Elijah Canlas admits wanting to quit acting in the past

Elijah Canlas | Image: Instagram/@elijahcanlas

Elijah Canlas revealed that he had unpleasant experiences doing his first television projects that made him want to quit acting at some point.

During the “Senior High” finale press conference, Canlas shared that he was hesitant to do a television project after having experienced unlikely things when he was just starting out.

“I remember lang nung mga first TV experience ko, it was honestly not fun. It made me want to quit acting. Medyo iniwasan ko po talaga ‘yung TV for the longest time,” he said. 

(I remember during my first TV experience, it was, honestly, not fun. It made me want to quit acting. I avoided TV for the longest time.) 

However, the actor said that upon knowing the plot and the team behind “Senior High,” he immediately agreed to do the part.

“Pero dahil nga po sa group of people na ‘to, umoo ako nung nag pitch po and everything. It was something that’s exciting for me and something that I thought was fresh for TV, kaya payag ako. Ang saya ng world building dito sa Senior High, ‘yung character building,” said Canlas. 

(But because of this group of people, I said yes, when it was pitched to me and everything. It was something that’s exciting for me and something that I thought was fresh for TV. The world building and character building here in Senior High is so fun.)

The “GomBurZa” actor asserted that television projects are accompanied by great learnings from discipline to urgency, which is why he is open to doing them again.

“Yung TV iba po talaga siya, it’s like an exercise on discipline, on urgency, kung gaano ka kabilis mag internalize or whatever, kung gaano ka kabilis magmemorize. Ang daming learnings and I don’t mind doing it again,” he said. 

(Television is really different; it’s like an exercise on discipline and urgency, on how fast you are to internalize and memorize. It was full of learning, and I don’t mind doing it again.) 

Canlas began his acting career after starring in Cinemalaya’s independent film “Sundalong Kanin,” but it was his performance in “Kalel, 15” that gained him acclaim after winning numerous acting awards for it.