Jason Abalos
At 36, Jason Abalos is under no illusion that projects will just continue pouring in for many more years to come. He’s now at a stage in his career, he said, where one can “start to slowly fade away.”
“And that actually scares me,” he said in a Zoom conference after his recent contract renewal with GMA Artist Center. “As you get older, the more likely you are to get pushed out of the limelight. That’s the reason I’m trying to study or find ways to … achieve longevity.”
Fortunately, he gets to work with many industry veterans who has been there, done that, like his “Las Hermanas” costar Albert Martinez, who gave him a valuable piece of advice: Go where you’re needed.
“He told me to find where the void in show biz is and go there. You might end up alone in that space, but at least you’re here in the industry. That’s the way to stay, the way to last in this business. And it’s an honor coming from him, because he himself has experienced it and he’s still going strong,” he related.
Inspiration
“He really inspires me,” Jason said of Albert, who, in his 40-year career, has played leading men, off-beat characters, villains and even sexy roles. “I would love to have a career similar to his or Eddie Garcia’s. So 10, 20, 30 more years—I have to reach that.”
Jason believes that the first step toward achieving that goal is being more open to things that he hasn’t tried before. That’s why he’s grateful to GMA 7 for giving him projects outside the usually heavy dramas he gets cast in.
“Here, I had the chance to do a romantic comedy like ‘The One that Got Away,’ which made me realize that I can pull off light and fun projects. And people appreciated that,” said Jason, who was also able to play his first LGBTQ+ role—a man transitioning into a woman—in the Kapuso soap “Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko.”
Now, he’s ready for roles and genres he has yet to fully explore. “I’m excited to be given roles that are not just good guys … I want to do more villain or character roles. I have also been wishing to do comedy. Just the idea of doing these ignites a fire in me,” Jason said.
Other pursuits
Meanwhile, Jason said that marriage is something he and his longtime girlfriend, Mutya ng Pilipinas International 2011 Vickie Rushton, have already been discussing.
“Wala naman kaming ibang pupuntahan kung ‘di doon … But we don’t want to get into something unprepared. We’re taking it slowly but surely, especially now that we’re still in a pandemic and we have to make sure that we’re secure,” Jason said. “We don’t want to rush things. We’re not aiming for a grand wedding, but we do want something memorable.”
Jason is also taking up a master’s degree in public administration at the Philippine Christian University. After that, he intends to pursue a doctorate degree and fulfill his dreams of teaching.
“Vickie and I would love to have our own school for the young people in need,” said Jason, who holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. “I want to make sure I’m ready for whatever God’s plan is for me.”
He also encouraged his fellow celebrities who want to go back to school to do it now that online classes have become the default mode of learning because of the pandemic. “Now is a good time to do it. It’s an opportunity and blessing we have to grab,” he said. INQ