Jason Canela: His mantra became two Filipino phrases he learned—’laban’ and ‘kapit lang’

The story is familiar. More than a decade ago, Cuban-American Jason Canela was sitting in a bar in Los Angeles when a stranger approached him.

“Are you an actor?” the man asked.

Canela nodded.

“Perfect. You can be my Emilio.”

“Excuse me?”

The stranger introduced himself as Jerry Mitchell, a Broadway director. He was working on a musical about the early years of music producer Emilio Estefan Jr. and his wife, singer Gloria Estefan.

Canela, then in his early 20s, was skeptical and told his management team about the chance encounter. At the time, Broadway was not on his radar. The Miami-born actor was focused on landing roles in Hollywood television series and Spanish-language telenovelas. His team told him that Mitchell had won multiple Tony and Drama Desk Awards.

With an acting background but no formal vocal training, Canela flew to New York to audition for the lead role.  “I was very familiar with the story as a Cuban American. Growing up in Miami, you felt as if Gloria and Emilio were your aunt and uncle. They have been such a prominent presence in every Cuban household. I studied the script, made my choices, explored the character, and then worked on the music,” he recalled in this interview with TheDiarist.ph.

As Canela sang, Clay Ostwald, music director of Miami Sound Machine, stopped playing the piano.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

Canela explained that he had lowered the key so the highest notes would fall within his comfortable baritone range.

“You don’t do that,” Ostwald said. “That’s up to us to decide. Sing the song the way we sent it to you.”

Complying, Canela sang the song in its original key. He later recalled that he blacked out.

Stage musicals would have to wait. Instead, Canela accepted a two-year contract on a long-running American daytime television soap opera, The Young and the Restless.

Years later, Canela is in Manila to reprise the title role in 9 Works Theatrical’s production of On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan at the Proscenium Theater at Rockwell.

His earlier audition had left a lasting impression. Although he did not join the original Broadway run, Canela remained on the list of actors considered for future productions. As the world emerged from the pandemic, Andy Señor Jr., associate director of the original Broadway production, reached out with news that On Your Feet! would have its regional premiere in South Florida in February 2022. Señor, who was directing that production, invited Canela to take on the role of Emilio Estefan Jr.

Canela considers the experience one of the highlights of his career, especially because he worked with many members of the original creative team and cast. The bond they formed continued long after the production ended, with the group still keeping in touch through an active chat group.

His Philippine opportunity came unexpectedly. Canela was not particularly active on social media, but one day he opened his Message Requests and found a three-week-old invitation from 9 Works Theatrical. After his team conducted background checks and he met on Zoom with Santi Santamaria, the company’s managing director, and Anna Santamaria, its operations and finance manager, he accepted the offer.

There was one condition. He would not leave his family behind.

“The most important thing for me is family unity,” Canela said. “I’ve grown up so close with my siblings, my parents, and my entire family. Life has beautiful moments, but there are also difficult ones. Whether you are experiencing the highs or the lows, there is nothing better than going through them surrounded by the people you love.”

When the opportunity arose, Canela and his wife, Janiana, had a newborn son. Deciding to fly the family to the Philippines required extensive discussions with friends, consultations with pediatricians, and many prayers. Ultimately, they chose to make the journey together.

Before the interview, Canela arrived in the theater’s Green Room wearing a green and white striped football shirt emblazoned with “USA” in a nod to the FIFA World Cup. He spoke warmly about his family, proudly sharing a video of his three-year-old daughter grooving to the music of Gloria Estefan, followed by another clip of himself affectionately nuzzling his infant son.

Family has always been central to Canela’s life. His daughter, Jovie Rose, was named in honor of his twin brother, Jovani, who died of muscular dystrophy in 1992 when the twins were barely a year old.

The timing carried special meaning for Canela. While the eldest was born on the day his brother passed away, his second child’s due date fell on April 25, Jason and Jovani’s birthday. To Canela and his wife, the coincidence felt like a sign from God.

He also lost his older brother, Aquilesito, the family’s firstborn, who died at age 10 after a horse-riding accident. Today, the Canela siblings are Annette, Eric, actor-singer Jencarlos, and Jason. He hopes to one day bring Jencarlos to the Philippines for a show together.

Returning to the role of Emilio now carries a deeper meaning. When Canela first played the part in South Florida, he relied largely on imagination to understand Emilio’s inner life and family relationships. Now, after seven years of marriage to Janiana and becoming a father of two, he draws from his experiences to bring new layers to the character.

With little time to wrap up his commitments in Los Angeles, Canela boarded the long-haul flight to Manila filled with doubts about whether or not he had made the right decision to do a musical halfway around the world.

While he struggled to sleep, his daughter Jovie Rose entertained fellow passengers by dancing in the aisles throughout the night. Little Jovani, then only six weeks old, was remarkably well-behaved.

Canela arrived on June 2, a day before rehearsals began. His family immediately felt at ease, thanks to the warm hospitality extended by 9 Works Theatrical and Rockwell Land Inc. The following day, he entered rehearsals, his body still adjusting to the 15-hour time difference.

He considers battling jet lag and exhaustion one of the toughest challenges of his career. There was little time to rest because mornings were devoted to his children, while rehearsals began at 3 pm, or midnight in Los Angeles. By 5 pm, he could barely keep his eyes open.

His mantra became two Filipino phrases he learned: “laban” (fight) and “kapit lang” (just hang on). “I managed to pull through,” he said.

Singing was not Canela’s comfort zone. On Your Feet! marked his first major musical role.

His foundation was the Meisner method, developed by Sanford Meisner, which trains actors to respond truthfully to their scene partners rather than simply deliver lines. Seeking further training, he moved to New York to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, where he explored Method acting, an approach that draws from an actor’s personal emotions and experiences to create a deeper connection with a character.

“Kudos to those who are successful with the Method because it’s not easy to be vulnerable in front of anyone, let alone a camera,” he said. “I saw people reliving trauma when I studied Method acting. After the work was done, I could see how deeply affected they were and how difficult it was for them to move on. Class ended at 2 pm, but some were still in the corner crying two hours later.  I thought, ‘Man, was that really acting, or were they just reliving something that created this vulnerability we all thought was incredible?’”

For Canela, the question reflected his approach to the craft. He believed in emotional truth, but he also valued discipline and technique. After his Broadway audition, he was referred to Michael Orland, vocal coach for American Idol for 16 seasons. Since Orland lived just two blocks away from his home in Los Angeles, Canela trained with him diligently,.

“He changed my life when it comes to vocal ability,” Canela said. Orland taught him how to move between lower and higher registers while maintaining power without forcing the voice. Nearly a decade later, their work together continues.

The training is evident when Canela performs Don’t Wanna Lose You Now, in the scene where Emilio fears Gloria may not survive her accident. He begins with intimacy, allowing each phrase to unfold naturally. Even in the higher notes, his voice maintains its weight rather than becoming strained. His strength lies in the seamless connection between registers and his ability to shape each phrase with changing intensity.

Rather than relying on volume, Canela creates emotional movement through restraint and control. The focus of the actor in him remains in communicating the lyrics, allowing the emotion to emerge through the phrasing.

“Maybe it’s because of the level of respect I have for the craft,” he said. “I won’t call myself a singer, because I definitely feel that I can carry a tune. I identify as an actor. That is where my heart and my blood, sweat, and tears have gone for almost 20 years now,” said the 34-year-old actor.

Working with Orland and other vocal coaches has given him the technique to sustain demanding musical passages while staying rooted in the storytelling.

Canela could easily relate to the early struggles of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, depicted in the musical, taking every available gig while facing consistent rejection from the American music industry.

His journey mirrors the narrative of the Estefans, pointing out a widespread misunderstanding of the creative profession. He said actors face a unique skepticism. When introducing himself as an actor, the immediate response is often an inquiry into whether the person has seen his work. To a young performer, that question can feel demoralizing, given how difficult it is to secure any role.

Canela believes that true artistic fulfillment requires separating the process from public validation. In his view, the real work does not take place on a stage or television set. Instead, it exists in the invisible hours spent auditioning, preparing, and nurturing the craft. The actual booking is simply a byproduct of that discipline. Once a project ends, the artist must return to the routine.

Even in his stint in the Philippines, Canela keeps a demanding schedule. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2015, he has auditioned constantly, averaging three to five casting calls a week. He credits a dedicated team of agents and managers for keeping opportunities flowing.

To manage the time difference, Canela wakes up at 7 am, works out, and undergoes online auditions until 10 am, or 7 pm Los Angeles time. He usually auditions over Zoom or FaceTime. Even for self-taped submissions, he connects with a reader online rather than asking his wife, who is fully occupied with their two children.

What will stay with Canela longest is the Filipino’s profound sense of care and stewardship for one’s work or malasakit

Now that On Your Feet! is running smoothly, Canela plans to take short breaks to travel with his family to Balesin, Boracay, and Palawan. During his downtime, he has been exploring the Rockwell community, where the baristas at Single Origin already know his coffee order. He has also taken a liking to local culinary traditions, once eating five pieces of balut at a party.

What will stay with Canela longest is the Filipino’s profound sense of care and stewardship for one’s work or malasakit.

He notes that from the building staff in his lodging to the restaurant servers, theater stagehands, and ushers, he observes a level of pride and gratitude. He understands that this dedication is forged in a challenging economic environment where people make immense personal sacrifices. Many live hours away from their families during the work week just to provide for them. This reality has deepened his own sense of gratitude.

Canela said any production requires a collective effort.  While actors  arrive at the theater at 2 pm, the crew has often been working since early morning and will remain long after the cast departs to prepare for the next day.  Hence, he makes a point to thank every theater worker because he deeply respects their work ethic, dedication, and the invisible labor that makes the entire show possible.

Styling and shoot producer: Luis Carlo San Juan
Photographer: Lem Atienza
Grooming: Jilliene Tan
Videography: Johann Nisnisan and Isaa Priagola
Shot on location at Proscenium Theater special thanks to Tracey Castillo and Nicole Rustia