MANILA, Philippines — Pat Tingjuy's entry into acting is a story worth repeating.
This licensed architect and former volleyball coach won her first-ever Best Actress award for her onscreen debut as a rookie volleyball player in the 2023 Cinemalaya hit, the LGBT coming-of-age film “Rookie.”
Following what she described as her “craziest 2023 plot twist,” Pat recently signed with the talent management team NYMA to pursue her childhood dream of acting full-time. She is “happy to try all kinds of roles,” with a particular leaning toward drama.
Sharing how she connected with NYMA, Pat recalled it all started at the Globe Creator Con event, where she met Kat Ramnani-Bautista, head of NYMA, who asked if she had an agent. She said no, and they exchanged numbers.
“At first, I was shy to message her because I didn’t know how it worked, so I waited,” she shared. After two months, she contacted Kat and then, everything fell into place. “I didn’t have (a manager before that). I was looking for one because I wanted to pursue acting, but I didn’t know how to find auditions.”
On why they wanted Pat to join NYMA’s stable of artists, Kat said they were particularly impressed by the newbie’s ability to embody her “Rookie” character so authentically, even though it was her acting debut.
“When she was doing her training (for the film), she actually shared with us that she had to unlearn everything she knew about the sport to be able to appear as if she were a rookie. I mean, that’s really an incredible understanding of the craft.
“So, looking at somebody that talented, with that kind of discipline, who is a novice in this space, showed us that there’s so much we can do with her. She shared that her passion is really to go into (acting). So, right now, we’re in the prep stage,” Kat said, referring to auditions and other things to prepare Pat for her next onscreen project.
Pat also said, “Last year, I had a self-realization that I do need to step up because it’s a competitive industry. Building my confidence won’t only positively affect my acting career but also my architecture career.”
Meanwhile, she got to reflect more on how her acting journey is so far in this one-on-one interview with The STAR. Though not an overnight process, it’s a slow and steady one that she now embraces.
How did that experience with Cinemalaya change your life and your priorities?
“Actually, before landing the role in ‘Rookie,’ my main focus was really passing the board exams at the time, which I did successfully. Nakapasa ako. The same night I was awarded Best Actress last year was also the same day I did my oath-taking for the PRC.
“So, at that time I was just juggling my freelance architectural projects and auditioning for commercials to earn extra income. After winning the award, I think my priorities shifted, and it provided me with an opportunity to pursue acting wholeheartedly, which is a childhood dream of mine.”
As you mentioned, acting has always been your childhood dream. So, who or what inspired you?
“Naiisip ko lang na I think it all started when I was younger. I would see these kids on TV na parang ang saya nung ginagawa nila, and I also wanted to be that — yung mga bata sa ‘Sineskwela’ or ‘Goin’ Bulilit.’ I thought, ‘Okay, I think I wanna do that,’ but I didn’t know where and how to start.
“Then, a friend of mine shared a story on his Instagram that he landed a commercial. I had to ask him, ‘Paano ka nakapasok dito?’ He told me he had an agent, and this agent would give him audition messages. So, he helped me connect with his agent, and immediately I started sending out audition materials.”
I’m curious, how did you land the project? Because this wasn’t only your first movie, it also gave you your first acting award. I remember you even described it as the “plot twist” of your life.
“Yeah, ayun nga, it was a plot twist. I really didn’t expect it, as you can tell by what I was wearing that night — I didn’t even expect to win the award. The plot twist was because my priorities were just architecture and commercials. I wasn’t even focused on landing roles in movies, so it was a pleasant surprise for me.
“I auditioned for that role. What happened was a friend of mine, who’s a producer, is friends with direk Dan Villegas from Project 8 Projects. At the time, they were asking for help to spread the audition post. She sent me the picture of the post on Instagram and said, ‘Go mo ‘to.’ So, I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll try.’
“I sent a one-minute video to the project’s e-mail for ‘Rookie,’ and I got an e-mail back inviting me to face-to-face auditions. The audition felt nice, so I thought, ‘Okay, that was a good experience.’ If I didn’t get the role, it was fine because I felt satisfied. Then, a month later, I was shocked to find out I got it.”
What do you think will be the challenge as you explore an acting career?
“I think I’m still getting used to it because, as I mentioned, I don’t really have any acting experience, and I never really met famous people. So, I guess the challenge I’m facing right now is building my self-confidence. I acknowledge how important that is, especially since I’m actually an introvert.
“Another challenge would be balancing acting and architecture. I always get asked how I’ll be able to balance the two. That’s still a challenge I need to figure out. Both fields demand time and commitment, but I’m confident that with the right determination, I can overcome those challenges.”
What kind of fulfillment do you get from acting?
“After Cinemalaya last year, I received a lot of messages from random people — hundreds, actually. I read all of them just in case they had feedback. A lot of them thanked me for portraying Ace and for making them feel seen. They said I represented them. It was a really nice feeling.
“I realized that acting allows me to connect with people. The best way to do that is to really get to know my character, which allows me to connect with the audience. By getting to know my character, I’m also getting to know them because that’s how they feel, and I’m just happy that I get to understand them even if I’m not personally related to them.”
After your Cinemalaya experience, you kind of laid low. For a rookie or neophyte to win an acting award, some people would consider it a sign to go after acting aggressively. But for you, what happened in between?
“During the week of Cinemalaya last year… I didn’t expect any of this, na parang I forgot na this effect would happen. I forgot it was gonna happen, so I applied for an architecture job. So what happened was, while I was going to Cinemalaya, going to the showings, I would come from work. And then, after I won, wala, diretso work lang, so I didn’t really think about, like, what’s next, lalo na nung nanalo ako. I think I do need a manager to help me with that.
“So, ayun nga, it took me two months before I messaged Kath to help me in getting projects. So, I guess, it’s that I just didn’t know what to do next.”
Now that you’re with NYMA, what can we expect from you?
“Looking at their roster of talents, they all have impressive outcomes. I guess what you can expect from me is that since NYMA and I share the same vision of highlighting Filipino talent, and our attitudes align, I hope to be on the same level as their other talents. I look forward to working on many projects together and building my career with NYMA… As much as I want to focus on acting, I’m also open to trying other things.”