 |
| JERIC WINNING AS BEST ACTOR IN A SINGLE PERFORMANCE FOR 'SEX SLAVE' |
JERIC GONZALES was the winner in the artista search “Protege” in 2012 but his career didn’t take off right away. He was given supporting roles in soaps like “Pari Koy”, “Destiny Rose” and “Ika-5 Utos”, and now, finally, he’s given a lead role in “Magkaagaw” as Jio, a young man torn between an older woman, Sheryl Cruz as Veron, and Klea Pineda as his wife Clarisse. Didn’t he ever feel frustrated when stardom took so long in coming?
“There were times when I felt impatient but I know hindi naman ako pababayaan ng GMA,” he says. “Now, I think, dumating na yung right time to give me a lead and I was given ample time to really prepare for it. Physically, I trained at the gym regularly. I was careful with my diet, no more rice, more of high protein and fiber. I now feel lighter and better.”
How did he prepare when it comes to acting? “For my craft, I took the acting workshops of New York Coach Anthony Bova very seriously and learned so much from it in handling heavy dramatic scenes. I also took sensuality worshops and it gave me more confidence in front of the camera.”
He has love scenes with both Sheryl and Klea. How did he prepare for them? “I have to make sure that I not only look good, but also smell good. Nakakahiya naman sa kanila if I’m not at my best. Ninenerbiyos ako, but I make sure I take good care of them while doing our love scenes. After my shoot with them, I ask them if they’re okay. We’re taught to be very relaxed during the love scenes para hindi magmukhang napipilitan lang kami on screen and I think we achieved that.”
Jeric is really feeling so blessed these days. Aside from his first starring role in “Magkaagaw”, he just won the best single performance by an actor trophy from the PMPC Star Awards last Sunday night. This is for the episode “Sex Slave” that was shown earlier this year in “Magpakailanman”.
“Talagang puro maganda ang feedback na nakuha ko sa performance ko in that episode,” he says. “But I didn’t expect I’d win an award for it. Ginawa ko lang nang maayos ang trabaho and now it gets rewarded. It’s a big honor for me. Thanks to the PMPC sa malaking karangalang ibinigay nila sa akin. Magsisilbi itong inspirasyon para mas pagbutihin ko pa ang acting ko sa lahat ng assignments na makukuha ko.”
