JENNYLYN Mercado with Jericho Rosales (right)
Whether or not she repeats a best actress win in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the least of Jennylyn Mercado’s worries. The actress, this time topbilling Dan Villegas’ romantic comedy, “#WalangForever,” simply wants to get the job done.
“If my performance gets recognized again, then great; if not, no problem. I don’t think about it all that much. What’s important for me is making sure that our entry pleases viewers,” she told reporters at a recent press conference.
After all, Jennylyn, who won the top acting plum at the 2014 MMFF for “English Only, Please”—a surprise success in the box office—isn’t one to compete. “I always avoid putting unnecessary pressure on myself,” disclosed the 28-year-old GMA 7 talent.
Interestingly, in “#WalangForever,” Jennylyn plays a rom-com writer named Mia, who’s struggling to turn in a good screenplay after being disillusioned with the idea of true love.
“I’m happy I’m doing more lighthearted flicks. They’re fun to do,” she said. “You can only do so much slapping, crying and hair-pulling in dramas!”
But unlike “English Only,” in which she portrayed a bubbly tutor, her upcoming movie, according to Jennylyn, is more serious in tone. “In the previous film, I was boisterous, noisy and over-the-top. Here, I’m more subdued. There are also more tear-jerking moments,” she related.
Her leading man is Jericho Rosales, who plays Ethan, a software developer in Taiwan, who returns to Mia years after their breakup.
Scheduling issues
The 36-year-old matinee idol replaced the first choice for the role, JM de Guzman, after the producer, Quantum Films, reportedly ran into scheduling issues with the younger actor.
“Everything happens for a reason. Perhaps it’s destined to be Echo’s,” said Jennylyn when asked about the change in casting.
However, she couldn’t compare Jericho with JM, because, she pointed out, she hadn’t spent much time with the latter. She likewise declined to discuss a rumor alleging that the real reason behind JM’s departure was an “attitude problem.”
Jennylyn said she enjoyed working with Jericho—a newbie in the genre—whom she described as “nice, easy to work with and very generous.” “But his jokes, unfortunately, are always waley!” jested the actress, who praised Jericho’s acting talent, but not without poking fun at his seniority.
“I can’t believe I’m working with him now. I used to just see him in the soap, “Pangako Sa ‘Yo,” back when I was a little girl,” Jennylyn said, eliciting a round of chuckles from the press.
Meanwhile, the woman hailed by a men’s magazine as the country’s sexiest, remained tight-lipped about her love life—her rekindled romance with her ex-boyfriend Dennis Trillo, to be exact.
While the two recently went on a trip to Europe with other friends, she denied that they’re back together, pulling out the “We’re just friends” line. “I want to focus on my career and my son first,” said Jennlyn, stressing that she’s in no rush to find her “forever.”
(apolicarpio@inquirer.com.ph)