Why actor JC Santos wants to be a filmmaker, too

JC Santos

I want to have something, as in a work of art, that I can call my own,” said actor JC Santos on why he is considering becoming a filmmaker in the future.

JC’s target is to achieve this goal in five year’s time. “I’m curious. Paulo Avelino has started producing films, while Bella (Padilla) has already written several scripts. Eventually, I want to be able to direct. Just like a framed painting, I want something that’s credited to me.”

However, this is not to say that JC feels lacking. On the other hand, the actor said he has a lot to be thankful for. “I’m not as popular as the other stars, but there are people who believe in the projects I do. I know I’m not the conventional guy, the heartthrob, but they still chose to support me. I’m grateful for that. I also know that there are a lot of guys who could be in my position right now, but I am here,” he pointed out.

In 2020, he was seen in the films “Motel Acacia,” “On Vodka, Beers, and Regrets,” and the Netflix original “Alter Me.” On the small screen, he was a cast of “Walang Hanggang Paalam.”

JC recalled his first year in the biz. “I started with a supporting role in a project by (the late) Direk Wenn (Deramas). I was simply supposed to bully Carlo Aquino. I thought that was it. I never expected to play leading man years later. I guess I really am lucky,” said the 32-year-old.

Supporting roles

The mainstream audience first took notice of JC in 2016 when he played Ali Nicolas in the TV series “Till I Met You,” as the third wheel to the James Reid-Nadine Lustre tandem. Speaking of supporting roles, he was also a cast of the critically acclaimed film “Miracle in Cell No. 7” in 2019.

“My interpretation of what we call a supporting role is different. You support everybody in the cast, even though you’re playing the lead protagonist, so that their characters will shine, too. That’s how I think storytelling should be done,” the actor pointed out.

Working abroad

Prior to getting immersed in local show biz, JC was part of Dulaang UP while taking up theater arts as a college course there. In 2009, he worked as a performer in Hong Kong Disneyland and then at Universal Studios in Singapore.

“I was only 19 then. My parents were OFWs (overseas Filipino workers). I wanted to understand why they weren’t around all the time, why they needed to go away just to work,” JC recalled. “At that time, I was enjoying the whole thing. I was young and was already making money, while still trying to find myself. What I really wanted was to be a performer. My main dream was to study acting in New York City. It happened eventually. I used part of the money I saved to go there, and the rest, to build a house in the Philippines.”

JC said living abroad was tough for him, partly because of his introverted personality. “Taong bahay lang ako. I did have a comfort zone where I always went to, but I felt vulnerable most of the time. In the Philippines, you can always see your loved ones whenever you want to. That wasn’t the case when I was abroad. I may have friends, but they’re also at work.”

While JC’s OFW experience may sound kind of depressing to us, he claimed it also had its upside. “We received our salary in dollars. I was surprised when I saw my first paycheck. It was in six digits, and this was in 2009. I was earning this much and my only expense was my phone bill. That was the best time for me so far,” he said, laughing.

Traumatic story

However, JC also has a “traumatic story” to share. “I performed every night as Captain Li Shang (in ‘Mulan’). One night, I failed to reach a high note in the song ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You’ and so my voice squeaked. It was so embarrassing. It didn’t help that I saw the reactions of the audience. Backstage, people later told me that they were asking themselves whether that was the real performance or I was simply doing a soundcheck. It was so traumatic. After that, I didn’t want to come out of the dressing room anymore.”

Pandemic woes

During the early days of the pandemic lockdown in 2020, JC admitted to having considered leaving the country to try his luck abroad. He said he got worried when he didn’t have work for an entire six months. “My wife (Shyleena Herrera) is from Australia. Her family is based in Perth, where she also studied. To live there with her and our daughter became our Plan B. We waited for a few more months in case I get job offers. We said, ‘If there would be none, then let’s go,’” JC recalled.

It’s safe to assume that JC has already gotten involved in several projects because his family is still in the Philippines. In fact, the romantic drama “Dito at Doon,” where he played opposite Janine Gutierrez, will start streaming on Netflix this September. When we asked what his advice would be to individuals who, like him, are considering working abroad, this was the actor’s reply: “First ask yourself, ‘Are you game? Can you do it?’ If your answer is ‘yes,’ then do it now! That’s what I told the last person who sought my advice, and he also ended up having a stint in Hong Kong Disneyland. I also told him that, once he’s there, he can already assess if he likes to stay or not. Living abroad has different effects on different people. Others would easily get homesick, while others would scream, ‘I want to stay here forever!’ As for me, I always felt like saying, ‘Uwi na ako!’” INQ