If you think you’ve seen it all from Julia Montes, or that she’s already given her all in past dramas, brace your hearts because her comeback series is bringing even heavier emotions. Not only will “Saving Grace: The Untold Story” stir feelings, but it’s set to knock on viewers’ consciences and make them reflect on their moral compass.

Julia couldn’t be more excited that “Saving Grace: The Untold Story” is finally making its way to free TV—and in the coveted primetime block, no less. Originally released on the digital platform Prime Video, the show is now set to reach an even wider audience with extended scenes and additional episodes.

The series’ filming wrapped up a while ago and most of it has already aired on digital. Thus, the cast can now finally relax a bit and focus on promotions. Julia believes this setup takes a lot of pressure off the production team, as they don’t have to scramble to piece everything together under tight deadlines.

Pressure aside, Julia is just really excited, especially for newcomer child star Zia Grace, who plays the titular role. She believes Zia truly deserves to be part of the primetime lineup on free TV. “Gabi-gabi mapapanood na siya, at siya rin, mapapanood na niya ‘yung sarili niya gabi-gabi, so masarap sa pakiramdam,” Julia said.

Julia found her young co-star adorable and lovable, however, she made a conscious effort to maintain a bit of distance between them behind the scenes to make their work easier. “Kasi ang hirap magkaroon ng emotional attachment off-cam, tapos sa on-cam may kailangan kayong gampanan na mabigat. Eh, ako pa naman ‘pag tinitingnan ko lang siya naiiyak na ako sa kan’ya. Eh, may mga eksena kami sa first few episodes na hindi ko pwedeng ipkita ‘yung emotions ko, kailangan mas ipakita ko na medyo may wall pa ako. So, medyo nag-control lang ako,” Julia explained.

Now that filming is done, Julia is ready to go all out with her closeness to Zia, whom she fondly calls “baby girl.” She even told the young actress that they can now talk more and bond freely—no more holding back as Julia. When asked what kind of bonding moment she plans to share next with the kid, Julia’s face lit up as she remembered how much Zia loves toys. “Siguro dadalhin ko siya sa toy store,” she said, thinking it would be the perfect reward for the child’s hard work.

“Gusto ko naman siya i-spoil this time, kasi talagang hindi ko siya in-spoil no’ng nagsho-shoot kami dahil ang hirap din for her. Ayokong malito siya sa factor na may eksena kaming kukunan, dapat ganito kami together, tapos in real-life, sobra kaming [close]. Ayoko lang siyang magkaroon ng hirap mag-function emotionally.” But now that there’s no more emotional separation needed for their roles, Julia is making it up to her young co-actor.

Speaking of bonding, she and Zia went for a swim before they started shooting in Palawan. She really adores the kid, just like the rest of the cast, whose favorite bonding activities included boodle fights and kulitan during rehearsals right before diving into their intense, emotional scenes once the cameras started rolling.

Kapamilya Chat asked Julia to describe her fellow cast members one by one, and here’s what she had to say. For Mary Joy Apostol, who plays her sister, Princess, Julia shared that she had been watching Mary Joy’s work for a while, but seeing her talent up close was a whole different experience. “I hope mabigyan pa siya ng maraming opportunities kasi deserve niya. Kailangan ma-highlight at ma-appreciate pa ng mga tao ‘yung galing ni MaJoy,” she said, calling her a true ‘actress.’

She described Jennica Garcia as “lovable,” pointing out how different Jennica is from her on-screen role as the abusive mother, Sarah.

For Janice de Belen, who portrays her mom, Helena, the word “marvelous” would suit the actress best. She admires Janice’s unique gift for stirring emotions with just the eyes.

And for Sharon Cuneta, who plays the powerful and influential TV host Miranda, Julia chose the word “mom,” which perfectly encapsulates everything about the Megastar. “Ano ba ang ina? Malalim, parang dagat… gano’n ko siya nade-describe.”

She also expressed her full appreciation for Zia Grace, the “best kid” for her, “The best ang na-experience ko with her. Ang dami ko rin natutunan with her. Ang dami kong best things na gusto pang mangyari sa kan’ya because she deserves the best.”

And as for her character, Anna—a public school teacher who decides to save her student from abuse at home—Julia could only think of one word, which is strong. And given how intense the role is, she admitted that portraying Anna was challenging due to the emotional weight it carried.

One thing Julia really wants to highlight and is most proud of about the series is that it’s not just meant to stir emotions—it’s meant to make people reflect on their conscience. The show specifically tackles physical abuse, which happens to both children and adults in real life. Julia hopes that the series can be a vessel of hope for survivors, just like Grace, and inspire others to step up, like Teacher Anna, and be an instrument for change. “Hindi madali, pero sana magkaroon tayo ng chance na mas maging open para mas makatulong tayo sa ‘Grace’ rin na makakasalamuha natin,” she said.