The country’s “Megastar” Sharon Cuneta returns to primetime television after a two-year break with “Saving Grace,” an adaptation of the acclaimed Japanese drama series “Mother.”
Directed by FM Reyes and Dolly Dulu, “Saving Grace” reimagines the beloved Japanese original, which has inspired adaptations in countries such as South Korea, Turkey, Thailand, and France.
In the Philippine version, the series follows the story of Teacher Anna (Julia Montes), who confronts her troubled past while finding her purpose. Her journey takes a dramatic turn when she encounters Grace (Zia Grace), a young girl abused by her mother Sarah (Jennica Garcia) and stepfather Chito (Christian Bables). Determined to protect Grace, Anna sacrifices her dreams, only to be mistaken as her abductor.
The plot thickens as Sarah turns to Miranda Valdez (Cuneta), a renowned public service host and advocate for mothers, to help locate her missing daughter. The series also features Janice de Belen as Anna’s mother Helena and Sam Milby as journalist Julius.
In an intimate interview, Cuneta shared the challenges of portraying Miranda, a complex character driven by guilt and a relentless pursuit of success. For Cuneta, the role was both demanding and transformative.
The Megastar portrays Miranda Valdez, a public service host and advocate for mothers in the drama series tackling child abuse. INSTAGRAM PHOTO/REALLYSHARONCUNETA
“I’ve never played a character like this before,” she revealed. In some scenes where Miranda needs to be sharp or assertive, I took inspiration from Cherie Gil, though with my own approach since she’s in a class of her own,” Cuneta explained.
Drawing inspiration from the revered Cherie Gil’s assertive style, Cuneta added her unique interpretation to Miranda’s personality, “She’s very guarded because she carries a lot of guilt. As the breadwinner, she had to give up so much to succeed.”
According to the veteran actress, her directors encouraged her to use lower tones in her delivery to convey Miranda. She also drew on her maternal instincts to bring depth to her performance.
Despite these challenges, Cuneta conveyed Miranda’s nuanced advocacy for single mothers, hinting at the pain her character hides beneath her strong exterior.
“People know I’m very empathetic and sympathetic, and I like taking care of people. In a way, that has helped me portray Miranda. Even in her toughness, she has that soft spot. Part of her drive is to keep her show’s ratings up, but a big part of it is her sincere desire to help — because she’s carrying something heavy within herself,” Cuneta added.
The challenging role marks Cuneta’s much-anticipated return to primetime, alongside Julia Montes, after their collaboration in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.”
In fact, accepting “Saving Grace” as her comeback project was an easy decision influenced by her bond with Montes.
“Julia is the only one I had worked with before in Ang Probinsyano. We became really close, and we grew even closer after that. We never lost touch — she’s like a daughter to me. It’s like I gave birth to her, that’s how close we are,” Cuneta shared.
“When we work together, there’s no effort required. If we have a scene, we just look at each other, and the raw emotions are there, always present. It’s so easy to support each other,” she added.
Apart from Montes, Cuneta also praised the ensemble cast, calling them “a dream to work with,” and expressed admiration for Zia Grace.
“It’s been wonderful collaborating with Janice, Jennica, and Christian — everyone gave their best, including the kids and all the supporting talents. It’s truly a team effort.
“And then there’s the magical presence of Zia. Over 200 children auditioned for the role, and she was number 120. The moment you see her, you’ll understand why she got it. She’s only six years old, but her emotional depth is incredible. You can’t quite explain where it comes from, but she has it. She’s quick to learn, very intelligent, and truly understands what’s needed. She won us over right away with her professionalism. She’s clearly been raised well, with her parents always there to support her on set,” she continued.
Since its premiere on November 28, “Saving Grace” has captured audiences, topping Prime Video’s charts in the Philippines. Cuneta expressed pride in the show’s early success, describing it as “just the beginning.”
“The magic of the show lies in its story, which has already been adapted successfully in eight other countries. I think it’s the Filipino touch and the unique way we approached it that makes it resonate. I’ll never forget what Direk FM Reyes reminded us — that we’re no longer performing just for a Filipino audience. Being on Prime Video means the series is accessible worldwide,” she continued.
Produced by Dreamscape Entertainment, the series now streams exclusively on Prime Video, with two new episodes released every Thursday.
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