For Jericho Rosales, 4 -year hiatus becomes ‘journey of self-discovery’

MANILA, Philippines — After a four-year hiatus, Jericho Rosales is back to the grind and entering his “producer’s era.”

“I’m back to work, I’m back na, after four years of quietness, hiatus, traveling and working on other stuff that people don’t see,” the 43-year-old actor-musician said recently in an intimate interview.

On his decision to take on the producer’s hat, he said, “For me, I wanna really make it happen. Matagal na siyang naka-park eh. It needs to happen. Parang kinakalabit na niya ako, huy, pansinin mo na ako (laughs). So, I can’t ignore it anymore. It takes a lot of sacrifice, but it’s okay.”

Without going into the specifics of his soon-to-be-unveiled production outfit, Jericho teased that his first project is a film.

Following his theater debut in Contra Mundum, Jericho is starring in two projects set for international release — Sellblock and the OTJ prequel. – Photo by Geoffrey Yusooncho — Gk Photography

“It’s very personal, it’s a film. Actually, two films. I’m also helping my friends mount films… and kami ni Bea (Alonzo), we’ve been talking about creating, producing and working together,” he said.

A big part of this next phase in his life is also supporting his wife Kim Jones’ foray into directing and acting.

“I work with Kim as a creative director and a writer now. I don’t know if you’ve seen her videos, but Kim is really blooming in the area of being a creative director and actor,” Jericho proudly said.

“I also co-produced with her, her short film, which she acted. So that was also my training as a producer and sorry to promote her, but she’s an amazing director to watch out for.”

He continued, “So, we have just been studying and have just been learning. It’s been hard but it’s worth it. Super worth it.”

While the couple continues to own a house in New York, they will be in the country for the time being as Jericho begins work on two projects for international release. He topbills the prison drama Sellblock, a collaboration among the Philippines’ BlackOps Studios Asia and ABS-CBN with the United States’ Story Arch Pictures and Hong Kong’s Agog Film. He is also starring in the prequel to the crime-action thriller OTJ.

“Dito muna kami, pa-ganun-ganun (back and forth), maraming kayod. Kayod muna tayo,” he said.

Pre-pandemic, Jericho (whose last onscreen project was the 2019 series Halik) actually took up some studies in New York — acting and voice lessons, among them.

The comebacking leading man still harbors dreams of making it to Hollywood.

The actor fully supports his wife Kim Jones’ foray into directing and acting. — Photos from Jericho Rosales' Instagram

“Yes (I do), but now my dream has more meaning, more stability, more core and more legs because I know that us, Filipinos, can make movies, projects, films, stage plays here and i-di-display natin sa buong mundo,” he said.

“There’s a Broadway show now, it’s called Here Lies Love, and it’s an all-Filipino cast. And we’re spreading our wings, and yung roots natin talagang nakatanim na ganyan, and we’re going global. So this is a very exciting time for us, Filipinos. So, my dream is to make excellent projects here and showcase them abroad.”

He’s also at a stage in his career that he won’t wait for projects to be pitched or offered to him.

“To be able to know where you’re heading to and to be able to choose the projects that you want, you have to get to know yourself — what kind of like, genre, what kind of story you wanna tell and I have stories that I want to tell. They’re all lined-up. I don’t wait for them anymore,” he said.

“For the past four years, I have been talking to producers, searching for writers, meeting people and finding the right people for these projects to happen. I think time will come na kailangan ko ipuwersa ang sarili ko na pagdating ng oportunidad, ready ka na.”

During the past four years, it was also all about self-discovery and learning how to keep that fire burning and not lose sight of his bigger goals as an artist.

“(I learned) a lot (of personal stuff) because my work is very personal. I should say, I’m lucky to be working and to get this job that I really love. But there comes a time that it will dry up and it will lose its meaning and I had to know myself — it tooks years,” he said of what he discovered during the break.

“It’s a journey that I took. And I tried to understand myself and look within and (find out) why there’s a big hole in my heart. It was kind of really damaging already. So I’m still getting to know myself more but the solution is to do the things that I love to do and that really makes me, myself, happy.

“Of course, everyone has to work. But it’s a season para pagbigyan ko yung artist (in me).”

As “opening salvo” for his return, he jumped into untested waters, which is theater, debuting via the show Contra Mundum, along with fellow artistas and stage newcomers Bea Alonzo and Paulo Avelino.

He’s open to do more theater and he’s already been offered a straight play. “The gang, the theater people are now saying, okay, we’re gonna call you, we’re gonna take this and that, sabi ko, oh no, but oh yes!”

This might materialize next year “because I have Sellblock and I have the entire end of the year for OTJ (with Ryan Agoncillo)”

One thing is for sure, he only goes for projects that challenge him, scare him and make him feel alive.

“It takes time and it takes patience — the intention to really go for the projects that you know… you gotta make it happen,” he said.

Will a project ever happen with him, Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz and Diether Ocampo, after they were spotted together at a private affair for former Star Magic boss Johnny “Mr. M” Manahan? Their photos went viral, and aside from the memes, people couldn’t help but entertain ideas of them together onscreen in the future.

Jericho said, “I was very surprised because it was a personal dinner. We weren’t thinking of anything, we just wanted to take a photo. So you see (the reaction) was very natural, organic siya, all of the memes. Sobrang tempted ako to share all the memes, but I wasn’t sure if the boys were OK with it (laughs). Pero ang dami! From advertising to the offices, BPOs, everything in life, even in media. But I would love to work with John Lloyd, Piolo, Diet.

“We have so many ideas. It was a very nice feeling because (it was like) magkakaibigan, nagkalayo tapos nagkikita ulit. It’s the very essence of a reunion.”