Jaclyn Jose and Cloe Barretto
Before becoming the multiawarded and Cannes-winning actress she is now, Jaclyn Jose started out her career in the mid-1980s, doing sexy movies, like “Private Show” and “White Slavery.”
Does she have any advice for Cloe Barretto, her costar in her upcoming movie “Tahan,” or other show biz hopefuls following a similar career path?
“When you’re doing a sexy film or scene, just do it right the first time, so there will be no more second, third takes. The more takes you require, the longer you get exposed. So as much as possible, do one good take. You have to do it anyway so might as well commit to it. Kaysa naman paulit-ulit. That’s what I used to do in the past,” Jaclyn related in a recent virtual conference for the sexy drama-thriller “Tahan,” which will premiere on Vivamax on July 22.
The good thing about the movies she did early in her career, Jaclyn said, is that they were directed by the likes of National Artists Ishmael Bernal and Lino Brocka and other influential directors, like Chito Roño. “I knew I was in good hands,” she said. “If there were daring scenes, you can’t do anything about it. It’s in the script, you agreed to accept the project, then you should do it.”
“When I say I will accept a sexy film — and the stories and directors are good — then I will deliver. ‘Di pwede kina Bernal, Brocka ang aarte-arte. Baka masampal ka!” she related.
Being a show biz newcomer was more difficult during her days, Jaclyn recalled. The more established stars would intimidate them, and no one in the production team would go out of their way to help them. “Back then, bahala ka … You do your homework on your own, because no one will help you,” she said.
‘Solo flight’
“You’re on a solo flight. Your director — Brocka, for instance — would ask you, ‘Kaya mo ba o magre-rehearse tayo?’ And I would go, ‘Hindi na po, direk, take na po tayo.’ You have to help yourself,” she said. “If you make mistakes, you will get shouted at or cursed at. You always have to be careful and focused … These days, the director will tell the young actors, ‘O, ganito gawin mo.”
While Jaclyn acknowledged that this type of training helped her become a respected and successful actress, it’s not something she would personally do the same when working with the younger generation of actors. “Back then, you will get looked at from head to toe. And you could tell that they’re trying to scare you. But I won’t do that to the newbies now,” she said.
“Sometimes, young people already have you tagged as ‘nakakatakot.’ We don’t want that … I was in their position once. You don’t want to scare them off because they’re the future of the entertainment industry. Nothing good will happen if you scare them. You have to be good to them and make them comfortable,” she said.
“You have to help them deliver. Pwedeng may potential sila pero natatakot lang. I want to be as positive as I can be,” Jaclyn added. “Hindi pwedeng madamot. We have to help them for the future of the industry.”
Jaclyn Jose
Asked about the biggest lesson of her latest movie “Tahan,” where she plays a domineering mother who pushes her daughter into prostitution as a way out of debt, Jaclyn said: “Huwag nating gamiting puhunan ang ating mga anak para sa [ating] kabuhayan at kinabukasan.”
“Our problems are not our children’s problems. It’s the responsibility of the mother or parents to take care of their children—not the other way around. These are kids. We should be taking care of them, nurturing them and helping them,” she told the Inquirer.
The internationally acclaimed artist lamented the fact that there are parents who exploit or force their young kids to do all sorts of jobs that could put them in danger.
‘Tahan’
“I’m sorry to say this, but this happens around the world: People take advantage of their children for a better life. They push them — especially the younger ones. That’s like prostitution, isn’t it. That’s so sad,” she said. “Siguro sa kahirapan ng buhay. But I hope, through this film, we can show what can happen to our children if they continue pushing them in harm’s way para ka umangat.”
Directed by Bobby Bonifacio, Jr., “Tahan” follows Elise (Cloe), who was pimped by her own mother Nora (Jaclyn) back in her teens, before working as a high-end escort. Her pleas to leave her job are dismissed by Nora, who mocks and belittles her daughter, saying that sex is the only thing she’s good at.
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