Being slapped by Jaclyn Jose an honor for Jerald Napoles

Jerald Napoles —JERALD NAPOLES/ FACEBOOK

The first onscreen slap Jerald Napoles ever received was from the late Jaclyn Jose. “This happened for the TV5 remake of “Valiente” (2012), starring JC de Vera and Oyo Sotto, where I played one of Ate Jane’s (Jaclyn’s real name) bodyguards. In the scene, she didn’t like something we did, so she was like, ‘Tonto—pak!’” he said in a recent Zoom conference arranged by Viva Films.

Because it was a close-up shot, there was no way to fake that slap. “Hindi pwedeng hindi, especially when you’re working with veterans like Ate Jane. It was needed in the scene. And our director was Joel Lamangan. He would tell you, ‘Pag ‘di mo sinampal ‘yan, ikaw ang sasampalin ko!’” he recalled, laughing.

But instead of dreading the scene, Jerald looked forward to it—and even cherished it after. “Ate Jane was one of our best, most reliable and formidable actresses. So instead of being annoyed, I said, ‘Ate Jane, thank you!’ S’yempre Jaclyn Jose ‘yan eh!” he said.

For that moment alone, Jerald will never forget Jaclyn, whom he grew close to as the years passed. “I pray that she rests in peace … I also pray for her family, especially Andi (Eigenmann, her daughter) and Tito Mike (Michael de Mesa, her brother-in-law),” he said. “Naging malapit sila sa ‘min.”

Longest screen time

After doing the romantic film “Girlfriend na Pwede Na” and the family drama “Instant Daddy,” Jerald returns to comedy with “Pagpag 24/7,” which opens in theaters on March 20. The movie, which also stars Nicco Manalo, follows two friends trapped in a convenience store, after being haunted by the ghost of a past crime.

“When you do comedies often, you notice that a lot of them share similarities. That’s why I try to come up with something fresh with every project,” he said.

“Working with Nicco, one of my best friends, makes this movie special to me. We have known each other since our theater days. We were both part of the movie ‘The Janitor,’ although we didn’t have a scene together. This is the longest screen time we have had,” Jerald added.

The two didn’t have to work on building chemistry. “We always play for truth, not necessarily for laughs, which is why I think we can be effective. Nicco is talented. Sometimes, we come up with our own punchlines and help with the blocking,” said Jerald, who also enjoyed working with action film villain Dindo Arroyo.

“After our fight scene, Nicco and I told Tito Dindo that it was an honor working with him because we saw a lot of his films when we were kids. We ticked off another item on our bucket list,” Jerald said.

Other genres

While primarily known as a comedic actor, Jerald has been given opportunities by Viva to dabble in other genres and even play title roles. “I want to show that I can expand my repertoire as an actor. By doing different genres, you discover what you’re capable of, what your limits are and whether or not you should let those things limit you,” he said.

“When you do a title role (like in ‘Instant Daddy’), even if you’re not the only actor, the plot is focused on you, so you have to know what you’re doing,” he pointed out.

With the success he has been enjoying, Jerald got a tattoo on his right rib that says, “Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered)”—a phrase that encapsulates his attitude toward his career. “If I come and see an opportunity I think, ‘I should go conquer it,’” he explained.

And unlike his character in his new film, Jerald doesn’t really believe in superstitions—at least not anymore. The blessings he has been getting, he said, come from God.

“I believed in superstitions when I was young. But as I grew older, I leaned on prayers. I believe in divine intervention and leaving things up to God. What I have now are all God’s blessings,” he said.