JAY MANALO gained fame doing sexy movies like “Totoy Mola” that projected him as a male sex symbol.
He was leading man to new sexpots being introduced in the 90s, like Amanda Page in “Gayuma”, Joyce Jimenez in “Masikip Mainit Paraisong Parisukat”, Rica Peralejo in “Balahibong Pusa”, Rufa Mae Quinto in “Gloria Gloria Labandera”, Assunta de Rossi in “Hubog” and Aubrey Miles in “Prosti” for which he won the Urian best actor award.
To his credit, Jay may now be 47 years old but he still gets paired with younger ladies. In Vivamax movies, he has romanced new sexpots like AJ Raval in “Iskandalo”, Cara Gonzales in “Siklo”, Jela Cuenca in “Girl Friday” and Angeli Khang in “Mahjong Nights”, “Girl Friday” and now, “Selina’s Gold”.
He says he hesitated when first offered to do sexy roles.
“When Boss Vic offered me to go sexy, sabi ko puede pa ba ako diyan?” he says.
“Kasi I think I’m too old for that and let’s just leave it to the younger actors.
"Pero sabi nila okay lang naman daw. E, I consider Viva my home kasi dito talaga ako nag-start, so kung sa ikabubuti ba ng movie, di sige.”
At first, he imposed some limitations.
“Ang request ko sana, upper half body lang ang ipapakita ko. But in each new movie I do, pagrabe nang pagrabe.
"In ‘Girl Friday’ and now, ‘Selina’s Gold’, may butt exposure na uli ako. E ako, trabaho lang naman ang hinahanap ko.
"Kung sa tingin ba nila, credible pa rin akong magpa-sexy, e di I’m just thankful sa tiwala nila sa akin.”
Is he willing to do full frontal nudity?
“Naku, siguro kailangan ko munang mag-gym para may maipagmalaki ako sa katawan ko. Kung merong magandang future project, tingnan natin kunsaan aabutin.
"Kaya ko namang i-adjust ang sarili ko. Pero bago ibigay sa akin ang project, sabihin na agad sa akin kung ano ang ine-expect nilang gagawin ko para mapaghandaan ko nang husto.
"Gusto ko namang maging more comfortable ako sa role ko at sa co-stars ko.”
He prefers roles that offers other challenges aside from taking his clothes off in front of the camera.
“Like dito sa ‘Selina’s Gold’, maganda yung role as Tiago,” he says. “Set ito noong panahon ng Hapon.
"Isa akong matandang mayaman sa aming bayan sa probinsiya. Pinagsasamantalahan ko ang kahirapan ng mga kababayan kong may anak na magaganda.
"Sa story, si Angeli Khang as Selina, anak ni Soliman Cruz na malaki ang utang sa akin.
"Para makabayad siya, I told him ipasok sa akin ang anak niya para magsilbi.
"Ayun, siempre, pinagsasamantalahan ko si Selina na naawa rin sa alaga kong bulag, si Gold Aceron, dahil lagi kong sinasaktan.”
He finds his role very challenging.
“Mahirap yung role at mahirap yung lines kasi lumang Tagalog ang gamit namin at ang mga dialogue kahit about sex, very realistic kaya masa-shock ang viewers,” he adds.
“Kailangan ko talagang mag-focus nang husto sa role ko at sa bawat eksena, lalo na nga’t period movie ito set at the start of World War II bago sakupin ng mga Hapon ang aming bayan.”