Anne, Joshua, and Carlo take center stage in Metro's latest cover

Revisiting their journey in “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay”

Anne Curtis, Joshua Garcia, and Carlo Aquino captivate in Metro’s latest digital cover, photographed at the Proscenium Theater. The trio reflects on how “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay” has influenced their personal perspectives on mental health and autism as the series reaches its final chapter.

@metrodotstyle

Three of the country’s biggest stars come together for one of the most talked-about dramas of the year, ItsOkayNotToBeOkay. While the series unfolds on screen, AnneCurtis, JoshuaGarcia, and #CarloAquino mark another milestone as the first cover stars to be photographed in the newly opened Proscenium Theater in Rockwell. For Anne, it meant confronting her fear of whether she could give justice to a story she deeply loved. For Joshua, it became an eye-opening process that expanded his understanding of mental health and his own emotions. And for Carlo, it was an immersion into the world of people on the spectrum, an experience that left him with a profound sense of peace and empathy. As Anne shares, “Our story is raising awareness. It’s making people who may be going through something feel seen. And I feel that was what made me say ‘yes.’” Read more about their reflections and behind-the-scenes journey on link in bio!

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Anne revealed her biggest consideration in taking on the project as she knew the weight of pressure to adapt a well-loved K-drama series. She eventually shifted her focus into spreading awareness about people’s struggle with mental health. 

“Will I be able to give it justice? That was my biggest concern. Then I realized, what am I doing worrying about like, ‘Oh, are we going to give justice?’ Like, the whole point of this is reaching out to a wider audience, especially in the Philippines, where there’s still a stigma about mental health,” she said in the exclusive Metro feature.

For Joshua, the series became an eye-opener for him to be more knowledgeable about mental health, which also helped him grow as an actor and a person.

“‘Yung mental health, hindi siya malinaw sa’kin before kaya nu’ng nalaman ko ’yung awareness about that, mas nag-grow ako kasi mas naiintindihan ko ’yung sarili ko. Makimkimin akong tao. So akala ko okay lang na hindi mag-share. Naiipon pala siya. Eventually sasabog siya. Pero buti na nga lang, nandiyan ’yung acting. Kumbaga may outlet ako ng nararamdaman ko, ng mga kinikimkim ko,” he shared.

Carlo bravely took the challenge of portraying Matmat also known as Manong, an adult with autism. To prepare for the role, he had a three-day immersion in a school for children with autism.

“Every step of the way, kung paano maglakad si Matmat, kung paano tumakbo, kung paano ’yung hands. Inaral niya ko, inaral ko rin siya. Grabe ’yung dinala sa akin, ’yung binigay sa aking zen, ’yung binigay sa aking peace ni Matmat, ni Manong,” he expressed. “Every time na naalala ko, sobrang thankful ako sa series. Mahal na mahal ko sila, ’yung mga nakilala ko sa school.”

Meanwhile, director Mae Cruz-Alviar expressed deep admiration for her cast, describing them as humble, open, and generous—from the lead stars to the supporting actors.

“All of them—from the main characters to the support—they were so humble, open, and generous. There would be times I would be in such awe that I would just stop and watch them, or think, ‘Wow, this is a casting coup!’ I would have to stop and remind myself, ‘Hey I have to direct them,’” she said.

Learn more about Anne, Joshua, and Carlo’s “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” journey in Metro’s cover story. For more exclusive articles, follow @metrodotstyle on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok as well as Metro Magazine @metromagph on Instagram and Twitter and @Metro.Magazine on Facebook, or visit Metro.Style.