Actresses Janine Gutierrez and Charlie Dizon are set to headline the upcoming Netflix horror-thriller series “Balaraw”, in which they portray characters in a sapphic relationship.
The announcement was made during Netflix Philippines’ recent press conference, where it unveiled its lineup of upcoming releases for the year.
Directed by Rae Red, known for critically acclaimed films such as “Bird Shot”, “Eerie”, and “Dead Kids”, Balaraw weaves Filipino folklore into an ensemble of stories reminiscent of the American supernatural series “Lost”, while remaining rooted in Filipino culture.
The series promises an atmospheric horror-mystery experience “unlike anything currently made in Philippine TV,” according to Netflix.
Aside from its promising premise, the series has sparked excitement among netizens and members of the LGBTQ+ community for Janine and Charlie’s portrayal of a same-sex relationship at the heart of the story.
Janine, who previously explored LGBTQ+ themes in the 2022 iWantTFC romantic drama series “Sleep With Me” alongside Lovi Poe as her romantic interest, confirmed the sapphic or girls’ love (GL) storyline on Instagram, sharing a fan’s reaction to the series.
Charlie, taking on her first lead role in a GL project outside her ongoing Kapamilya mystery series “What Lies Beneath”, joins Gutierrez alongside veteran actress Agot Isidro.
Balaraw is slated to premiere on Netflix on September 24, 2026.
