Jennylyn Mercado
Your kid’s behavior is a reflection of who you are.” That is how Jennylyn Mercado describes raising Alex Jazz, her son with former squeeze Patrick Garcia.
For Jen, the boy has been a constant source of pride and inspiration. But, the lovely actress admits that it’s hard to juggle her acting career and taking care of her 9-year-old son single-handedly.
“It’s hard because I don’t have anybody to help me raise him,” she muses. “But, if you love your kid, you’ll make time for him. Lagi kang gagawa ng paraan to make everything work. When I gave birth to him, he became my No. 1 priority.
“These days, it’s not just all work for me, so at least three times a week, I allot my time for Jazz, especially now that I no longer have my mother to keep me company and help me with the house chores.
“So, ang situation ko, masarap na mahirap. Mahirap because of the obvious difficulties. At the same time, masarap because it’s a good feeling to see him growing up as a kind, smart and courteous boy. It’s a sign that you’re doing something right.
“To be specific, it’s satisfying when he gets good grades, at hindi ka pinapatawag sa principal’s office. It’s even more fulfilling when people compliment your parenting skills, ‘Ang bait naman n’ya.’ ’Di ba nakaka-proud bilang ina? Dahil ikaw ’yun, eh.”
Circus-like, unpredictable
Jennylyn wants to shield Jazz from show biz’s circus-like environment and unpredictable nature.
“That is why an acting career isn’t something I would encourage Jazz to pursue, especially now that he’s 9,” the actress explains further. “Besides, I don’t think he’s interested in acting, because he’s the silent type. He’s well-behaved and shy, and he hardly talks.”
Speaking of acting, Jen’s acclaimed performance in her 2017 MMFF (Metro Manila Film Festival) entry, “All of You,” reinforced the notion that she has truly matured as an actress, and that the best actress awards she got for “English Only, Please” and “Walang Forever” were no fluke.
Confidence, competence
Asked how she got to her current level of thespic confidence and competence, Jen says she doesn’t allow those accolades to distract her and go to her head.
“I don’t let those things spoil me,” she says. “But, it feels good to know that what you’ve worked so hard to accomplish is being appreciated. Nakakatuwa at masarap sa pakiramdam, especially when you see people laughing and crying with your character. But, I don’t let a character I play linger in me—after the movie, binibitiwan ko na siya. I let go.”
Does she compare (acting) notes with boyfriend Dennis Trillo?
“Dennis and I often talk about acting, and which characters we enjoy doing,” Jen discloses. “He doesn’t really consult me about characterization, but I always seek his opinion about the roles I play: ‘How do I execute this scene? Bakit ganito? What if I can’t pull this off?’ He’s always around when I ask him for tips about scenes that are difficult to do.”