jm: the hidden “angel warrior”
Believe.
When a man promised to you that he will come… believe him.
Believe.
When a man told you that you will have to wait…believe him.
Believe.
When somebody promised you that someone else would come along… believe him.
Believe.
No matter how long, no matter how far, no matter how impossible.
He will come.
Yes, he will come…
And believe.
One person was staring infront of you, with all his kindness, understanding and concern. He was smiling, too- as you tried to break the overwhelming feeling of love by simply joking around with him- yes, he was still smiling, too.
But when serious questions in the interview popped-out, he would be looking from nowhere and comprehend fully the meaning of the question. Feeling it and absorbing it like a wet towel. He would, after, gaze upon you with utmost sincerity, and again, kindness. He would answer the question with great depth and precision- the way you wanted him to answer it.
There were times, too, that what you were thinking the innermost channels of your thoughts, he would know. And he would say it.
When the name Daniel Day Lewis suddenly popped-in inside your head, he knew. And to your amazement- he said: “One of my idols is Daniel Day Lewis.”
But there were hidden meanings, too, in some words he spoke. Words you alone grasped fully what it meant. Words that only the two of you could fully comprehend and understand…
“I already saw you even before, Kuya Robert”, he said to you. “I already knew you will be here for me.”
He actually meant it in a different way, but the way he looked at you, he was telling you something deeper.
He was an hour late for your coffee talk because he had to drop-by at ABS-CBN channel 2 to do a renewal signing for his contract there as one of the Star Magic artist-talents. After that contract-signing, he was telling you that… that, it was the time he already saw you.
He saw you already earlier sipping your coffee as the car he was riding-in passed you by, but he had to go first to a public office before finally going back to you for the coffee talk.
Yes, he already saw you.
That’s what he meant, maybe…
But something went deeper than that – on that quiet midday afternoon. It was, like an “angelic intercession”.
The feeling was too emotional and heavy for you and you wanted to “lighten it up” by caricaturing yourself infront of the most wonderful young man you’ve ever met. And sometimes, avoiding the tears of happiness, too. This afternoon was an ETERNAL MOMENT, created by the heavens, looked down below by the skies Above.
Believe.
He would never fail you. He would never make promises that he won’t keep. Just like that afternoon, that, he indeed came for you.
He’s an artist just like you. And he knew, there’s something more within, … that connected you both.
YES, BELIEVE.
AND NOW, THE INTERVIEW. AFTER THAT VERY LONG INTRO:
jm: the object of everyone’s attraction
YOU: JM, how do you manage to be an actor and a singer at the same time?
JM: There’s a pressure if I do it both. I have never done it both at the same time. I have never done recording an album and doing a teleserye (TV miniseries) at the same time. There will always be pressure you know. So now, what I do is, I do it one way at a time. This time, I am focused at the moment for my singing career. My album is already out now. It’s entitled Tensionado, released by Ivory Records. And the album launching is going to be on March 8 at the Trinoma… You see, my music helps in my acting and my acting helps in my music. I always look for a comfort zone. If I get to be so pressured in my acting profession, the music comes-in as a release. And when the time comes naman that I get so carried-away by my musicality- the acting side becomes naman my comfort zone. It helps both ways.
YOU: What really happened between you and Jessy Mendiola?
(JM was suddenly “at a loss”. He didn’t know what to say and felt the question so deeply within him. He gazed at the coffee table for a brief time until he gathered-back himself, enough well.)
JM: She didn’t know that I watched her in her last TV miniseries Paraiso with Matteo (Guddicelli). She’s so beautiful there. Talaga, ang ganda-ganda niya… Kuya Robert, Sir… Siguro po, pareho pa kaming dapat na unahin na muna ang respective careers namin. We have to make the best out of the many opportunities that comes-along within our lives… We’re both still young. We’re both still starting. Time is our greatest enemy. Me and Jessy, we didn’t have much time…
YOU: I feel for you, JM. I even saw Jessy once on TV when she guested at ‘The Buzz’ TV show of Boy Abunda. She told Kuya Boy that she’ll wait for you in the skies…
(JM simply smiled. But there was a lttle gathering of tears around his eyes. This was the signal that YOU have to change the topic and avoid the emotional breakdown from the young actor facing YOU. And, a new question popped-in):
jm, the musical artist
YOU: Do you miss THEATER, JM?
JM: I do, Kuya Robert. I do, so much. I miss theater a lot… Sobrang nami-miss ko po. That’s where I came from, eh. That was the time, that I really felt for the arts. At that time, after every performance, we just hang around. Labas-labas lang kami. Gimik-gimik. That’s how simple my life was back then when I was still in theater. .. But you see, Tito Robert, I also needed to earn. That’s why I went doing TV acting jobs now. That’s why I don’t have time for theater now… But these were the 3 most important things that I learned in the theater world: discipline, dedication and self-improvement. I value theater so much.
YOU: When I saw you in the film “The Strangers” late last year, that’s the time I realized fully that you are the new Christopher de Leon of Philippine Cinema. You were so great in that movie! Oh, my! How did you become that so good, JM?
JM: Siguro, resulta ‘yun ng mga paghihirap ko talaga. I took my job so seriously as an actor. Eventhough it brought me so much pressure, acting is where I found my fulfillment. It is my job. It is my task to entertain people as well. Sila ang pinagsisilbihan ko at hindi ang sarili ko. And to add, I don’t see myself more highly than the others. I don’t think to myself that I am already that good. I simply want to be appreciated. Coz I believe, when you give love, you’ll get more love in return. Love for me is unconditional… And now, nadagdagan pa ang goal ko sa buhay. Ang goal ko ngayon, to bring honor to my family and relatives. Gusto kong maging lifetime achievement yan. Yun bang may maiiwan akong legacy sa magiging mga anak ko at hanggang sa mga magiging apo ko. Yun bang magiging proud sila for me someday…
jm penetrates you DEEP.
YOU: Do you ever get to be lonely sometimes, too, JM?
JM: You can’t avoid loneliness, Kuya Robert. Sa buhay ko, hindi ko maiaalis ang ‘loneliness factor’. Personality ko na siguro ‘yun. I always want to be alone.
YOU: What can you say about your fans? I think, grabe talaga ang suporta nila sa iyo! At lalo na ang pamilya mo!
JM: Yes, Kuya Robert. ‘Yung focus na binibigay nila sa career ko, sobra-sobra talaga! In Twitter, Facebook Pages, Tumblr and all. I feel so blessed because of them. What they’re doing to me is so priceless talaga. Whenever I see them smile lang, it makes my day na. Nakakahawa ang mga ngiti nila. Sila ang reason why I am fighting over the innermost ‘little demons’ of my being an artistic person. Kaya I am so thankful to them. Sa kanila ko nakikita ang mga resulta ng pinaghirapan ko, of course, next to my family.
jm with his dad & half-sister (center) and his brothers around them.
YOU: Last question, JM, what have you learned so greatly now in life so far?
JM: That acting is a continuous learning. That I still have to explore and explore and explore…. In one hour, you won’t be able to define everything that had happened in your life.. and you have to go on.
YOU: Thank you so much, my baby JM.
JM: Thank you, Kuya Robert, thank you.
(Questions & Words By ROBERT MANUGUID SILVERIO, with Answers From JM DE GUZMAN) :-)
