Jairus wants to do more mature roles

MANILA, Philippines — Fifteen years of being with ABS-CBN is not easy to just set aside, let alone ignore, for 22-year-old Jairus Aquino. He started with the network from his childhood and on to his young adult stage, doing TV shows and films where he made his mark.

Now that he recently transferred to Viva Artists Agency (VAA), Jairus does not deny that he has been having separation anxiety after he moved to his new home. Admittedly, he also felt sad when he left ABS-CBN.

“I had so many opportunities with ABS-CBN,” Jairus admitted. “Pamilya ko ang ABS-CBN for 15 years. Naging tahanan ko ang network. But it was time to move forward.”

He earlier sent feelers to Viva about his intention to transfer. However, it took Jairus quite a while before he actually signed up his contract. He had to think carefully before making a major decision.

“I realized after 15 years, it’s time to explore some things that will give me more opportunities in my craft,” Jairus said. “I’m not getting any younger. I just told myself it was time to move forward. When I talked to Viva, sobrang naging maganda naman ang conversation namin.”

Jairus is not closing his doors to working with ABS-CBN again in the future. He said, “Kung nasaan ang trabaho, I will go there.

“I’ve been with ABS-CBN for quite a long time. It’s time for me to explore the things that I can do with my craft and more opportunities for myself. If there are other opportunities in other networks, that’s okay with me, too.”

Recently, Jairus was cast in the adaptation of the Korean series, Encounter, now airing weekly on TV5.

Although he faced challenges in his career along the way, Jairus never thought about giving up or quitting showbiz. “I reached the point where I asked myself, ‘Para sa akin ba talaga ito?’ Perhaps, any actor who reaches that awkward age and didn’t get any projects, would go through that. That happened to me.

“At the end of the day, as long as alam kong nagagawa kong mabuti at tama ang trabaho ko at may mga taong sumusuporta sa akin, that’s important. Nagagawa ko ang best ko, why not? It’s also a part of me giving back to the people who see me on TV at napapasaya ko sila. That kept me going. That also helped me a great deal in providing for my family.”

Departing from his child star image took quite a while for Jairus. Audiences always associated him with his early TV roles, starting from his acting debut where he captured everyone’s heart as the lovable Pareng Jomar, Budong’s sidekick, in the hit series, Super Inggo, with Makisig Morales in the title role.

After the success of Super Inggo, which ran for two years, Jairus went on to do several other TV projects on ABS-CBN – Kung Fu Kids, Mutya, May Bukas Pa, Luv U, Nathaniel and Pamilya Ko.

Jairus wants to depart from his teeny-bopper image and do more mature roles now. “Sometimes, people still see me as a teenage star,” he lamented. “I hope they eventually see the different type of Jairus that they can also discover and watch..”

Growing up in showbiz gave Jairus an advantage that he carried as he got older. “What is important is how you mingle with people through the years,” he maintained. “People behind the camera, in front of the camera, artists and staff. The advantage is that you know better how to work with them.”

Jairus is so buff these days, although it was not a conscious effort for him to work out. “Maybe, I just really want to veer away from my teenage image,” he explained.

He wants to explore the action genre, with films like John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves and Equalizer, with Denzel Washington. When it comes to local actors, Jairus looks up to John Lloyd Cruz and Jericho Rosales.

“Grabe ‘yung impact when John Lloyd or Jericho makes movies or teleserye,” Jairus remarked. “Alam ko naman na ‘pag nilagay ako sa harapan nila, kakabahan ako dahil mahihirapan akong makipagsabayan. But that will be a challenge for me. I really want to work with them.”

He also expressed his desire to finish his studies. He is now taking up film at Meridian International College. When the virus tapers off, he hopes to return to school and do face-to-face classes again.