Jerome Ponce feeling contented after finally finding himself

Jane Oineza (left) and Jerome Ponce

At age 24, actor Jerome Ponce claimed that he has already found himself and feels contented.

“I’ve been in this state for a long time now,” said the lead star of Easy Ferrer’s romantic drama, “Finding You.”

“My goal now is to be able to provide for the needs of my siblings, to help them finish school. I’ve already realized my life’s purpose, and I’m determined to achieve it,” he told reporters during a media gathering hosted by producer Regal Entertainment.

“I’ve also come to terms with what I can and cannot do as an actor. I know my limitations. I feel blessed that I’m still given projects—lead roles in a TV series (‘The Good Son’), then in the movies. That’s how I found myself. Although I’m still open to trying out new things, of course,” Jerome pointed out, adding that he was also very much contented in the “love department.”

The actor and volleyball star Mika Reyes have been dating for over two years now.

In “Finding You,” Jerome is Nel. He has a rare condition called “hyperthymesia,” which is the opposite of amnesia. He remembers every detail of every moment he has encountered. As much as it’s a blessing, the condition serves as a curse for Nel, who is coming from a series of failed and painful relationships. Good thing, his bride-to-be’s best friend Kit (Jane Oineza) is always there by his side through thick and thin.

Director Easy said he came across an online article in 2016 about a person who remembers everything, down to the tiniest details. “From there, I started writing about Nel’s character. I thought, ‘What if someone who had multiple heartbreaks actually couldn’t move on from whatever happened to him, because he just can’t forget?’” said Easy, who has also written the screenplays of Regal-produced films like “Unli Life,” “The Hopeful Romantic” and “Stranded.”

“The role is too heavy and difficult. That was my reaction when I first read the script. For a while, I doubted myself if I could do it,” Jerome admitted. “Despite the worries, I accepted it because it was a lead role and that Direk Easy said he has written it with me in mind. That’s actually how we became close—we had to work together to create Nel. I can say that I had to use a lot of my personal experiences in order to be Nel.”

Asked what he’d do if he ended up being someone with hyperthymesia, Jerome responded: “Since I don’t forget, I will just keep on reading books and study as many languages as I can. I want to be useful to this world. It’s better to simply look at the brighter side of any situation.”

“Finding You” also stars Barbie Imperial with Claire Ruiz, Kate Alejandro, Jon Lucas and Paeng Sudayan. It opens in cinemas tomorrow.