Nurse the Dead’ uses humor to highlight hard work of Pinoy nurses in US

CEBU, Philippines — Filipina-American actress Jelynn Malone says that playing the lead role of Filipina nurse Noa Reyes in iWant’s U.S.-based online sitcom "Nurse the Dead" is "the greatest honor" of her life as she gets to pay tribute to her aunt, also a nurse, who brought her family to America.

 "She’s the one who petitioned my family to come here," she said during a virtual press conference ahead of the season finale, which streamed on July 31. "If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have this life and the opportunities that we had. She sacrificed so much for everybody. She’s the first one to leave the Philippines, and I can’t even imagine what that experience was like, being alone here in the United States. This has been a love letter from me to thank and honor her."

 Ruby Rodriguez can relate to the plight of Malone’s aunt, having stepped away from her showbiz career in the Philippines to take care of her children. Now based in Los Angeles, her only screen credit since leaving "Eat Bulaga!" in 2021 has been "Hello, Love, Again," which was filmed in neighboring Canada.

 "I still had a good run in the Philippines, and I was doing well when I left. But I had to leave for my son, not just for his education, but for his treatment [for dyslexia] as well. Forget it, I’ll start over and work hard for my son, as well as my daughter. She’s alone, and I cannot let her be alone," she explained.

"It’s the mom in me," she added. "I had to weigh [my options]. Ruby, what’s important to you? You had a good run and enjoyed your showbiz career; it’s time to devote yourself to becoming a mother."

In the series, Noa is a nurse supervisor who can see ghosts. Because of this ability, she becomes the go-to person among her hospital colleagues for communicating with restless spirits.

Malone, who is often mistaken for being Korean, said playing a Filipina character meant a lot to her as it helps increase Filipino representation in Hollywood. "Growing up, I never saw anyone who looked like me on screen, let alone play the lead role, let alone play a nurse. There are so many medical shows that never have nurses represented as Filipinos. It’s such an honor, and I am so incredibly grateful," she said.

 The first Filipino-produced series shot in Hollywood, "Nurse the Dead" has also received praise for its accurate depiction of Filipino nurses, down to their family dynamics and superstitions. "Every premiere I have been to, so many people in the audience were like, 'That’s so Filipino because my mom and Tita all think they saw ghosts.' There are so many fun layers in this series, especially with the mother-daughter dynamic, which is very Filipino,” Malone said.

Part of the main cast with Malone are Rodriguez as Ross Amee, Gigette Reyes as Mami Tess, Anthony Jennings as Grim, and Princess Punzalan as Camille Alejandro.

 The cast had nothing but praise for Jennings, who was absent from the virtual press conference. "Anthony is the sweetest, most lovable, humble person," Malone said. "He was excited to be in the show as it was his first time in the U.S., and he just brought it. Many of his fans would visit the set, and he entertained every single person who came up to him. I can speak for everybody when I say he was such a joy to work with."

 The series is created by Cebu-born, American-raised Mark Labella, who previously worked with ABS-CBN as the U.S. producer of Coco Martin and Jodi Sta. Maria’s "Labyu with an Accent." He said he specifically intended to create the series for ABS-CBN’s streaming platform, adding that while it could eventually land on a platform like Netflix, as some iWant Originals have, he made the show first and foremost for Kapamilya viewers.

 A medical practitioner with a doctorate in medicine, Labella wanted to create a series centered on Filipino nurses. Like Malone, his own mother was also a nurse, and his experience as a frontliner during the COVID-19 pandemic further fueled his mission.

"That’s one thing I wanted to put on paper, especially during COVID. We [Filipinos] make up four percent of nurses in the US, but 30 percent of those who died during COVID were Filipino nurses. That’s the pain that impacted us so much," he said. "We are the number one immigrant nurse population in the world, not just in America. I want to make sure that my number one goal and mission is to put Filipino faces and stories in front of Hollywood and the rest of the world."

Despite working with a limited budget, Labella said what made the production possible was the commitment of its cast and crew.

 "Every single person you see on screen came to the show for the right reason," said Labella, who also directed the series with Wesley Villarica and Drea Castro. "Be with people who can be in the trenches with you for the right reasons. Make sure they have good hearts and minds and care deeply about this project."

Villarica added that he had to wake up at 4 a.m. just to haul the necessary equipment to set, but the positive environment made the demanding work worthwhile.

"When you want to give up, you realize that this story requires 100 percent concentration and dedication, and I learned to dig deep and find my inner strength because of everyone’s dedication on set. I have to honor everyone’s hard work, and it made me want to work even harder."

 Tootsie Guevarra, who plays the supporting role of Zeny, added, "I am proud to say that, for the first time in my entertainment career, I felt like my fellow actors were nice and sincere," to which Reyes echoed, "There’s so much love, kindness, support, and genuine connection no matter how hard things got."

Guevarra and Reyes are among the veteran actresses in the cast, alongside Punzalan and Rodriguez, all of whom welcomed the chance to return to acting while living away from the Philippines where they were household names.

While Punzalan left her days as a kontrabida actress behind to become a nurse in the US, she has continued to take on acting projects whenever possible. She had appeared in the 2019 Fil-Am film "Yellow Rose" and had a recurring role as Lola in the Fox crime drama "The Cleaning Lady."

"I was very excited and grateful that we have this project because it felt nice to be able to do what I do in real life," she said, referring to using her nursing expertise in the show. "I was excited to be able to, in some ways, guide them, like we don’t do certain things in the facility. I felt like I had the responsibility to guide what really happens and how things are done in the hospital."

Labella commended Punzalan’s work ethic, saying, "She gets off a 6 a.m. shift, goes straight to set with a smile on her face; right now she’s still gorgeous after a 12-hour shift. This is the kind of people we have on set. They care about what we’re doing, and there’s not a single line she missed."

Reyes called the project "an answered prayer," having ended her Philippine showbiz career to support her son, who wanted to attend college in the US. After retiring from her job at 62, Reyes hoped to return to acting, although opportunities were scarce because of the 2023 Hollywood labor strikes that began with the writers before actors joined the picket lines.

"I wasn’t specific, but I prayed for a series. When I read the script, I felt that representation is so important for me, not just for us veteran actors, but also for the young actors so that they can get better roles when they try acting."

As the series concluded its eight-episode first season, the cast said they hope audiences leave not only entertained but with a deeper appreciation of the sacrifices Filipino nurses make.

"I want people, families, and patients to understand that nurses are trying their best. We want to help you, find solutions, and give you the best care possible. There are too many tasks to do in too little time," Punzalan said. "More often than not, we rarely eat or take our breaks. We can’t even go to the bathroom. We try to help each other as much as we can, and it’s nice when we meet patients and families who are understanding and kind."

 Rodriguez added, "If a Filipino nurse or caregiver is taking care of you, be thankful. Love them. Be kind to them because they will be your family forever."