Princess Punzalan Chats About FOX TV’s ‘The Cleaning Lady’

Princess Punzalan’s wedding made the front page of newspapers in the Philippines. An actress known for portraying villains in her home country, Bernadette Vela Punzalan-Field (her full name) left behind her television and film career after marrying American marketing professional Jason Field. The couple moved to the United States, where she began working as a nurse. Now, Punzalan is back in the spotlight with a role on Season Two of The Cleaning Lady, which airs Mondays 9:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX.

In this interview, the award-winning actor talks about the differences between acting the Philippines and the United States, how her fans have reacted to her new visibility, and what gives her hope.

Your first name is Bernadette, but your stage name is Princess Punzalan. Does everyone call you “Princess”? For example, what does your daughter call you?

She calls me mom. (Laughs.) People who know me from way back call me “Princess.” For the people I’ve met here in America, I introduced myself as “Bernadette,” so they don’t ask me if I’m royalty. There are some people who have a hard time saying “Bernadette” and since I’m in the healthcare business, I tell some people to call me “B.”

FOX TV’s The Cleaning Lady is your first network role here in the United States. How did you get the part?

It was a long journey. Honestly, I didn’t even believe that I could cross over from the Philippines to American TV. The acting style is just so different. I went to classes to get retrained.

What did you have to change?

Filipino audiences are very passionate and TV dramas evolved from radio dramas. The majority of the people watching are doing chores and listening to the TV, so you have to overact. When you’re mad, you must be big so the audience can capture what your emotions are during the teleplay.

Here in America, it’s more subtle, so if you can, it important to hold back the tears. In the Philippines, the first time you tell the audience that you’re sad, you already should have a rainfall.

You portray Alma de la Rosa, or “Lola,” the 60-something-year-old mother-in-law to the show’s main character. How did you prepare for your audition?

I tried to just understand where she’s coming from, to build a story about her history.

How long have you been pursuing roles in this country?

I wasn’t really planning on pursuing a career as an actor here in America. It’s just that people knew me and along came Yellow Rose, a movie with Eva Noblezada and Lea Salonga. I was approached for the project, auditioned, and got it. When I was shooting, the director asked me, “Why aren’t you acting here in America?” He said, “You should continue to do this.”

I discussed the idea with my husband and he suggested we move from San Diego to LA. He’s very, very supportive. I started trying to research about how you become an actor in America. I watched YouTube videos and found this lady, Wendy Elaine Wright. She was a singer, an agent, and then a manager. She teaches how to become an actor so I went back to getting training. It took a long time. The COVID lockdown was a blessing for me. That was a time when I started to really learn more about the business, and how to be at par with the kind of quality that they’re looking for here in America.

How has your fan base responded to your role in The Cleaning Lady here in the US?

Most of the reactions were, “Oh, I was watching the show already and didn’t expect to see you in it.” They were genuinely happy because they finally saw a real Filipino acting like a Filipino on screen. It felt good knowing that I don’t have to pretend like I’m a different race to be on TV.

The series not only showcases a multicultural cast but features diverse talent behind the camera too, like creator and showrunner Miranda Kwok. What was that like for you?

The whole team is trying to be culturally appropriate. When we were on set, Miranda and the director asked me, “Is this how you set up these flowers when praying for the dead?” They asked me about cultural stuff—and it just felt so good.

What are the differences with being an actor in the U.S. versus in the Philippines?

It’s harder to get a role in America because there are hundreds of thousands of actors of all shapes, sizes, and colors. For casting directors, it’s easier to find the right person for a role because there’s so many applicants. In the Philippines, it’s easier for me because I have already built a reputation and don’t have to audition for anything. They just offer parts to me.

You mentioned the COVID pandemic was a blessing for you. With so many stressful things happening in the world right now, what brings you hope, Princess?

I am a hospice nurse and face death regularly because of my work. I have realized that every person who gets born will have an exit day. People ask me, “Don’t you feel really heavy after a day’s work? Do you bring that sadness with you when you go home?” No, because you just try and do your best while you can. You try to make the best of your life.

I have hope because I know that my life matters. My life doesn’t end here on Earth and I believe in God. The people around me give me a reason to be alive.

I am grateful that I have a roof over my head. I’m grateful that I’m able to eat, though I need to eat less. I’m just filled with gratitude, which changes so many things in our lives. It just makes it lighter and brighter to recognize the good things, the beautiful things that we still have here on earth.

Listen to The Revolución Podcast full episode featuring actor Princess Punzalan with co-hosts Kathryn Garcia Castro, Diego Lastra, Linda Lane González, and Court Stroud, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or by clicking here.