15 years in the biz, Zanjoe Marudo now at ‘most comfortable stage’ in career
The actor with Lovi Poe in Italy
Prioritize your career. Never do something in haste, or else you will regret it in the end,” said actor Zanjoe Marudo as to how he was able to maintain his squeaky-clean image in the 15 years he has been working in the biz.
“If there are issues concerning me, they are mostly work-related. I have no problem getting criticized or bashed as a result of my work. I use them to help me improve as an actor,” the 39-year-old said. “But when it comes to personal issues, as much as possible, I try not to do things that I will regret later on. I don’t want my actions to affect not only me as an individual but also the people around me whom I care about.”
“When I make decisions, I really consider all options. I imagine what the consequences of my action will be before I do them. My work is important to me so I try to be disciplined. I don’t want everything I’ve gained to be taken away from me as a result of my actions. Sayang naman,” said Zanjoe, who recently celebrated his 15th anniversary with the release of the documentary titled “Hanep! Kinse na Pala!”
Different dream
Zanjoe said life for him would have been really different if he didn’t end up working as an actor. “Show biz felt like my destiny. You see, my dream really was to become a professional basketball player. I got discovered while I was playing. If I didn’t become an actor, or if I had failed to penetrate basketball, I guess I would have followed my family in the United States. I would probably be living there now while doing something totally different,” he said.
Looking back, Zanjoe said he has achieved more than what he imagined when he first joined show biz at 24. “Especially since I entered this business [via the reality talent search ‘Pinoy Big Brother’] without really knowing how to act or sing. I faced all those obstacles and welcomed all the opportunities to learn. I’m now at what I consider the most comfortable stage in my career. I look forward to what challenging projects I will be offered in the future.”
Zanjoe Marudo
However, Zanjoe confessed that he almost turned down the offer to do Concepcion Macatuno’s romantic drama “Malaya” opposite Lovi Poe (currently streaming on iWantTFC). This was because it required him to speak Italian. “I didn’t know how to start studying the language, pero pikitmata kong ginawa,” he recalled.
Not enough
Now that Lovi has already transferred from GMA-7 to Zanjoe’s home network, ABS-CBN, the actor said he looks forward to working with Lovi again soon. “I don’t want that project to be our first and last one. Bitin pa ako. We only worked on the movie for 10 days. I want to be able to explore other genres with her. I enjoyed her company very much,” Zanjoe declared.
When asked what his fans can look forward to in the coming years, the actor replied: “I promise that they will see an improved me. They should expect more impactful performances—these will be the products of all my years of learning while on the job.”
Marudo
Zanjoe added: “People have seen me grow in this industry through the years, and I still have a lot to show. I plan to take on different kinds of characters, those that would show me at different ages and stages in life. I will continue to work hard for those who support me,” he said, adding that the pandemic has also forced him to take a break and reflect.
“I realized that we all have to learn to adapt to our current situation—I embraced social media in order to make people know me better and appreciate me more,” Zanjoe said, referring to the two vlogs that he manages. “Back then, I wasn’t very open when it comes to my personal life, but I’ve learned to reach out because of the pandemic. I want them to see what I’m like when I’m not at work but with loved ones and friends.” INQ
