MANILA, Philippines — Television host Kim “Kuya Kim” Atienza revealed on Monday that his daughter, Emmanuelle “Emman” Atienza, once auditioned to become a housemate on “Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition.”
Atienza shared a clip of Emman’s audition interview on social media saying the video had been sent to him by ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer Cory Vidanes during her visit to Emman’s wake.
“This is a clip of Emman’s interview for @pbbcollab sent to me by Tita Cory Vidanes when she visited Emmansky’s wake. We agreed not to post it until @pbbcollab season ended,” Atienza wrote in the caption.
In the audition video, Emman introduced herself for being an “Englishera” online, a Filipino slang term for someone who mostly speaks English.
She said she valued authenticity in what she shared on social media.
“I pride myself on being authentic and posting what I feel like is true to me,” she said in the interview.
Emman also spoke about her limited fluency in Filipino, recalling that she once barely understood or spoke the language.
“Before, I didn’t understand any Tagalog at all. I couldn’t speak anything, couldn’t understand a word,” she said,
During the interview, Emman also shared her interest in mental health advocacy. She said she had long planned to pursue psychology after noticing the lack of mental health resources in the Philippines.
She also spoke about her family, sharing, “I’m very grateful that they worked so hard to give me the life that I have. I have an older brother and an older sister. I’m the bunso.”
Asked what would make her an interesting housemate, Emman said her outgoing personality could help her connect with others inside the Pinoy Big Brother house.
“I think one thing that could be really funny is just that I can’t speak Tagalog. I think I’m also a very extroverted person. I love to make friends with people,” she said.
“Anyone who knows me personally knows how outgoing I am. I think being placed in that kind of environment would also help me thrive, hopefully,” she added.
Emman passed away on Oct. 22, 2025, in Los Angeles, California, at age 19. She gained recognition for promoting body positivity and mental health awareness. A prominent Gen Z social media influencer, she frequently shared about fashion, art and her personal experiences with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.