Elijah Canlas

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Madiclum and the surname or paternal family name is Canlas.

Elijah Canlas
Canlas in 2020
Born
Elijah Luiz Madiclum Canlas

(2000-08-16) August 16, 2000 (age 24)
Manila, Philippines
Education
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active2014–present
AgentThe IdeaFirst Company

Elijah Luiz Madiclum Canlas (born August 16, 2000) is a Filipino actor and commercial model. He began his professional acting career in the 2014 independent film Sundalong Kanin, an official entry to Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. He then rose to prominence for his award-winning performance in Kalel, 15 where he received Best Actor awards at 43rd Gawad Urian Awards, 68th FAMAS Awards, 17th Asian Film Festival in Rome, Italy, and 16th Harlem International Film Festival in Harlem, New York.

Early life and education

Elijah Luiz Madiclum Canlas was born on August 16, 2000, in Manila. He is the second son of Rommel Canlas and Lyn Canlas. Second of three siblings, he is called "Jelo" by his older brother Jerom Andrei, and younger brother, Jamile Matthew "JM" (2005/06–2023).[1] The Canlas brothers are all actors who played various roles in film, theater and television. With their mother being a ballerina, and theater actress in Bacolod, they were exposed to arts, and theater at a very young age.

Canlas finished grade school at Statefields School, a private institute located in Bacoor, Cavite. In Junior High School, he studied Theater Arts at the Philippine High School for the Arts and finished Senior High School at MINT College. He is currently taking up his Bachelor of Arts in Philippine Arts at the University of the Philippines Manila while continuously pursuing his acting career.[2]

Career

When he was 14 years old, he debuted as one of the four main characters in the film Sundalong Kanin (2014), a Cinemalaya entry directed by Janice O'Hara.[3]

In 2014, he auditioned for the main role of Kalel, 15 when it was still titled Son of God, but got rejected because the role was supposed to be given to someone who resembles a mestizo son of a Spanish friar. Four years later in 2018, Canlas met with director Jun Robles Lana because he was looking for a talent manager. During the meeting, Lana suddenly said Canlas could play the lead in his next film as Kalel.[4]

A year after portraying his role in the movie Edward (2019), his acting prowess won him Best Supporting Actor (PinakaPASADOng Katuwang na Aktor) from the Pampelikulang Samahan ng mga Dalubguro (PASADO),[5] alongside other nominees such as Baron Geisler, Joross Gamboa and Ian Veneracion.[6] He also won Best Acting Ensemble together with the other cast members of the movie Kalel, 15 (2019) in the 2020 PARAGON Critics Choice Awards.

In May 2020, he was cast as one of the main actors in the YouTube series, Gameboys. Produced by The IdeaFirst Company,[7] it is a boys love series in the Philippines that tackles the story of two young men who find each other online amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[8][9][10]

Along with Kokoy de Santos as Gavreel Alarcon, Elijah starred in the thirteen-part web series as Cairo Lazaro, an up-and-coming online game streamer.[11]

On August 5, 2020, he bagged his first Best Actor award at the prestigious 17th Asian Film Festival[12] in Rome, Italy for Kalel, 15.[13][14] On December 22 of the same year, he was named by CNN Philippines as "Actor of the Year".[15]

In late 2020, Netflix released a re-cut version of the series, titled Gameboys Level-Up Edition.

Personal life

In 2021, Canlas dated Miles Ocampo and announced their relationship to the public in 2022. In 2023, he admitted that he and Ocampo broke up.[16]

His younger brother, former child actor JM Canlas, died on August 3, 2023, at the age of 17. A cause of death was not revealed.[1]

Filmography

Television series

Year Title Role Notes Network

Ref.

2020 Paano ang Pasko? Noel Aguinaldo Main Cast / Protagonist
TV5
 [17][18]
Almost Paradise Luke Supporting Cast / Antagonist
WGN America
 [19][20]
2020–2021 Paano ang Pangako? Noel Aguinaldo Main Cast / Protagonist
TV5
 [21][22]
2021 My Fantastic Pag-ibig Dwayne Main Cast / Protagonist
GMA Network
 [23][24]
2022 Suntok sa Buwan Dos Laurete Main Cast / Protagonist
TV5
 [25]
2023 The Iron Heart Conrado Reyes Recurring Cast / Anti-Hero
Kapamilya Channel
2023–2024 Senior High Archie Aguerro Main Cast / Anti-Hero / Protagonist
Kapamilya Channel / iWantTFC
2024 FPJ's Batang Quiapo Pablo Caballero Supporting Cast / Primary Antagonist
Kapamilya Channel
 [26]
High Street Archie Aguerro Main Cast / Protagonist
2025 Incognito Donato Escalera Supporting Cast / Antagonist

Web series

Year Title Role Platform Ref.
2019 Past, Present, Perfect? Marius
iWantTFC
 [27][28]
2020 Pearl Next Door Cairo Lazaro
YouTube
 [29][30]
Gameboys
YouTube Netflix
 [31][32]
Unconditional Arthur
Cignal Play
 [33][34]
2021 Gameboys 2 Cairo Lazaro
KTX & Vivamax Plus
 [35][36]
2022 Misis Piggy Jeffrey
iWantTFC

Film

Year Title Role Production company Ref.
2014 Sundalong Kanin Badong
Cinemalaya entry
 [37][38]
2016 Sakaling Hindi Makarating Benjie Unitel Productions
Media East Productions		 [39][40]
2019 Kalel, 15 Kalel The IdeaFirst Company [41][42]
Edward Renz Cinemalaya Entry [43][44]
LSS (Last Song Syndrome) Cedie Globe Studios
Dokimos Media		 [45][46]
Babae at Baril Jun Epic Media
Cignal Entertainment		 [47][48]
2020 He Who Is Without Sin Martin Pangan Solar Pictures [49][50]
2021 Gameboys: The Movie Cairo Lazaro The IdeaFirst Company
October Train Films		 [51][52]
2022 Blue Room Troy Rodriguez Cinemalaya [53]
Livescream Exo Vivamax Plus [54]
About Us But Not About Us Lancelot Octoberian Films
The Ideafirst Company
Quantum Films 		[55]
2023 Keys to the Heart Joselito "Jayjay" Hermano Netflix
GomBurZa Paciano Mercado Jesuit Communications
MediaQuest Ventures 		[56]
2024 Uninvited Tofy Mentorque Productions

Project 8 Projects

Awards and nominations

Year Award ceremony Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2020 17th Asian Film Festival Best Actor Kalel, 15 Won [57]
68th FAMAS Awards Best Actor Won [58]
22nd Gawad Pasado Awards Best Supporting Actor "Edward" Won [59]
43rd Gawad Urian Awards Best Actor Kalel, 15 Won [47]
PARAGON Critics Choice Awards Best Acting Ensemble Won
Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino Special Jury Prize for Performance in a Lead Role He Who Is Without Sin Won [15]
Best Actor Nominated [15]
38th Luna Awards Best Supporting Actor Edward Nominated [60]
2021 7th Urduja Heritage Film Awards Best Young Actor Kalel, 15 Won [61]
5th Film Ambassadors' Night 11 New Film Ambassadors for Acting Performance Won [62]
16th Harlem International Film Festival Best Actor Won [63]
4th EDDYS Awards Best Actor He Who Is Without Sin Nominated [64]
Young Critics Circle Best Performance Nominated [65][66]
Best Performance (Duo) alongside Enzo Pineda Nominated
Ani ng Dangal Awards  (National Commission for Culture and the Arts) Recipient for Ani ng Dangal Awards Himself Won [67]
36th PMPC Star Awards for Movies Best Actor Kalel, 15 Nominated [68]
Best Supporting Actor Babae at Baril Nominated
2023 1st Summer Metro Manila Film Festival Awards (MMFF) Jury Prize "About Us But Not About Us" Won [69]
Best Actor Nominated
6th EDDYS Awards Best Actor Blue Room Won [70]
2024 Platinum Stallion National Media Award 2024 Best Primetime Drama Actor Senior High Won [71]
7th EDDYS Awards Best Actor Keys to the Heart Nominated [72]

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