MANILA, Philippines — Jessy Mendiola is keen on honing her acting flair now that she has returned to acting after a five-year hiatus.
The night before her comeback mediacon and contract signing with ABS-CBN’s Star Magic last July 2, she and husband Luis “Lucky” Manzano had a talk. “I told him, ‘Am I making the right decision? (It’s) more of, ‘Am I ready to come back?’ And you know what he said to me, ‘You know you are doing this for yourself. You deserved it. You deserved to pursue your dreams and to grow (more).’”
And now that she is back in showbiz, she wants to focus on polishing her acting skills and try antagonist roles.
“I’ve been doing sensual roles, heavy drama (in the past). I’m not saying that I’m a great actress. I know how to act, but I’m not that good,” admitted Jessy. “That’s what I want to focus now – to hone my acting. And I want to try gray roles or like kontrabida. And of course, since I’m a mom, (I want to try) mother roles (as well).”
She has been told by ABS-CBN that she might do a teleserye as part of the projects that are lined up for her.
“Actually, they told me that I can be a leading lady. I said, ‘Why not kung kaya ko naman?’ And if they feel that (the role) suits me. But honestly, I would like to try variety of roles. And I’m very excited about the projects that my ABS-CBN and Star Magic family has prepared for me.”
In the past years, the Kapamilya actress appeared in series, such as, “Sabel,” “Budoy,” “Paraiso,” “Maria Mercedes” as well as Star Cinema movies “The Trial,” The Reunion,” and “Call Center Girl.”
She also received recognitions such as the German Moreno Youth Achievement Award at the 2012 FAMAS Awards and Best Asia Pacific Star at the fifth Asia Pacific Actors Network (APAN) Star Awards in South Korea.
As a hands-on mom to one-year-old daughter Isabella Rose “Peanut” Manzano, Jessy said that one of the reasons she was hesitant to return to showbiz was because of time.
“Even if we have angels in our home, I make sure that if my angels go on a break, I’m the one taking care of Peanut. That’s one of my concerns, the time.” As she recalled her busy days in showbiz, “Talagang dire-diretso (schedule of shows). And you know, I’m very grateful because it means that you are a hot artist. Like for example, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, you have a teleserye and Tuesday, Thursday, you have a movie and then Sunday, you have ‘ASAP.’”
“Can I still do this?” she asked. “But they told me that hindi na daw as bugbog as before. And I’m grateful for that, to all the artists actually and all the production, crew, the staff. Mas nakakapahinga na.”
Given the chance, Jessy would like to work with Luis, her mother-in-law Vilma Santos, Piolo Pascual, and Joshua Garcia on a project.
She is also open to collaborating with her ex-boyfriend JM de Guzman. In Jessy’s words, “It’s funny because we’ve never worked together before. Maybe the people thought that we’d worked together because naging kami. But that’s the first question nila direk Lauren (Dyogi), ‘Are you willing to work with him?’
“Yeah, of course. Why not? I mean we’ve moved on and I’m at the point in my life where I have no bad blood with anyone. I hope you see that I’m really, really, really happy right now. And I’m just really grateful and thankful to be given this opportunity again. Kasi akalain mo yun nakabalik pa si Jessy. So, yeah, why not? I’m open to it.”
It’s likewise OK with Jessy if Lucky will be teamed up with his ex-girlfriends in showbiz.
In an earlier presscon, Lucky, who also inked a contract with ABS-CBN, stated that he will not restrict Jessy on the kind of projects that she will venture into.
Jessy with (from left) Star Magic head and Entertainment Production head Laurenti Dyogi, COO Cory Vidanes, and Jessy’s manager Alan Real during a contract signing. — Photo from ABS-CBN
“My mom before at that time she was married to my dad, her projects (involved) kissing scene, bed scene. I think it’s part of the parcel of being an actress whatever the role requires. Si Jessy pa yung medyo mas may kunting mag-iisip pa if for example, there’s a kissing scene. But for me, if it’s her fulfillment as an actress, go, go,” shared Lucky.
When queried if there were also limitations as to whom the actress would be collaborating with, he said, “Just two magic words for me, basta bayad,” he quipped. “As long as she’s comfortable working, happy on set, (then) by all means, I’m OK with it.”
Further, The STAR asked Jessy about the lessons on motherhood that she learned from Vilma.
“Even when I was pregnant, she told me to cherish every moment (with Peanut) kasi ambilis lang yan,” Jessy told this paper. “And it’s true. I get surprised like, ‘Huh, she could say I love you already.’ A while ago, she said, ‘Good morning.’
“She can speak clearly now. She has her own likes and dislikes. She knows what she wants to do and not. She’s already human and has her own personality. Klaro na yung mukha niya.
“What Momskie said was true. You have to cherish every moment with her kasi mabilis lang yan. That’s the advice that really stuck out to me because I am living it and I am experiencing it first-hand na ambilis lang pala talaga lahat.”
Jessy described her mother-in-law as “very caring.” “She would take care of me when I was pregnant. Because my family, most of my relatives, are based abroad, except for my sister, who lives here in the Philippines.
“When I was pregnant, sila Momskie, Tito Ralph (Recto), Tito Edu (Manzano), they would look after me. And it feels nice because my family has grown bigger. Momskie would visit me after I gave birth. She would check on us, Rosie, Luis. She would stay the whole day just to encourage and support me sa breastfeeding ko and everything. She’s like a second mom to me.”
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