From rock bottom to ‘Quezon,’ Jericho Rosales has found how he’s going to live
Jericho Rosales and Manuel L. Quezon (MLQ) couldn’t be more different from one another.
Regarded not only as a key figure in securing Philippine independence from the United States but also as the model for modern Filipino politics, MLQ was as ruthless as they come.
“If he had an enemy, he would ruin their careers,” joked historian Xiao Chua during the “Bayani Ba’To?” forum launch last July 26. In short, he was a Machiavellian who’d do whatever means necessary to reach his desired outcome. And that’s on top of his practice of patronage politics and his alleged womanizing tendencies.
Rosales, on the other hand, withdrew from show business out of a fear of failure, while questioning his ability and artistry. Not quite as assured as the man he was to portray.
But after therapy and self-reflection, Rosales found his second wind and a reinvigorated passion rooted in a desire to feed the artist within. How? By pursuing film, taking on projects that would add to his life, and saying yes to excellence.
Rosales dubbed 2024 his “yes year,” where he did anything and everything, from breaking the news on television to making his return to teleseryes with “Lavender Fields.” This 2025 and beyond, he doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all. In fact, he looks as assured and at ease on his path as one can possibly be. “This is how I’ve decided to live already,” says Rosales during our interview.
For “Quezon,” there’s both excitement and disbelief for Rosales, who didn’t expect to land the role. But in that same breath, there’s trust and hope in the power of the film to touch, move, and empower—just as it did for him while shooting “Quezon,” and as the “Bayaniverse” once did for “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.”
“Quezon” comes to cinemas nationwide this Oct. 15. Joining Rosales are Karylle, Iain Glen, Arron Villaflor, JC Santos, Mon Confiado, Benjamin Alves, Romnick Sarmenta, Jake Macapagal, and more. The film is directed by Jerrold Tarog and produced by Daphne O. Chiu-Soon.
How does it feel to be part of one of the most anticipated films of the year?
It’s unbelievable that I actually landed this great project—not just to play the role but to be working with TBA Studios, finally, after a decade of waiting.
If you didn’t know, I auditioned for “Heneral Luna” before. I was called for an audition. I went there, I met Jerrold, and I saw the rest of the team. Of course, I didn’t get the role for funny reasons, but I’m also happy because John Arcilla was just the perfect Heneral Luna.
Up to now, I’m in disbelief that it happened—that I prepared for the role, I played the role, I did the research, I had prosthetics on—and the next thing you know, we’re done filming “Quezon.” I just feel so enriched, expanded. I feel like I’ve grown as an actor and as a Filipino playing this character.
You’ve gotten to know MLQ in recent months, done your research, and stepped into his shoes. What do you admire the most about him?
I admire his charm. I admire his brain. I admire his attention to detail; all the little and big skills that he has, his connection with people, the way he talks, and how he’s able to think of something and get there. I admire these individuals, big or small, who stick to what they want to do and what they want to achieve, regardless of the challenges around them.
How different or similar would you say you are with MLQ?
I am very, very different from Manuel L. Quezon. I am a leader myself at home, sa team ko, but he is a far different leader than I am. There are qualities of MLQ that just make me shake my head. And you know, I picked up a few things; the way he thinks and the way he creates ways or strategies to implement certain things. And I thought, “Okay, there’s something to learn here.” But we’re very different.
Though MLQ played a huge role in ensuring Filipino independence, he lost hold of the country to Japan and never really saw the Philippines gain its promised independence. Having learned his side of the story, would you say his tale was tragic?
We could say it is tragic from his point of view because he wanted to go further. It was mortality that was actually his greatest enemy. Nothing and no one could stop him from doing what he wanted to do. Tragic because he had set his mind on what he wanted to do for the country.
What should fans expect from the film?
Expect to be shaken. Expect to be entertained. But expect that once you step out of the cinema, you will be a different person. You will carry with you a lot of questions. You will carry with you a sense of pride. Maybe even a little bit of questioning yourself, your country, whatever is happening in the country right now. Expect to be shaken.
“Heneral Luna” and “Goyo” have always shown quite a bleak view of Philippine politics. Would you say the same applies to “Quezon”?
Yes, it is. You will still feel that way. But the acceptance of your reality right now, the acceptance of the truth right now, that is your diving board, your jump-off point. You do not want to stay in that emotion or in that feeling of sadness.
You know you can see. You know you are equipped with everything that you need. You know that you have clarity. You know you have records. You know you have everything that you need to help make a change.
And it’s not just in the Philippines, everywhere in the world; if you look at politics, the majority is bleak, disappointing. You feel that rage. You feel helpless. You feel like, “If I could only talk to someone.” But that someone is you, and once you start reframing that way of thinking, you start believing in yourself.
You previously declared last year as your “yes year.” From breaking the news on television to doing anything and everything, why did you do those in the first place?
Even before the pandemic, I was questioning my job and my artistry. I was questioning the decisions I’ve made, until I found that the great cause of my frustration, dismay, and distaste was that I wasn’t giving my artist what it wanted.
It wanted films. It wanted craft. It wanted me to write. It wanted me to connect with the people I worked with. It didn’t want to sit down and wait for a script from the network anymore. It wanted me to get up, move, do my budgeting, and say, ‘‘This is how I’m going to live my life.”
“Yes year” was a year wherein I told myself I am not going to say no anymore because of fear. I will say yes to things that will cause me to grow, to change. I will say yes to the things that will add to my life. I said yes again to another series with a different perspective. I’m no longer that angry actor. I know that soap is soap, stage is stage, ads are ads, and film is film—whatever kind of art deserves its own respect.
Everything that is not excellent this year, I will say no to, regardless of the value of money. The value would be if it’s excellent, and if it would push me and my team to go even further. You could say there will be nos, and they would be no to pucho-pucho stuff.
Are you keeping that energy now?
I still have it. The yes attitude and the yes to excellence, nandiyan na yan, and I will add another one next year. This is how I’ve decided to live already.
You are a Renaissance man in your own right. Have you always had multiple interests?
It started when I was a kid. There’s always that question: ano gusto mong kunin sa kolehiyo? I couldn’t decide. I like to play, I like to watch, I like adventure. It didn’t make sense in my head for you to ask me what I would want to do until I became an actor. That’s when I realized this is the job that I wanted. This is exactly where I wanted to be.
For an actor, that’s important—you have to be curious about a lot of things. It doesn’t matter if you become an expert or not. What matters is that you understand these areas. And if you find something that you enjoy, fine, I would give that to my artist. My artist wants to be a mechanic today; I will be a mechanic today. If I want to be out in the sea today and go fishing, I will be a fisherman today. I will learn something about that.
But I am very sure, deep in my heart, that I am a creative and I will always be an actor. I’ll be a producer. I’ve directed before. I sing, I write, and I do not judge myself in terms of “I am five stars here, two stars there.” Everything that I do completes me. That is me.
What are some of the projects you have in the pipeline?
I’m currently in pre-production for a film with one of my friend directors. It’s going to come out early next year. I’m also working on a dream project with a dream director for the last quarter of the year, and I’m hoping I can release a song with my band. But I’m working mostly in film right now.
What can you tell me about “Sellblock” and if there are any updates on it?
I know. But, it’s a selling thing because the producers opted to sell the product outside of the Philippines first before it comes here. So it’s taking a while. But the project’s done and we’re just waiting.
You’ve previously said that you stepped away from showbiz because you grew afraid of failure. Now that you’re back here, what pulled you out of that state of mind?
This is where therapy and digging deep come in. It’s a question of fear. It’s a question of ego and perfectionism. Because you don’t want to make a mistake, you’re so afraid to make one because there’s ego that you will be judged. And when I realized that, I went on this journey of getting to know myself and digging deep to find the underlying issue about my fears and traumas.
Acceptance was the key. I was afraid to make mistakes because I was thinking heavily about my image and what people would say. But when I stopped caring about that and began looking at myself, and I accepted every area of myself, that’s when I started enjoying every little thing.
Do you have anything to say to your fans and those who’ve supported you after all these years?
Thank you so much. For the past 28 years, almost three decades, they’ve seen me grow. Some have judged me. Some have questioned—others were boggled like ‘What is he doing with his life?’ And for me, I was just a growing man. I’m just a person expanding and trying to understand not only where I fit in this world, but who I really am, what I really am.
And everyone has supported me—my team, my family. I’ve dropped big contracts. I’ve stopped my career. So many times, I’ve gone rock bottom, gone back up again—not only once, not only twice, but more than four times. I would go up, I would stop, and I would go back to square one.
I’m just grateful that I’m in this industry that is so, so generous. And now, I’m given this opportunity to play such a gigantic role—for goodness’ sake, the ex-president of the Philippines! There’s a lot of responsibility. I’m just so grateful.
