Back in 2017, I was challenged to shoot a photo series by telling a complete story using only 9 images - no text or audio.
With the help of my husband @kevinmalejandro and son @kadenalejandro_ (when he was still small 🥺), here is what I came up with…
I’m thinking to do a new one. Anyone else up for the challenge?
Coron… a place that feels softer than memory.
I thought paradise was a place… until it looked back at me through my son in the last light of day.
Time slowed, quietly.
And something stayed.
@paolynhouseboats , thank you for that kind of moment.
Siargao… you were a wonderful. 🏝️
Thank you pool, house, caves, coves, ocean, surf, foam party, ube halaya, cats, dogs, new friends, private excursions, private chef (Princess), Riza, and Freddy. 🇵🇭
Seeing yourself in places that once felt impossible (like being a Film / Television Director) can change EVERYTHING.
I always aimed HIGH. But without seeing other accomplished women in these spaces, especially ones who looked like me, it was hard to believe that path could actually be mine.
Then one day I saw @ava DuVernay, and something shifted… Hope felt more attainable and a little less like fantasy.
Then in recent years, my belief was FUELED when I saw the names of Directors @marie_jamora , @isabelvsandoval , @paragasdiane , @bethaaladocs and @michelejosue across my screens. My awe for them was also a revelation… Maybe I could do this too.
Thank you for showing us there’s a place for us at the table, my Pinay Queens, and especially for proving that Representation doesn’t just inspire, it makes the impossible feel POSSIBLE.
(Thank you @meridithsommers for sending me this ♥️)
Thank you for watching last night’s episode of Fire Country, “Elite of the Elite.”
Getting the chance to direct side-by-side with the hardest-working crew was truly a dream. These talented humans are seriously the Elite of the Elite.
Thank you to our phenomenal cast for trusting me to collaborate with you and witness your unstoppable talent.
From Casting to Prep to Production to Post, the @firesheriffcbs , @jerrybruckheimer TV, and @midwestlivestockinc producers and teams always make these experiences beautiful.
You can stream the episode now on the @cbstv or @paramountplus app.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present the infamous “Director Directing on Set” candid photos. 😂
Apparently I can direct an entire episode… but not my own facial expressions….
I DID direct tonight’s episode of
FIRE COUNTRY.
Catch it tonight at 9/8c on CBS, or stream it tomorrow on Paramount+.
Written by the wonderful Manuel Herrera and Sara Casey.
All the flowers and love to the incredible crew, production office, producers, cast, and post teams who helped bring this episode to life.
A few stills from our KCAL News segment this morning — talking the mid-season premiere of Fire Country, the episode I had the joy of directing, and a few hints about what’s ahead for our favorite characters (no spoilers… mostly).
Big thanks to @shebaturk and @cbsla for such a fun, thoughtful interview.
Grateful as always for the team: @pete_larsen@malannemason@echobasco
#StewStrunk @firesheriffcbs
Comedy is tragedy plus time, the old adage goes. It’s that kind of confessional self-examination that drew comedians @shrrycola and @msjwilly to Apple TV+’s therapy dramedy ‘Shrinking.’
In the show, which is currently in the midst of its third season, the therapist Gaby (Williams) meets her match in Maya (Cola), a sharp new character navigating grief, identity, and the messy work of healing on her couch. Off-screen, the actors speak with the same candor and humor that defines the show itself—jumping from Los Angeles’s “cheap and cheery” architecture to stigmas around mental health in immigrant communities without missing a beat.
Both performers came up in the world of comedy before expanding into drama, a trajectory they see less as a pivot than an evolution. After taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade and making her way through Los Angeles’s stand-up comedy gauntlet, Cola got her first big TV break with a recurring role on Amazon’s Chris Kraus adaptation ‘I Love Dick.’ Williams leapt into film and narrative television from ‘The Daily Show’ and her hit podcast ‘2 Dope Queens,’ which helped define the tone of long-form comedic chat shows.
The pair caught up for CULTURED, reflecting on representation, Millennial cringe, and the Aaliyah movie that changed them. Link in bio to read their conversation.
Photography: @lesliealejandro
Before signing out again, I want to share an icon who made picking up my camera feel effortless. I photographed @iamedigathegi nearly a year and a half ago, and I’m still incredibly proud of what we created together.
Collaborations like this always bring me back to center, a reminder that even when my creative world feels scattered, the right muse brings clarity and intention.
And shooting at the iconic Sheats-Goldstein Residence was simply the cherry on top… the perfect setting for an already magical exchange.
Endlessly grateful for my chosen family on and off set: @paolomascitti , @jgurtiza , @robiatb , and @lexnegrete .
Having you all by my side always makes the process feel grounded, focused, and serene.
Groomer: @robiatb
Stylist: @stylistmelissalynn
Photo Assistant: @lexnegrete
After a little hiatus from photography to focus on directing and writing, it felt right to dust off my trusty @canonusa and step back behind the lens. And honestly, what better way to come back than with @shrrycola in front of it… and she did not come to PLAY…
This shoot reminded me why I fell in love with photography in the first place: capturing beautiful moments, collaborating with brilliant humans, and actually feeling the joy of the entire process. Turns out, that part of me never left. It was just waiting for the right energy to wake it up again.
Huge love to @cultured_mag@jgurtiza@personapr for bringing this together.
Glam magic by:
Stylist @lauraschuffman
Makeup @tammyyi
Hair @stevenmasonlife
And forever grateful for my ride-or-die photo assistant @lexnegrete
After going through my album to find videos to post, I was reminded of all the beautiful things that happened in my life this year.
Here are a few I’d like to mention (and in no particular order):
1. Birthday trips for the people I love.
2. Another year around the sun spending it at Disneyland.
3. Adventures with my family.
4. Joined the DGA.
5. Japan with my family and best friends.
6. Home renovations with my dream design.
7. Won at San Diego ComicCon.
8. Parachutes film premiere at the Landmark Westwood.
9. Directed another episode of Fire Country.
10. So many Friends’ birthday celebrations
11. Kaden got into NYU.
12. NYC to see my Babycakes
13. Took Kevin’s sister to Hawaii for the first time to celebrate beating Cancer.
14. Supported so many filmmakers friends in their premieres and screenings.
15. Tokyo Disney
16. Broadways plays and musicals
17. LA musicals and plays
18. So many incredible dinners
19. FYC
20. Got stuck in an elevator and saved by Paramedics and Firefighters
21. Kaden’s 1st Prom
22. Niagara Falls (Canada side)
23. The Summer I Turned Pretty Finale Party
24. Jojo’s surprise 30th
25. Helped my niece on set while she directed her first music video
26. Witnessed my friend’s score for a feature be performed by a live orchestra
27. Lots of Family Time
28. Successful holidays
29. Moved my parents close to us.
30. My parents, my sister, and I are finally all together after almost 35 years
31. Romeo celebrated another birthday.
32. 23 years with the Love of my Life @kevinmalejandro
33. Cuddles with my son @kadenalejandro_
34. Felt so much love from my friends and family
…. And so on. There were many more wins I’m sure I missed, but I feel them all still. Of course there were also not so great moments, but I choose only to focus on the good ones since there were more of them than the bad.
I did realize I need to document more of my life, even though I’ve told myself to be in the moment.
Here’s to an even better 2026. I look forward to experiencing what next year will bring.
