Ornella Brianna, a rising star in Philippine theater, carries the legacy of her artist mom Tricia Canilao.
Tricia has performed in “Miss Saigon” as Kim, Gigi, and Ellen, and played roles in Hong Kong Disneyland.
She gave birth to Ornella in Hong Kong, and the latter’s life has always been surrounded by creativity, culture, and performance.
The eldest of three siblings, Ornella grew up watching her mother perform in various events in Hong Kong while taking musical and dance classes at her mother’s own studio.
“I really want to play Kim one day. ‘Miss Saigon’ is one of my favorite musicals, especially when I got the chance to watch it when it was here in the Philippines, so it’d be great to play Kim,” Ornella said.
When her family moved back to the Philippines from Hong Kong in 2016, Ornella took her very first theater workshop with Repertory Philippines, under the mentorship of Ayam Barredo.
Through Repertory Philippines she starred in her first leading role as Ariel in “The Little Mermaid,” and a year later appeared in “A Christmas Carol” with 9 Works Theatrical.
The teenager is in the middle of her latest production Repertory Philippines’s “Alice in Wonderland” which she feels is like a “coming back home” moment to the stage that shaped her.
Now, as a teenager, she makes her highly anticipated return to musical theater in ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ It’s a moment that feels like ‘coming back home’ to the stage that shaped her.
“I don’t really mind what roles I’m assigned, even if I have my preferences. I see every role as an opportunity to learn and grow,” Ornella said. “Being in the ensemble teaches teamwork and discipline, supporting roles allow me to develop character work, and lead roles challenge me to carry the story with confidence.”
She stated her belief in the saying “there are no small roles, only small actors,” pointing to theater being about collaboration and storytelling.
Ornella also shared advice that her mom Tricia gave her: to give 120% in everything.
“If I only give 100% and I fall short, I might end up at 80% or 90%. But if I push for 120%, then even on the days I don’t feel at my best, I’ll still be giving 100%,: Ornella explained.
Another thing she learned from Tricia was that talent isn’t the only what matters, so is being a good person because people will want to work with kind and respectful individuals.
Ornella expressed admiration for her mother as an artist and her ability to capture the room’s attention.
“I only had the chance to see her perform a handful of times since most of her shows were either before I was born or when I was too young to remember,” Ornella continued. “But the moments I did witness, and especially the times I was able to perform alongside her, showed me how kind, cooperative, and inspiring she is to work with.”
She also said Tricia was supportive of her and her siblings’ dreams, calling her the strongest and most caring person she knew.
“At the same time, she has never wanted me to simply become a ‘mini her,’ especially when it comes to performing. She always told me that she tries not to interfere with my voice or acting, so that I wouldn’t just copy her, but instead grow into my own kind of artist,” Ornella ended.