From auditions to emotional workshops, Sigrid Andrea Bernardo shares how Krystel, a performer with Down syndrome, mastered her role in “I’mPerfect.”
“They’re not playing themselves.”
That’s the line “I’mPerfect” director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo keeps repeating amid the backlash following Krystel Go’s MMFF Best Actress win.
For Bernardo, the criticism isn’t just hurtful but also rooted in a misunderstanding of what acting looks like when performers with Down syndrome are finally given the space to do the work.
From the start, Bernardo says the casting process followed the same rigor required of any film. The team reached out to organizations of persons with disabilities and conducted formal auditions. Applicants submitted videos stating their names and details; Bernardo shortlisted candidates and called them back. That was how she first met Krystel Go, her lead actress.
Actors weren’t sheltered or coddled
What followed was preparation. Krystel and the rest of the cast attended workshops, including sessions with G-Force. They weren’t sheltered or coddled; they were expected to show up ready.
This is why Bernardo pushes back against the idea that Krystel was “just being herself” onscreen.
“In real life, sobrang kikay ni Krystel,” she told radar Entertainment in a one-on-one interview. “Fashionista siya. Mahilig siya sa loud colors, sa makeup. Laging may kulay ang buhok—orange or red—pinipigilan pa namin.” On set, Krystel would sneak in lip tint, check the camera, and ask if she needed more blush. “We had to explain to her na iba ang character niya.”
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Playing Jessica meant toning everything down—her clothes, her makeup, her movements, even her energy. The restraint was intentional, and it was learned. “Hindi siya si Jessica,” Bernardo said firmly. “Magkaibang-magkaiba sila.”
The same was true for the rest of the cast. Earl Amaba, who plays Jiro, is naturally sociable and upbeat—far from the reserved, snobbish character he portrays. “Fast-talker siya. ‘Di mo na nga maintindihan masyado. Super friendly. Nagme-message siya ng ‘good morning’ sa lahat,” Bernardo shared. That contrast made emotional scenes especially challenging.
“Wala pa siyang hugot,” she explained. To help him access heavier emotions, Bernardo guided Earl to imagine losing someone he loved, often anchoring those scenes on his real affection for Krystel. “He loves Krystel, for real,” she said, smiling.
The work was deliberate, emotional, and far from instinctive. Krystel, on the other hand, drew from personal loss, using the death of her father to ground her performance. “She went beyond my expectations,” Bernardo said. “Pinaghirapan niya talaga.”
This is why the backlash hurt. “Disappointed and hurt,” Bernardo admitted. “They are actors. Nagkataon lang na may Down syndrome sila. Hindi lang sila nabibigyan ng opportunity.” The most painful part wasn’t the criticism itself but the way it diminished the effort behind the performances. “They had to prep for their roles—just like any other actor.”
Ironically, Bernardo notes the cast took the attention better than most people did. Seeing themselves on the big screen was already a victory. “Masaya na sila doon,” she said. “Tayo ang mas affected. Tayo ang triggered.”
The MMFF recognition, including the Best Picture win, felt surreal. Bernardo recalled being more focused on her actors—handing out water, helping someone with an inhaler—than processing the awards.
What mattered most was seeing the entire cast onstage together. “Kahit si Krystel lang ang nanalo, umakyat silang lahat. We’re in this together.”
Bernardo hopes the conversation doesn’t end with “I’mPerfect.” Her message to fellow filmmakers is simple: give these actors a chance. “It’s not easy,” she said, “but it’s worth it.” They’ve learned how to manage lapels, continuity, and blocking—skills every actor develops over time. “Lahat ng first-time actors dumadaan diyan,” she added, neurodivergent or not.
In the end, Bernardo insists this shouldn’t be a debate about disability. “It’s about acting,” she said. “And they proved they can do it.”
They are actors. Nagkataon lang na may Down syndrome sila. Hindi lang sila nabibigyan ng opportunity.
Sigrid Andrea Bernardo
READ:
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