Pepe Herrera blames burnout for decision to quit showbiz in the past

Pepe Herrera | Image: YouTube/Toni Talks

Pepe Herrera admitted to having quit showbiz in the past due to burnout, noting that he developed anger issues that affected his loved ones. 

Sitting down with Toni Gonzaga on Toni Talks, the actor recalled what became a turning point for him to quit acting, saying he had a hard time handling his anger to the point that it became physically consuming. 

“Simply put, burnout. Umabot ako sa punto na, I didn’t know that time na it was a manic disorder already. Na I felt invincible and I can do everything. Nagpapatawa one moment, mag-i-snap at magagalit one moment,” he opened up. 

“To the point na nagtatakot na ‘yung ibang mahal ko sa buhay. Rage na siya. Hindi na siya anger. Screaming at the top of my lungs. Parang bulkan. Tapos, minsan nagsisira ng gamit. Sasapaking ko yung pader o yung sasakyan ko,” the actor added. 

Herrera just recently made a comeback to the industry, with several films under his belt, including one with Gonzaga in the Philippine adaptation of the Korean classic, “My Sassy Girl.”

Looking back at one situations that became his “wake-up call,” Herrera recalled a traffic incident that made him acknowledge that there was something going on in him that needed serious attention.

“There was an incident na ‘yung former handler ko. In a span of a few minutes, pinapatawa ko siya. Nagkaroon ng trigger dito sa may EDSA. Nahuli kami ng enforcer. And she was trying to save the situation kasi handler eh. Tapos, nag-snap ako dahil lang I wanted to be in control,” he said. 

“I guess, isa sa mga trigger ko ‘yung losing control. Which happened then. So, nagalit ako sa kanya. Until sa umiiyak na pala siya. She was trembling. I guess that’s one of my wake-up calls na. Of course, you don’t want to do that to your loved ones, diba?” he further said. 

The “Rak of Aegis” star said that his condition affected his attitude on set, making him decide to consider seeking professional help, realizing that showbiz would not give him the cure he needed.

“Na-witness din nila ‘to nung ‘Ang Probinsyano.’ They were wondering, ano nangyari kay Pepe? Tapos, naging erratic na din ako. Minsan, hindi ako pupunta kaagad sa set. I will decide to go to the hospital. Kasi, I was sensing nga na something is going on,” he said. 

“Sabi ng isang doktor na pinaka nagustuhan ko. If you abuse your physical body, next talaga, ang utak mo. Because your brain is part of your body. So, mental and physical, they go hand-in-hand. Doon ko nasimulang, okay, I’ve been abusing my body. At hindi ko siya siniseryoso for quite some time now. Kasi sa industry natin, rest is not really a priority,” reflected the actor. 

In 2017, Herrera took a hiatus from showbiz. But with his return, he received acclaim for his side role at the Metro Manila Film Festival’s (MMFF) official entry, “Rewind.”