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Ally or Villain? Why Jessy Mendiola said yes to playing Agnes Policarpio in “Sins of the Father”

Article (news)

Liezel Dela Cruz

The Kapamilya Chat studio felt a little brighter with Jessy Mendiola in the room, glowing like a goddess while sharing behind-the-scenes stories from her comeback role in &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/sins-of-the-father">Sins of the Father</a>.&quot; Her glow comes from a place of genuine gratitude and happiness. Jessy is thankful for all the positive feedback the show has been receiving, and she’s even more excited for what’s coming next, knowing that the upcoming twists will leave viewers wanting more. &quot;Alam mo talaga na ‘Tatak Kapamilya’ siya, pinaghirapan, pinag-isipan lahat ng mga twists and turns,&quot; said Jessy, who plays Agnes Policarpio, a character she describes as &quot;secretary na maraming secrets.&quot;This marks Jessy’s return to television acting after a six-year break to focus on her motherhood journey and married life with &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/rainbowrumble">Rainbow Rumble</a>&quot; host Luis Manzano. She admitted she was hesitant at first about stepping back into the spotlight, but she was drawn to the material. And since she had been away for quite a while, it took serious preparation to get back into the groove.To prepare, Jessy talked with the directors and made sure to align her vision for the character during their look test and early discussions. She&#x27;s especially grateful to director FM Reyes, whom she describes as an “actor’s director” because of the way he supports and pushes his actors to bring out their best.  &quot;Kinausap ako ni Direk FM kung ano &#x27;yung magiging flow ng character ko,&quot; she shared.&quot;Kating-kati na ako magsabi ng mga revelations pero hindi ko pa pwedneg i-reveal. Basta hindi ko pa nagagawa ang role na &#x27;to dati, and maraming hihingin na physical movements.&quot; Jessy has always been into fitness and combat sports like Muay Thai, but she never imagined it would come in handy for her role as Agnes. &quot;Ayan, may isa na akong na-reveal, so kailangan n&#x27;yong abangan &#x27;yan,&quot; she laughed. &quot;No&#x27;ng pilot week, nakita na medyo misteryoso talaga itong si Agnes at meron siyang tinatago.&quot; Jessy added that her character is almost too kind, which she both likes and dislikes because sometimes, being that kind can be a double-edged sword. And that’s exactly what viewers should look out for—whether Agnes is truly an ally or has something darker up her sleeve. &quot;Maraming layers ang character na &#x27;to. Magugulat na lang kayo sa kan&#x27;yang mga ire-reveal na bagay-bagay sa mga susunod na episode,&quot; she teased.As for why she chose &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/sins-of-the-father">Sins of the Father</a>&quot; as her comeback vehicle, Jessy said it had always been her dream to take on a role as layered and emotionally complex as Agnes. &quot;Si Agnes, alam mong marami siyang na-experience sa buhay. Marami tayong mga Kapamilya na makaka-relate kay Agnes Policarpio,&quot; she explained. Another reason she agreed to do the teleserye was the chance to reunite with Gerald Anderson, who plays her leading man and whom she previously worked with in &quot;Budoy&quot; back when she was still a teenager. &quot;Si Gerald, isa sa pinakamabait na lalaking artista na nakilala ko,&quot; she said, and then playfully added, &quot;Bukod sa aking asawa.&quot; She has nothing but praise for Gerald, describing him as generous with his craft, &quot;Tutok siya sa mga eksena. Para sa kan&#x27;ya, it&#x27;s a collaborative experience. Tatanungin n&#x27;ya ako, &#x27;Anong tingin mo, Jess?&#x27; Nakakatuwa to also see him grow as an actor.&quot;She also got excited to collaborate with a mix of familiar and first-time co-stars, including JC De Vera, whom she previously worked with in &quot;You&#x27;re My Home,&quot; and Shaina Magdayao and RK Bagatsing, both of whom she&#x27;s sharing scenes with for the first time. She described RK as &quot;sobrang galing na aktor,&quot; and added that being part of a powerhouse ensemble that includes veterans like John Arcilla, Lotlot de Leon, and Tirso Cruz III makes the project even more special. Beyond the role and the ensemble cast, Jessy was drawn to the show&#x27;s narrative, which tackles the relevant issue of scams, which she believes a lot of people will find both eye-opening and relatable. After taking a long break, Jessy had a huge adjustment returning to the fast-paced environment of a teleserye set. But thanks to her directors and the JRB Creative Production team, she felt well-guided and supported throughout the transition. It was, as she put it, like breaking in a new pair of shoes, where the process takes time, care, and the right pacing so you can move comfortably. &quot;&#x27;Yung mga first few scenes ko, hindi pa ako nagsasalita tapos nuances lang, kumbaga hindi pa siya physically nakakapagod or maraming lines. Hindi nila ako binigla. In short, inalalayan nila ako at inalagaan,&quot; she said, giving credit to the whole production team who took care of her. Every actor has their own way of getting into the zone. For Jessy, music really helps. She taps into the different emotional layers of Agnes by listening to a playlist she created for the character’s moods. &quot;Habang papunta ako ng taping, bilang malayo ang aking bahay at mga isang oras at kalahati papuntang location, nakikinig ako ng playlist ni Agnes,&quot; so she’s emotionally primed to become Agnes once she arrives on set. Jessy was almost certain she wouldn’t return to showbiz and instead planned to focus on being a full-time mom, but she was moved by her bosses&#x27; patience as they simply waited for her to feel ready to take on a series again. Her husband Luis Manzano also encouraged her to rekindle her acting career. Open communication has always been a big part of their marriage, so they had a serious conversation before she accepted the project. She even asked Luis his opinion about the possibility of doing romantic scenes, and his response showed just how supportive and professional he is. &quot;Tinatanong ko siya, &#x27;Paano kung may kissing scenes?&#x27; Sinasabi naman niya sa akin, basta kailangan sa script, basta nasa istorya.&quot; After all, Luis has long been familiar with the demands of showbiz, having grown up watching his mom, the Star for All Seasons, Vilma Santos, navigate life as a celebrated actress. “Sabi niya, ‘Ako pa? Nanay ko nga artista.’ So sanay na siya at very supportive.&quot;Jessy describes &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/sins-of-the-father">Sins of the Father</a>&quot; as a teleseye wrapped in mystery. Find out why by tuning in to each episode, airing on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), TV5, and A2Z.

Jessy Mendiola opens up about her return to acting via "Sins of the Father" and who helped her find her rhythm again.

Jessy Mendiola opens up about her return to acting via "Sins of the Father" and who helped her find her rhythm again.