The Cast of iWant’s Hottest Series, “AFAM Wives Club,” Redefine Modern Romance
If you’re looking for culture, romance, and drama all wrapped in one — iWant’s newest original reality series, AFAM Wives Club, is here to serve all of the above and more! AFAM Wives Club follows the stories of four bold Filipinas who find themselves wound up in foreign love.
AFAM is an acronym used in the Philippines meaning “A Foreigner Around Manila.” The cast navigate the complexities within their relationships, but also showcase a sisterhood that transcends barriers. AFAM Wives Club is more than your typical romance reality series, as a press release reveals “it’s both a reflection and celebration of modern Filipina womanhood — where love, ambition, and chaos meet in the most entertaining ways possible.”
To hear more about this groundbreaking production, EnVi connected with the magnetic ensemble for a brief Zoom interview. Mari “Milk” Fowler, Keylyn Trajano, and Julia Chu displayed a harmonious synergy that read like long-time besties. It became apparent that whenever these wives share any space together, even digitally, they possess the capability to brighten any atmosphere. The cast shared tidbits about their lives, how they’ve grown from their relationships, and reflections on what the program means to them.
Editor’s Note: One of the main ensemble cast members, Nathalie Hart, was not present for the interview.
United Through Identity and Love
Though wildly different in their personal endeavors, the four women are united by their Filipina identity and experiences with foreign love.
Julia Chu is a lawyer and entrepreneur, who is stepping into the limelight for the first time through this series. Reigning “Miss Universal Woman,” Keylyn Trajano is a Filipina trans beauty queen ready to rewrite the rules of love. Mari “Milk” Fowler is an influencer and vlogger who is stepping into a new chapter as a soon-to-be-mother at the time of filming. Filipino-Australian actress and TV host Nathalie Hart is a devoted single-mother ready to open her heart again.
The three wives I spoke with each shared personal anthems reflecting their journey on AFAM Wives Club. Chu chose the viral “Golden” by HUNTR/X; Trajano resonated with the empowering “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman; and Fowler selected the confident anthem “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyoncé. What each of these songs have in common is a deeply resonant message of positivity — a testament to what the wives aim to achieve through this program.
New Perspectives
AFAM Wives Club is crafted by a powerhouse unit of producers and directors. The program is in partnership with Project 8 Projects, the genius studio behind the Philippines’ most mold-breaking films and series of the past decade. AFAM Wives Club is co-created by the internationally award-winning Antoinette Jadaone and former-drag-queen-turned-cinematic-visionary Rodina Singh. The series’ director, JP Habac, is known for his depth-filled storytelling from his acclaimed features I’m Drunk, I Love You and Gaya sa Pelikula.
When three critically-acclaimed storytellers from the Philippines collaborate with the four bold AFAM wives, you get an honest and nuanced portrayal of the modern Filipina identity. The cast couldn’t contain their excitement when asked what it felt like to see their lives portrayed through the filmmakers’ artistic vision.
“The story coming together was so beautifully woven,” Chu said. “At first I was nervous coming into the show, because I’m not a celebrity and I don’t have any media training. But the directors were so amazing, and they really guided us through every step of the way.”
Fowler was initially hesitant about her portrayal. “I was excited to know, how will I blend in with them [the rest of the cast]?” Immediately, she was met with overwhelming support from Chu and Trajano. “Perfectly darling,” Trajano reassured her. Chu added with a comforting laugh, “Come on now!”
Trajano shared her amazement on how each of the wives’ unique storylines came together. “We each have our own stories to tell and our own lives that we showcase,” she said. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about sisterhood and how our differences can actually be our similarities. It’s actually interesting to see how everything, all of our stories, are intertwined with one another.”
“A Foreigner Around Manila”
The three cast members shared that they didn’t seek out AFAM love in particular; rather, foreign love just happened to find them. Chu spent her university years building up her resume around the world where she not only found herself exposed to new cultures but new romance, too.
“You sometimes find love in some of these places, you’re so open to learning about new cultures that you also inadvertently open yourself up to love,” Chu shared with a knowing smile. She met her husband Michal Mazurkiewicz during an exchange program in Spain. The two are not only life-long partners, but also co-founders of the legal education platform AskAbogado.ph.
Trajano proudly shared that she found her love, Brazilian model Luiz Catapam, while swiping on Tinder. “Not only in the Philippines, but globally, there’s a stereotype about meeting someone or dating someone on dating apps, but mine is real, and it came out beautifully,” Trajano said. “Organic encounters right now are actually not that easy, so we have to respect each and everyone’s choices, and sometimes their only resource is a dating app. There is hope and there is love in any form, in any place, everywhere around the world.”
As a social media star, Fowler found her partner on no other than TikTok Live. Fowler accepted rapper Landon “Iceyboyyy” Moore’s invitation to join her daily livestream, and their love only grew from that moment forward. Now, they are loving parents to daughter Lana Mari Moore.
Learning Together
Culture shock is inevitable when it comes to intercultural relationships. Throughout the series, the cast share their culture with their partners and other AFAMs. In exchange, they also learn to embrace the customs their partners uphold. Chu and Fowler both agreed that thanks to their partners, they learned to be more vocal about their needs.
“In the Philippines, you’re kind of expected to respect your elders, not answer back… and I always got in trouble for answering back,” Chu reflected. “In my husband’s culture, it’s celebrated. I love that I can speak my mind, and it’s not perceived as disrespectful or rude. I can just really say my peace, even if it’s controversial or antagonistic, and it’s respected.”
Fowler added, “As a Filipino woman, I usually don’t say what I need — I want my partner to guess it, because if I am pissed, you have to know whether I’m pissed or not! It’s like that, but he actually taught me how to communicate with him. He taught me that I should be direct in what you need, what you want.”
The Modern “Dalagang Pilipina”
Fowler shared her anticipation for the series: “This season is full of side eye — bombastic side eye — love, drama, lessons, and a lot of dalagang pilipina, yeah girl!”
For those unaware of the phrase “dalagang pilipina,” it refers to a Filipina who upholds the dignity and traditions of the Philippines. AFAM Wives Club is rewriting what it means to embody the phrase through the cast’s unapologetic attitudes and messages of empowerment.
The four wives came into the series with reasons beyond sharing their love with the world. Each of these strong women are emblematic of what it is like to be a modern Filipina through their words, actions, expressions, and ambitions.
Chu wants to use her platform on the series to advocate for accessible legal services as an attorney herself. She hopes that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) — Filipinos who work abroad to provide for their families back home — consult her services.
“I know a lot of Filipinos abroad and OFWs have reached out looking for lawyers in the Philippines, and there was really no way to do that without flying back home or asking someone back home to find a lawyer,” Chu revealed. “Now they can do that online, and I hope that it really does help a lot of people.”
Trajano hoped to prove to audiences that love knows no identities or boundaries. “I learned that there’s a lot of stereotypes and thoughts on a transwoman dating a heterosexual cisgender man,” she said. “We found love despite what society is telling us, and we are deeply in love with each other. There is no gender, and there’s no identity with regards to love. We don’t need to actually put labels on people because we are all put in this world to have our free will to choose to love and to live and thrive.”
Impressed by her articulation as a seasoned pageant queen, EnVi couldn’t help but respond with an emotional, “That was so beautiful!” Trajano spared no time to respond with her signature catchphrase — “Ding!” — which led to a small back-and-forth exchange of the infectious phrase, eventually ending with Trajano saying, “Ding dong baby, ding dong!”
The cast’s wit and sincerity throughout the conversation were clear indicators as to why these modern Filipinas were chosen to be the representative voices of AFAM Wives Club.
The first episodeof AFAM Wives Club is available to stream for free on iWant. Subscribe to iWant to catch upcoming episodes every Tuesday at 8PM Philippine Standard Time. The official iWant app can be downloaded to your mobile device, or you can access iWant via https://www.iwanttfc.com/.
Stay up to date with the hottest new programs by following iWant on Facebook, TikTok, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Want to read about more series taking the world by storm? Check out EnVi’s first impressions of Heated Rivalry, here!
