psychological healing, and fairy-tale elements to create a poignant and visually stunning narrative. Premiering in 2020, the series follows Moon Gang-tae, a selfless caretaker working in a psychiatric ward, and Ko Moon-young, a successful but emotionally troubled children’s book author.

Set against the backdrop of vibrant storytelling and complex characters, the drama explores themes of mental health, personal growth, and the healing power of love and understanding.

*Cover Photo/Thumbnail Photo: Instagram(@starcreativestv)