Jake Cuenca Leaving For New York To Study Acting At Lee Strasberg Institute

JAKE CUENCA is leaving on September 29 for New York to study acting at the renowned Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute which trained some most famous Hollywood actors like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, Claire Danes and Sean Penn. “I took the Ivanna Chubbuck acting workshop about Being when she came to Star Magic,” he says. “That inspired me to learn more and master my craft. I feel I owe it to the industry to enhance my skills because it’s been good to me and acting is a never ending process. Lee Strasberg is more about Method naman, not just Being. It’s hard to get in kasi very rigid ang screening. Nag-apply ako and they interviewed me by Skype, then I sent them my portfolio, clips of movies and TV shows I’ve made, then they asked me to write an essay why I want to study there and what do I think about being an actor. Suwerte naman, natanggap ako.”

He’ll stay by himself in a loft apartment in Manhattan near his school. “I’m excited as this is the first time I’m doing this, being on my own, walang P.A. or alalay to help me.”

How about his girlfriend, model Chanel Thomas? “She’ll be going on vacation with her family to Korea, so pareho kaming wala rito.”

He’s glad that he’s leaving at a time when he got praises for his villain role as Franco in Book 1 of “Ikaw Lamang”, for which he won the Yahoo Award as best male contravida of the year. How does he feel now that Christopher de Leon is playing the Franco character in Book 2? “It’s an honor kasi Tito Boyet is my idol. I’m really flattered kasi kinuha raw niya pati yung acting nuances ko as Franco.”

Isn’t he scared he might be typecast as a villain? “Before ‘Ikaw Lamang’, I played a lead role naman in ‘Maria Mercedes’, so it shows I can do both lead and contravida roles effectively and that’s what I want to establish, being versatile. Last year, I did six movies and I portrayed both lead and supporting roles. I won best supporting actor for playing a gay role in ‘When the Love Has Gone’ and I can feel nandun yung respeto sa’kin ng co-actors ko.”

Before he leaves, he has taped an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya”. “I play the eldest brother ng maraming magkakapatid na naging both dad and mom to my siblings. So panoorin nyo yun on September 20. Rarampa rin ako sa Bench Naked Truth at MOA Arena on September 19. Last ko na yung pagrampa in my underwear so abangan nyo ang pasabog na gagawin ko. Then I will be going to Indonesia for the DZMM Caravan with Jessy Mendiola on September 20. Marami pang trabaho before I leave for New York.”