Iana Bernardez

Iana Celest Aquino Bernardez (born July 3, 1993) is a Filipino film producer and actress known for her production work on films such as Kiko Boksingero, Oda Sa Wala, Tia Madre, and Babae at Baril^[1][2] and for her critically acclaimed film acting debut in the 2018 film Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus. She also won Best Supporting Actress at the 2019 Cinema One Originals Digital Film Festival for the 2019 film Metamorphosis. She is the daughter of Filipina actress Angel Aquino.^[3]

Iana Celest Aquino Bernardez was born on July 3, 1993, in Baguio City, Philippines,^[4] to actress Angel Aquino.^[3][5] Growing up with a mother in the entertainment industry, Bernardez was exposed to film production from a young age.^[6] She pursued a degree in psychology at Ateneo de Manila University,^[7][8] with no initial plans to pursue acting. However, her career path shifted when she was given the script for Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus, where she started as a talent coordinator before ultimately landing a role in the film.^[9]

Bernardez began her career in production, having become curious about her work through her interactions on the sets of projects where her mother acted.^[6] She continues to see herself primarily as a producer rather than an actress. Her early production work on films like films such as Kiko Boksingero and Babae at Baril received critical acclaim.^[1][2][6] The latter was eventually awarded Best Film at the 43rd Gawad Urian Awards in 2020.^[10]

Bernardez made her acting debut in Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus, securing a major role despite initially joining the film as a talent coordinator. After the production team discovered she was the inspiration for the character, which was conceived as a younger version of Bernardez’s own mother, they encouraged her to audition.^[1] Early in her career, Bernardez often took on additional roles for minimal pay in films she produced to help reduce costs. Her mother eventually advised her to stop this practice, as Bernardez had gained substantial acting experience by then.^[11]

In 2019, Bernardez won the Cinema One Originals Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Metamorphosis, an intersex coming-of-age film. The film faced controversy when the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) initially proposed an X rating, but after an appeal, the film was ultimately given an R-16 rating.^[12]

Bernardez is bisexual. She was in a three-year relationship with her female schoolmate.^[13][14]