Elijah Canlas joins ‘new family,’ shares pride in GF Miles Ocampo
MANILA, Philippines — Award-winning actor Elijah Canlas is proud of the milestones that his girlfriend Kapamilya actress Miles Ocampo has achieved in show business. The Eat, Bulaga co-host recently trended on social media for her performance in the pilot episode of FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.
“Super proud. She deserves it,” Elijah said of Miles during a recent press conference that launched him as one of new Cornerstone Entertainment, Inc. talents. “I mean I called her ‘veteran.’ She is already into acting even at a young age. She knows this industry inside and out. I take lessons from her. I always learn something from her and I hope it’s the same way (for her).”
“Every time she goes trending and she gets recognized for her talent I couldn’t be more proud din talaga,” stated Elijah, who was referring to Miles’ FPJ’s Batang Quiapo trending moment and hosting stint in Eat, Bulaga where she participated in the segment Bida Ex.
“Sobrang every day, every night, I see her working. I see her (get) stressed from whatever issue that there is and to see her overcome all of it and gain success, as a partner, I couldn’t be any prouder din po talaga,” he continued.
Being a couple in the same industry is not a hindrance in their respective careers, rather it has kept them inspired in any way. “We may have different goals but we are both in the same industry. We both love what we do so much. We’re both very passionate in what we do. We support each other sa lahat ng ginagawa namin. We help each other out,” said Elijah.
“Lahat ng projects ko kunwari in About Us But Not About Us, siya nagturo sa akin na mag-memorize nun. Siya yung ka-throw lines ko. Siya din nagtulong sa akin mag-notes when I did Live Scream (direk Perci Intalan film). Tapos same with her. She did Missed Connections and FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, and everything that she does, nagpapatulong talaga siya because we’re passionate that way and we inspire (each other) that way a lot,” he added.
Elijah is also looking forward to do a collaboration with Miles and he hopes that “doors will open for that.” He shared, “There are directors who would say that they have materials for that. But you know it’s a long process naman po, in terms of filmmaking… It takes a mountain to climb talaga. And we are just hoping that it will push through this year yung mga films na yun or whatever. If not, si Miles naman she is taking workshops, ako naman I am studying film, so we can write our own and then, pa-produce namin kina Sir Erick or something.”
“But you know the dream lives on and we’re gonna keep working for it,” he asserted.
The young actor considers his role in Jun Lana’s About Us But Not About Us his most challenging so far. He told The STAR, “I feel like it’s something that hasn’t been seen in a Filipino cinema. It’s like… Michael Caine (film), it’s like that, but in a Filipino setting, na COVID setting din po siya.”
“I am always lucky because every time I get a project, it’s always challenging to me,” he said. “And when I accept project, gusto ko challenging talaga siya. Kapag hindi, if it’s something that I have done before then, what’s the point? But I always try to find something new about it. I always try to make those characters different.”
According to Elijah, all his projects so far are challenging, including his most recent ones About Us But Not About Us and Keys to the Heart, a Philippine adaptation of South Korean blockbuster movie of the same title. “My character (in Keys to the Heart) has autism, so physical po talaga yung transformation,” he added.
About Us But Not About Us, on the other hand, premiered and bagged Best Film at the Critic’s Pick competition last November 2022 at the 26th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia. It will also be screened at the Metro Manila Summer Film Festival in April. The film also stars Romnick Sarmenta.
Elijah will likewise portray the role of Paciano in the upcoming historical film, GomBurZa, produced by JesCom Philippines.
The Gameboys star has also appeared in direk Perci’s Unconditional, Cignal Entertainment’s Suntok sa Buwan, Rae Red’s Babae at Baril and Cinemalaya 2022’s Blue Room.
He won Best Actor award at the Asian Film Festival Rome, Harlem International Film Festival, FAMAS and Gawad Urian for direk Jun’s Kalel, 15 and earned a Best Actor nomination from FAMAS and Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino for Jason Paul Laxamana’s He Who Is Without Sin.
He mentioned Cornerstone executives Erickson Raymundo and Jeff Vadillo as his mentors in the industry, as well as directors Jun and Perci and Suntok sa Buwan co-actors Ronnie Lazaro and Aga Muhlach.
Elijah has just joined Cornerstone Entertainment Inc.’s roster of talents. He said, “(Cornerstone is) known for (being) very prestigious and I’m honored honestly to be a part of this family. I feel that I am entering a new chapter in my career, pero my very, very young career. Not sure what’s gonna happen, but I’m sure it’s gonna go up from hereon now.”
Aside from acting, he also wants to explore his musical side under the new agency. “Sir Jeff and I talked about it earlier because I made him listen to some of the demos that I have done. And I feel like it’s really different from who I am. Last year pa po ‘to, even if I was with IdeaFirst (Company) pa, I was doing this. But we were apprehensive to release it as it might confuse the people with my acting profession.”
“I compose my own music. I’m super involved in producing it. And I really write it and it comes from the heart all of the time,” added Elijah, who is into different genres of music but exploring hip-hop, rap and R&B.
“Yung mga singing-songwriting din po tina-try ko experiment because I’m just a big music fan po talaga.”
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