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Alexa Ilacad Is Breaking the Glass Ceiling in More Ways Than One
The industry's glass ceiling is about to shatter, and Alexa Ilacad is one young actress paving the way to break through.
Published Jul 25, 2023
In an industry weighed down by societal standards, changes are being made by artists who are unabashedly vocal. Now, the glass ceiling is about to shatter, and Alexa Ilacad is one actress paving the way to break through.
The proverbial glass ceiling looms over many women, who are all too often weighed down by expectations throughout the years. In the case of the entertainment industry, its pieces may have chipped away, slow yet steady, but it’s on the move to a shattering breakthrough.
For the Filipino showbiz scene and the Gen Zs who run it, progress is being made by the personalities opening up conversations that, in a not-too-distant past, were buried in fear of generational taboos. Up on the list of prime examples is Alexa Ilacad, who has shed the remainder of her child star status, all while breaking barriers with the ever-evolving definition of what it means to become a star.
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Alexa Ilacad for Preview In Focus July 2023
Clear as Day
Before she found her name among the credits of teleseryes and the subject of headlines, the 23-year-old was an eager preteen with big dreams, who had entertainment running in her veins and a need to prove it. Alexa’s running theory is that her mom hoped to become an actress herself once upon a time, but eventually, it was she who took on the mantle.
Still, the passion was all hers. Alexa’s first steps into show business began at two years old in various commercials, and her drive for performance hadn’t waned, even two decades later.
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“No one forced me to do it. No one told me ‘You have to audition,’ [that I had] to work,” she says, recalling a time when she would make her mom take her to acting classes and voice lessons, and to the fateful Goin’ Bulilit audition that would catapult the rest of her career.
“I just knew that it was something in my blood and in my heart. I feel sick when I don't [act and perform]. I feel incomplete, and I don’t know what I would be if I weren’t doing this.”
As one of the distinguished alumni that the children’s sketch show launched into showbiz, Alexa had seemed to hit the formula for sure-fire success in the local scene. In between Goin’ Bulilit episodes, she appeared in her share of teleseryes as the younger versions of many leads. Soon enough, she dabbled into her long-term love affair with music, starred in films like Four Sisters Before the Wedding, and had a much-publicized spell in Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10 as a celebrity housemate.
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But in 2023, Alexa’s list comes with entries that she previously had yet to uncover. In February, she found herself stepping on stage in a different acting arena for Walang Aray, a musical play adaptation of Severino Reyes’ 1898 zarzuela Walang Sugat. In spite of the success now, Alexa wasn’t initially sold on saying yes to the role.
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“One thing about me [is that] I love to challenge myself. I want to be able to do everything, and I want to prove it to everyone, but most of all to myself,” she says. “When I was hesitant, I wanted to say no because I feel like I couldn't do it. [But I thought,] ‘Why can't you do it?’ I was my biggest enemy.”
Her faith played a part in the resulting “yes,” when she asked above to send her a sign blessed by the heavens. The answer arrived in the form of an Instagram post, as Alexa came across an artwork that seemed to address her directly. “It said, ‘If the only thing that's stopping you is fear, why don’t you get to know it?’,” she recalls. The rest was history, and she accepted the role. “There's nowhere to go but up. If I fail, then I fail. It's going to be a thing of the past, and I can rebuild myself.”
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Despite how it all unfolded like the stuff of destiny, it wasn’t without putting in a heavy amount of work. And to Alexa, theater was its own behemoth. “You have no take twos. Unlike all I've known all my life with taping and with performing, I can redo it, I can make mistakes with my lines. With theater, you can't miss a cue,” she says. “But it's also one of the best things I've ever done.”
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And while she may have a packed list of screen-acting credentials under her belt, there are still genres that Alexa has yet to fully tap into. The ABS-CBN and TV5 collaboration Pira-Pirasong Paraiso is posed as a gateway to a more “mature” Alexa, but not in its traditional, showbiz-induced definition. “I gladly accepted it because for me, mature doesn't necessarily mean sexy or anything daring in that sense,” she explains. “I like the maturity of the character, the journey my character has, her story, and her development.”
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In both instances with Walang Aray and Pira-Pirasong Paraiso, she stands opposite KD Estrada, the other half of the love team KDLex. The two first crossed paths during their stint in Pinoy Big Brother, but their relationship soon grew into a genuine connection that transcended outside the halls of the reality show’s house. Throughout the conversation, Alexa peppers mentions of KD, in fond ways that only a pair with a true bond can seem to have.
At the time of this talk, the discussion about love teams had been lingering in the entertainment scene, but even among themselves, Alexa and KD were shattering misconceptions about an industry trope. “I think what's cool with me and KD is we were able to form a connection without any idea that we were ever going to be in a love team. It was not staged or planned, and no one saw it coming,” she muses. “Before having to work with each other, we already have that bond. There was love before the love team.”
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Through the Looking Glass
In hindsight, Pinoy Big Brother was an avenue that uncovered a version of Alexa Ilacad that wasn’t privy to the public, in more ways than one. During an episode of the reality series, the actress made headlines when she opened up about her struggles with body image. This led to her diagnosis with body dysmorphia, a disorder characterized by “persistent and intrusive” thoughts about one’s personal appearance.
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Years after her tearful appearance in Big Brother’s confession room, Alexa is forthright about where she stands now and its fragile state, which teeters from time to time. “Healing is never linear,” she says. “It's something I will never get used to. There are times when I feel like, ‘Oh, it's not that bad anymore.’ Until it hits you and it hurts so bad and you’re broken inside.”
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The actress calls to mind particularly vulnerable moments when her self-esteem was “on the ground,” which had been constantly stepped on when she compared herself to other women. During one instance with her friend, Alexa expressed her desire to change parts of her physical appearance. “I kept saying, ‘I want to do this, I want to get fillers. I want to change this and that,’” she recalls. “Then she said, ‘Okay, then you'll look like everyone else.’”
For Alexa, it was an enlightening moment. “It’s not that it’s a bad thing. [That’s what] makes you, you. There's only one Alexa Ilacad in this world. And don’t you want to be that?’ Those simple words just opened my mind.”
It’s because of that thought that Alexa stresses the importance of a support system, especially for those experiencing similar struggles–which also means seeking professional help.
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“I was at that point where I just knew I needed help. I didn't think this will be good for me, and [that] this will harm me in the future if I don't ask for help,” Alexa responds when asked what prompted her to consult a psychiatrist. “Talking to a psychiatrist doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you necessarily. You’re just literally talking to someone who can scientifically explain how you feel and shed light on things you don't understand.”
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But much in the ways of a traditional Filipino household, “therapy” was laced with a disapproving tone, where “seeking help” lies in taboo status for older generations, like most discussions about mental health. For one, Alexa admits that her mom wasn’t initially open to the thought of her seeking a professional.
“You know how they usually would say, ‘’Nung panahon namin, we didn't have that,’” she narrates. “So I said, ‘Yeah, ’nung panahon niyo ganyan, but now that I have options, wouldn't you want your daughter to live a better life than you did when you were young?’ Why do we have to be the same? Why can't I be better? Why can't I heal?”
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The situation has changed for Alexa and her mom after a bout of “character development,” which, Alexa says, warms her heart as a daughter. “She's been such a great support, especially now. She knows how to deal with me when I go through tough times. It's just really nice to see that now even she would say, ‘I think I'd like to see someone as well.’”
Alexa’s relationship with her body is in an ever-changing flux, but the crux of the matter is that there is progress, no matter what sequence it takes shape. Coupled with her support system and professional help, she’s learned to embrace a healthy workout routine for the purpose of becoming stronger, while loving the gastronomic side of life. In turn, Alexa also learned to appreciate what her body gives her. “It is keeping you alive no matter how bad you are today, no matter how unkind you are, and how much you bully yourself for it. It’s there for you. It’s loving you and keeping you safe.”
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Breaking Barriers
Alexa’s personal glass ceiling has cracked away into clear fragments, paving the way for her to break through into what the rest of the world can offer her–whether it be through her acting, singing, or the important nuggets of wisdom life gives her in between.
But these shards have also echoed onto the bigger picture for women and artists to disentangle themselves from pre-conceived notions, and to use their platform in voicing out matters long-buried by societal taboos. In Alexa’s case, it was discussing body issues openly, and unapologetically going for what she wants–even if it comes with a touch of fear.
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Being vocal, after all, has been intrinsically part of what makes Alexa, Alexa. “A lot of women are being more outspoken and saying what's on their mind,” she says. “When I was in PBB, my mom told me during my first week, I was the most hated for being outspoken about what’s on my mind, and saying how I feel frankly. I think it's really nice that we, as artists, aren't as afraid to say how we feel, to act a certain way, to say what we want, or to be perfect.”
But whatever the world may think of artists and women like her, one thing is true: The glass has shattered, but the view is crystal clear. “Now we're proving to people that we're not perfect. We’re just human.”
Produced and Styled by The Preview Team
Photographer: Karlo Cadang
Creative Director: Bacs Arcebal
Editor-in-Chief: Marj Ramos-Clemente
Production: Isha Fojas, Jamie Lou Briones, Reg Rodriguez
Makeup: Jake Galvez
Hair: Justine Ocampo
Story: Katrina Maisie Cabral
Videos: Jana Jodloman
Social Media: Jamie Lou Briones
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