It’s easy to presume that if you’re the same age as someone, you’ve had similar life experiences. However, conversing with someone way younger like Zoomers Joaquin Domagoso and Zonia Mejia is like discovering new things and learning a thing or two about how they carve their path in a very uncertain noisy world.
Both into acting, Joaquin and Zonia always make it a point to be “in character” whenever they act out roles. Portraying as kontrabida won’t even be a reason to back out from a role.
The former plays an antagonist character in the GMA soap “Lilet Matias: Attorney-At-Law” whom the latter accuses of raping her. Joaquin has admitted to feeling guilty sometimes about showing mean behavior on-cam.
“Sometimes, I think people might see me in a different light. There’s guilt especially when your co-artist looks pitiful,” began Joaquin when he and Zonia made a guest appearance on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.”
“But knowing what I am doing is for the character, I still strive to do my best. Sometimes, I even think of the worst things for me to appear believable.”
Zonia, on the other hand, must first understand the core story of her character, more so when she has to attack a role outside of personal experiences. “Ginagawa ko talaga lahat para sa karakter because it’s our job to deliver effective acting,” she explained.
“At first, Tito Boy, meron akong judgment if my character is far from my personality. I weigh things first to determine if I have to do it and after realizing where she’s coming from, then I’ll do it,” added Zonia who went to several rounds of auditions and acting tests before she became a Sparkle artist.
Joaquin agreed with Zonia and added that even if he fails to find a reason to make it believable or give it a sense of morality, he won’t deny himself from doing “bad things for a role because I have to. That’s what acting is all about.”
For those not familiar, Joaquin is the son of actor-host and former Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno and wife Diana Lynn Ditan.
Joaquin, also known as JD, admitted that his father is better than him in acting except singing and dancing.
Does love life affect an actor’s career?
“I am single and I know my priorities. As you’ve said, I went through a lot (acting auditions), ang dami ko ng pinanggalingan (she was a former ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ housemate and a Star Magic talent) so ito talaga ‘yung gusto ko. At nandito na yung opportunity ko (with GMA), sasayangin ko pa ba? I will not let the chance pass,” replied Zonia.
JD begged off to elaborate much about his love life but he assured me that he’s in a very happy place.
“I’m happy with my son (two-year-old Scott Angelo). He officially started school, and, of course, new memories are being made every day. I stand by the decisions I made and my career won’t stop because of my decisions. My will is as strong as my love for my son (two-year-old Scott Angelo).”
Discover more about JD and Zonia through their answers to several questions. Below are excerpts.
JD, what’s the best thing about being a young dad?
“I get to grow up with him.”
What’s the best thing about Gen Zs?
“Everything is new.”
Which do you prefer, to be kind or to be right?
“To be kind.”
What have you discovered about yourself as a young man and a father?
“That I can work harder than I think. Kumbaga, there are things before I felt like na kayang pabayaan, you know, I don’t need to do this and that. But now that I’m older and I’m a father, I have to do things for myself because I’m a role model. If I don’t do these things, my son, hindi niya ako susundan.
“And there are other things, for example, work. Working a 9-to-5 job, realizing how other people would go through it, ‘yung tipong you wake up for your son, you do all these things and then, at the end of the day, when you go home, he’s there waiting for you. All the joys. ‘Yung purpose ko sa buhay nabuo.”
Zonia, what’s the biggest misconception about being Zoomers or Gen Zs?
“People see Gen Zs as very aggressive and we are because we know what we want. We are dreamers. We know what we want to achieve in life, and so, we are very aggressive.”
What is your view about life?
Zonia: “Tito Boy, kailangan lahat ng ginagawa ko may purpose. Itong pag-aartista ko, I know the Lord has a purpose for me why He put me in this position. For me, everything has a reason why I am doing this.”
JD: “Generally, I view life as good. I wanna do good. I wanna live good, kumbaga kung may legacy ako dito sa buhay it’s like to probably help people. I want to leave a mark that people remember na may maganda akong nagawa.”
Zonia, how do you complete the line from Taylor Swift’s song, I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22, because…
“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22 because I know what I want and I will get it!”