In a genre long dominated by men, Incognito is drawing praise for its strong female characters — and its stars Kaila Estrada and Maris Racal are embracing the spotlight.
At the mid-season media conference for ABS-CBN’s action-drama series, the two actresses opened up about their roles’ physical and emotional demands and how they hope their characters inspire young viewers.
Estrada plays Max Alvero, a strategic and composed field agent who often leads missions when the team’s head isn’t around. Asked what could make Max fall for either of her leading men, JB (Richard Gutierrez) or Andres (Daniel Padilla), Estrada shifted the conversation to what defines her character — strength and conviction.
“Max is a very compassionate character, but she’s also morally strong,” Estrada said.
“She’s a perfect balance of heart and head. I think she connects with JB because he’s logical and a leader, and with Andres because he’s very emotional and compassionate.”
Estrada said seeing the trailer for the first time alongside her castmates made her feel proud of what they achieved.
“It was really worth it. First time talaga namin nakita ‘yung trailer and even snippets of the scenes,” she said. “Nakaka-proud to be part of this show.”
Racal, who plays Gab Rivera, said that while her character appears tough, the performance was grounded in real-life experience — and a few surprises on set.
In one scene with veteran actor Joel Torre, Racal was asked on the spot to speak Ilonggo.
“Sabi ng director, ‘Gab, Ilonggo ka dito, ah?’” Racal recalled, laughing.
“Thank God Bisaya ako. Ilonggo and Bisaya share a lot of words. Ang kailangan ko na lang aralin is ‘yung tono.”
The moment went viral, with fans praising her natural accent and chemistry with Torre, who plays her father in the series.
“Nakakatawa kasi kahit masama ‘yung character niya, tatay ko siya, eh. So mahal ko talaga ‘yung tao,” Racal said.
Both actresses noted how Incognito allows female roles to stand on equal footing with the men, not just in screen time, but in skill and significance to the plot.
“One thing I’m really proud of is both Gab and Max are very strong and empowered women,” Estrada said. “They’re independent and just as skilled as the male characters.”
When asked what advice she’d give young girls who look up to Max, Estrada added, saying, “I hope it inspires them to be independent, to be go-getters, and to go for what they want. Be fearless and embrace that independence.”
The series, now in its mid-season arc called “Nihon Saga,” follows a team of contract agents navigating global missions tied to a shadowy figure known as Elcano.
Many of the latest episodes were filmed in extreme weather conditions, from snowstorms in Yamagata, Japan, to the heat of Itogon, Benguet.
Despite the challenges, Estrada said the cast and crew were all-in from day one.
“It’s fulfilling. I’m just so excited for everybody to see it.”
Incognito is streaming on Netflix and iWantTFC, where it continues to land in the Top 10 most-watched shows in the Philippines.