“When I auditioned, they told me what they expect from me, so alam ko naman kung ano yung pinasok ko,” he says.
The son of a Canadian dad and a Pinay mom, he was born on January 22, 1990. “I’m the breadwinner in our family,” he says. “I have a brother sa dad ko then our mom had two more kids sa second husband niya, but hiwalay na rin sila kasi nagda-drugs. Being the eldest, I have to earn for all of us. Di na ko nakapag-college at nagtrabaho ko sa NAIA cargo. Since I’m tall, nakuha kong player ng basketball team nila and that came in handy when I auditioned for ‘Bola’ kasi we’re basketball players in the story. I play Brat, a hustler who offers himself to gays to earn money.”
Managed by columnist Gorgy Rula, Kenneth is also 22, born and raised in Davao. He’s a third year major in information technology when he decided to work in Manila. “I’m the 3rd of five kids,” he says. “Yung eldest namin, married na and yung second, nasa college din. Sa’kin sila ngayon umaasa. Gusto ko, mag-ipon muna then I’d go back to college.”
How far did he go in “Bola”? “Sa audition pa lang, I told them hanggang butt exposure lang.” He delivers the most controversial line in the movie: “Lahat naman ng sikat na basketball players, may experience sa gay.”
Kenneth plays the lead role of Lester, an aspiring cager who’s befriended by a gay designer, Arnell Ignacio, who finances his schooling so he can be a member of the college basketball team. His girlfriend, Sofia Valdez, is a model who works with Arnell. He has three hot nude love scenes with Sofia and an extended kissing scene with Arnell. “The ones with Sofia, no problem. Kay Arnell, natulala ako after kissing him. Wala kasi kong experience sa gay.”
We’ve seen the movie and Jacob turns out to be the more natural actor, especially in that scene where he cries after his lover, Simon Ibarra, got back all the expensive presents given to him earlier. Kenneth is so obviously a newcomer as he’s ill at ease and conscious in front of the camera. Both of them now play angels who appear with Dingdong Dantes in GMA-7’s new soap, “My Beloved”.
