“Minsan nakukuha mo yung blessings in different ways kasi never ko naman na-expect na mangyayari sa akin ito.”
Gerald Anderson, one of the country’s leading matinee idols and consummate actors, said this in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN.com as he revealed he actually was not that incessant dreamer of making it big in the limelight.
Normal teenager
“I was just a normal teenager,” Gerald said. “Hindi ko naman talagang gustong pumasok sa showbiz (pero) binigyan ako ng opportunities na hindi ko sasayangin. So doon ko kinukuha ang motivation.”
We all got to first know Gerald in the first Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition in 2006. He described his stint as “summer camp,” given that the reality-based competition was more of testing individual and team-building smarts.
“So di ko rin ineexpect na magtatagal pa ng aabot ako sa ganito after (the show),” he said.
Gerald said when opportunities came after PBB, especially being part of the phenomenal Kimerald love team with his PBB housemate and Teen Edition Big Winner Kim Chiu that drew hordes of loyal fans, Gerald felt it was something he must not waste.
“Pero nung after ng PBB, nung binigyan ako ng opportunities, yun yung ayaw kong sayangin. That’s what kept me going. So parang tinuloy ko na lang. But di siya talagang pinangarap ko nung bata ako. But it’s still napaka-laking blessing,” he said.
Breakthrough role
But what made him realize that showbiz was something he would concentrate on and give his best was his role as JR in Tayong Dalawa, the acclaimed primetime teleserye with Kim and Jake Cuenca in 2009.
“Doon ko naramdaman na, okay, para sa akin na ito. Tapos (doon ko naisip) na ibibigay ko yung best ko. Respetuhin ko yung trabaho at yung craft ko. Alam ko magtatagal ako,” Gerald stressed.
“Malaking milestone sa akin yung Tayong Dalawa eh. Doon ko na-feel as an actor parang may potential ako to become better. Mas na-motivate ako to become better,” he added.
But throughout his 11-year showbiz career, Gerald will always be remembered for his exceptional portrayal of Budoy from 2011-2012 that made all of us bear witness to his outstanding acting skills. The primetime series became a turning point in his career as the industry had now recognized him as a brilliant actor.
“Hanggang ngayon, it’s been five years na ata, nakatatak pa rin sa tao (si Budoy). And, the influence na nabigay namin sa show na yun. Yung inspiration, you know, yun ang fulfillment. Sobrang fulfilled.”
Acting awards
In 2013, Gerald won Best Actor in the KBP Golden Dove Awards, Golden Screen TV Awards, Gawad Tanglaw, and was nominated in the New York Festivals Television and Films Awards for his riveting and demanding portrayal of the young man afflicted with Angelman Syndrome.
Since earning the respect of peers and the public for his craft, Gerald went on to impress everyone with his acting stints in other major teleseryes and films that truly made him one of the country’s most impressive actors.
Kimerald 2.0
But, of course, who couldn’t forget his love team with Kim—an endearing team-up people, especially their fans, would always treasure and cherish. While their pairing, and a relationship it fostered, had been shelved for years, who wouldn’t want to have a drama that will revisit and rekindle this incredible match.
This became a reality when Dreamscape Entertainment brought them together again in Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin, a first-of-its-kind teleserye, in which he plays the triathlete Gabriel.
“Ang masasabi ko lang sa fans namin (ni Kim) nung bata pa kami, it’s still the same, ganoon pa rin, but parang sinaksakan kami ng steroids. Everything is bigger, better, more exciting. 2.0 nga, Kimerald 2.0 so parang ganoon,” Gerald said.
Magic
Gerald added that his new teleserye with Kim would be something for the books. It also reunites them with their Tayong Dalawa co-star Jake.
“Alam mo pag nag-te-taping ka, alam mo gumagawa ka ng magic. I mean, it’s hard to explain. Alam mo maganda ang ginagawa mo. So I know this is something na pinag-hirapan ng mga tao. I know it’s going to be a milestone sa career ko,” he noted.
What impressed Gerald more about the show is the amount of effort everyone in the cast, crew and production staff put in to make it a reality.
“Ngayon pa lang, sobrang proud ako sa lahat ng tao na binibigay nila ang lahat. There are things na di kailangan ng gawin ng artista pero ginagawa nila for the show. There are things na ginawaga ng staff at crew, yung directors (na di kailangan), pero ginagawa nila for the show. So yun ang nagmotivate sa akin,” Gerald declared.
With the drama sure to become another big chapter in his career, Gerald says he would strive to become an even better actor and stay in the business for a long time.
“(I want to be in showbiz) as long as I can. Basta nandoon ang motivation and yung fulfillment and yung passion and yung respect for work, I’ll do it as long as kaya ko. Hanggang sa gusto pa ako ng tao.”
Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin premieres on Monday, May 1, on Prime Tanghali before It’s Showtime.