On Faith, Loss and Miracles: Aicelle Santos brings new depth to Elsa in ‘Isang Himala’

“My first miracle was when my sister was diagnosed with lymphoma in her early 20s,” she begins, recounting the emotional time. “We were devastated, but thank God, she survived. After chemotherapy, she recovered.”

“Then, my second miracle happened at the same time. My brother, who was 19 at the time, suffered from myocarditis—his heart’s muscle stopped functioning,” Santos recalls. “His heart rate dropped to just 20 beats per minute, which was very alarming. We rushed him to the hospital.” She says it was a miracle he made it to the hospital and was treated immediately. “He’s now a nurse in London,” she shares with gratitude. 

Finally, she reflects on her youngest daughter, Zemira, who was born prematurely. “Her lungs weren’t developed, and she needed oxygen for a week,” she says. Santos is a mum of two daughters, Zandrine and Zemira, with her husband, journalist Mark Zambrano. “It was such a frightening experience, but after that week, her health improved, and she’s thriving now,” she shares. 

“Every one of these miracles has strengthened my faith and taught me to cherish every moment.”

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Santos has gone through many life-altering experiences, but what stands out as pivotal and has added to the nuanced layers of her portrayal of Elsa is her mother’s passing at the height of the pandemic.

Losing her mother shortly after becoming one herself with her first-born Zandrine brought another layer of introspection. “I thought the one with my mum would be one of the many miracles God has granted me. I was really confident,” she recalls.

Her mother spent three months in the ICU, and there were moments when she was in a vegetative state. “It was the hardest time of my life, waiting and hoping for her to wake up, but she didn’t.”

This experience of motherhood and loss deepened her understanding of Elsa—a woman caught in the storm of her own ‘miracles’, making her wrestle with faith and its consequences.

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“Back then, my faith was 101 per cent. I’m not saying it diminished, but life happens, and you realise everything is always in God’s hands,” she explains. “My understanding of Elsa’s story has evolved because of my own experiences. There are more layers to her now—just like me.”

“In 2018, I performed Elsa with all my heart, but the emotions came from a different place. Now, there’s a well of experiences to draw from—joy, loss, and everything in between.”

While the theatre demanded a larger-than-life performance to captivate audiences, adapting to film required a more intimate approach. 

Santos recalls the adjustment: “In theatre, you perform big to reach the person sitting in the back row. But for film, you don’t need to shout when the person you’re talking to is right in front of you.”

This shift, guided by director Pepe Diokno (Gomburza, Above the Clouds), became a lesson in restraint and authenticity. “It’s about staying in the moment and finding the truth in every scene,” she says. “If you become too conscious, you lose the magic of being in character.”

The cast of Isang Himala, which gathers the crème de la crème of Filipino theatre, with the likes of Santos, Bituin Escalante and David Ezra, has newfound respect for the craft and for themselves as artists. “Every time we see ourselves, we see the scene we just took, we would just drop our jaws and get excited,” Santos says.

Despite the challenges she found, Santos embraced the process. Filming also required repeating emotionally taxing scenes multiple times from different angles—a stark contrast to the singular arc of a theatre performance. “You’d pour everything into a breakdown scene, then reset and do it all over again. It was exhausting but fulfilling,” she shares. “I have mad respect for film actors now!”

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Reimagining Himala for a new generation is no small feat, especially when the original film is regarded as one of the most important works in Philippine cinema. 

“Himala yung Isang Himala [Isang Himala is a miracle in itself],” she says. For Santos, it’s an honour to be part of this cultural touchstone, especially as it brings together the talents of National Artist Ricky Lee (screenplay), Vincent de Jesus (music for the adaptation), and Diokno (direction).

“We’re so blessed to be part of this,” she says with palpable excitement. “Himala is timeless. Its themes—faith, humanity, and the search for meaning—are universal, and it’s incredible to know that today’s audience—especially Gen Z—will see it in a new light.”

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As Isang Himala prepares to enchant audiences once more, Santos is eager to see how the film will be received. But beyond this project, she remains open to new opportunities, whether on stage, on screen, or even in pursuits outside the arts.

Faith has been a guiding force—not just in her portrayal of Elsa, but in her life. “Life has a funny way of surprising you,” she says. “I never thought I’d be here, doing what I love, telling stories that matter. But here I am, and I’m so grateful.”

Santos sees every performance a prayer, every role an evidence of faith in herself, in her craft and in God. She reminds us that miracles do happen, not because of divine intervention, but because of the human spirit.

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