Gerald Anderson disconnects to reconnect
As a celebrity, there’s probably nothing left about Gerald Anderson that would interest people—or so he claims. But let’s indulge him for a minute. He practically grew up in the public eye since entering the “Pinoy Big Brother” house at 17. People know he loves playing basketball, hiking, and going to the beach. They know that in times of calamity, he won’t think twice about wading into the floods to rescue his neighbors.
And one wouldn’t be hard-pressed to name at least one actress who has been part of his—let’s just say, colorful—reel- and real-life romances.
“I grew up in front of you all. Bored na kayo sa ‘kin,” he says at a recent press conference. “Ano pa ba pwede ko ikuwento? Wala na kayong makukuha sa ‘kin. Alam niyo na lahat!”
If we look at Anderson not as a celebrity, but as an actor and an up-and-coming director-producer, then that changes everything. After 20 years in the industry, he says it’s a wonder that anyone is even a little interested. Now, he believes the only way he can still surprise audiences is by taking on roles and stories he has yet to explore.
“Ganado ako kapag may new projects. They show me in a different light,” says the 36-year-old actor. “I’m at a point where my focus really is on my craft as an actor.”
Fulfilling projects
And indeed, he has had some exciting and fulfilling ones this year—and in the months to come. First, there’s “Sins of the Father,” the recently concluded crime thriller series that marked his debut as a director. Watching himself onscreen, giving justice to his characters is one thing; giving justice to an entire show is another.
He didn’t think he could pull it off at first. And he wasn’t even sure he would like it. But behind the camera, everything—much to his surprise—just fell into place. Perhaps it was the 20 years of experience and all the things he has absorbed on set that naturally came into play.
“It felt natural. Seeing your vision come to life—and that it works—feels incredible,” he says. “But I also appreciate when things don’t go the way I had hoped. They’re all learning experiences.”
Another project he’s looking forward to is “BuyBust: The Undesirables,” the television sequel to the acclaimed 2018 action thriller film of the same title. Technically, the nine-episode series began production in 2023, and Anderson received the offer from director Erik Matti and producer Dondon Monteverde to star in it even before the pandemic.
But it wasn’t until last Dec. 2, at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival in Indonesia, that it was finally announced that the show was coming to Netflix sometime in 2026.
Random moment of chaos
For Anderson, this marks a milestone for Filipino talent on the global stage. “I always say Filipino artists are some of the best in the world—we just don’t always have the resources,” points out Anderson, who’s top-billing the series with Anne Curtis. “This is a good start, and I hope more opportunities open up not only for me, but all our actors.”
Coincidentally, it was also during the filming of “BuyBust” that the idea for another one of Anderson’s projects came about. With one of the key sets built deep in the mountains of Zambales, the production crew had to rely on satellite internet to stay connected. But one day, it conked out, sending everyone into a panic.
“Suddenly, all contact with family and work schedules was gone. I was just sitting there, watching everyone all flustered,” he says. That’s when he realized just how strong a hold the internet and social media have on everyone’s lives. This could be a movie, he thought. Conveniently, Matti and Monteverde were there and brought up the idea of a coproduction.
From that random moment of chaos came “ReKonek,” a holiday film built on that simple premise: What if the internet just decides to abandon us 10 days before Christmas? Directed by Jade Castro, the upcoming film—and an entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)—features multiple, intertwining stories that prompt reflection on what we lose, and ultimately gain, in the absence of digital communication.
Anderson and Charlie Dizon headline the romance plot. “Some couples can’t help but compare their relationship to those of other couples,” he says. “We always get distracted by our gadgets instead of spending quality time with each other. In fact, I sometimes see couples on dates just swiping up and down.”
Stories larger than himself
This is a reality that shouldn’t be, Anderson stresses. Of course, social media has become an indispensable part of modern life. But he couldn’t help feeling alarmed when he started noticing that the first thing he does upon waking is to reach for his phone.
That’s when it dawned on him that he had to deliberately unplug—even if only for those few precious hours at the start of the day. “I was able to clean the house a bit, go to the sauna before holding my phone. It has made a huge difference,” he says. “I feel like my stress levels went down.”
So perhaps it was only fitting that it’s during those slow hours that he finds inspiration for the projects he hopes to pursue. He wants to do more roles that will test his mettle. He wants to produce more films—his way of providing jobs and giving back to the industry that has given him so much.
“Marami akong gustong ikuwento. But my goal now is to create projects with social relevance,” he says. “We already have plenty of love stories. Now I want to do things that leave people asking questions when they go home: ‘Nangyayari pala ‘yon?’ ‘Ganito ba ang dapat gawin?’ I want to tell stories not everyone has heard about.”
