PEPE HERRERA FEELS ‘HAPPY PRESSURE’ AS ROMANTIC LEADING MAN IN ‘MY SASSY GIRL’
CALL HIM LUCKY OR BLESSED,
but Pepe Herrera has starred in successive films, the latest being the Philippine adaptation of the South Korean megahit “My Sassy Girl,” where he plays the romantic lead opposite Toni Gonzaga.
“Sinuwerte din siguro, very grateful siempre. Always grateful ‘pagka well-received and maganda yung reaction ng audience,” said the 36-year-old comedian, who prior to “My Sassy Girl” was part of two Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023 entries — “Rewind” and “Family of Two” — and joins the upcoming “I Am Not Big Bird.”
“Nakakatuwa naman siempre. Part of our purpose in life is to, as Jim Carrey said, elevate the suffering. As an entertainer, your main goal is to elevate the suffering of your fellow men, magbigay ng liwanag and ligaya sa mga ganitong pagkakataon, and you feel fulfilled.”
In “My Sassy Girl,” which reimagines the 2001 film originally topbilled by Jun Jihyun (“My Love From The Star”) and Cha Tae-hyun (“Moving”), Pepe makes audiences laugh again (and cry even) as Jungee, a caregiver who encounters Sheena (played by Toni), a hard-drinking, domineering, and obviously broken piano teacher. After their fateful meeting at an MRT station, where Jungee saves an inebriated Sheena from falling onto the train tracks, he repeatedly finds himself in trouble because of her, but somehow, can’t also help but take care of her.
The romantic-comedy was filmed roughly four years ago over the pandemic. When it was first announced, it generated excitement but at the same time, some not-so-nice remarks, with netizens questioning Pepe as the choice for leading man, according to direk Fifth in a Facebook post.
Asked for his reaction to people already reacting even though they haven’t watched the film, Pepe said, “It’s really the age of opinions. Everyone is really entitled to their opinion because of social media and I think that’s fine. It’s up to us if we take it personally. Go ahead, express your opinion and then watch the film. Your opinion might change. So, nothing against them.”
Direk Fifth also revealed that Pepe was handpicked for the role.
He recalled, “It was brought up to me by direk Paul Soriano (Toni’s producer husband who was also part of the team behind the film) kung sino yung bagay for the role and familiar ako sa movie (niya). Parang naisip ko dapat magaling sa comedy, has that underdog feel so that you will feel empathy, magaling siempre. So naisip ko bagay si Pepe talaga with Ate Tin (Toni) for this movie. I suggested him and after that nag-inquire na kami.”
It also helped that Toni and Pepe knew each other already after working on the former’s last rom-com with Coco Martin, “You’re My Boss.” She was also a fan of his performance as Tolits in the hit musical “Rak of Aegis.”
As for Pepe, it was an immediate yes to become Toni’s leading man. “It’s a combination of pressure and excitement,” he said, also admitting that after watching the original film, “nadagdagan ang pressure kasi nagandahan ako.”
“It’s a happy pressure,” he was quick to add.
And no, he wasn’t intimidated by Toni, the romantic-comedy “veteran” who has starred in some of the country’s rom-com blockbusters like “You Are The One,” “My Amnesia Girl” and “Starting Over Again.” “Hindi naman po (not intimidated). Kailan
gan kong makipag-kwentuhan sa kanya before the first shooting day to neutralize the tension, the nervousness, the intimidation. I had to get to know her, I had to be friends with her, and that’s what I did. And I think we’re friends,” he said.
What surprised him also about working with Toni is how they have a lot to talk about.
“Isa kasi siya sa mga kung hindi mo kilala, napagkakamalan easily na suplada, ‘di ba? Kasi nga marami akong kaibigan na introvert (like her) kasi siguro pwede ako maging madaldal or makwento. They’re very good listeners and ‘pag nag-kwento sila, gusto ko yung intellectual conversations namin. Marami rin akong napupulot sa kanya. Marami kaming napagkwekwentuhan. Yun ang pinaka nasurpresa ako sa kanya. We can talk about anything under the sun.”
In terms of preparations and inspirations to best essay a romantic leading man role, Pepe shared, “I enjoyed it but it wasn’t as easy as doing comedy. I think I can say that until now I’m learning from other leading men and my current leading lady.
“Of course, our goal is (to be) the perfect gentleman. Naalala ko sa ibang pelikula, sinasabihan ako, parang si Binoe (Robin Padilla), pag-iihi, tingnan mo (yung CR) at pupunasan mo rin yung toilet seat.
“Pero hindi ko ginawa kay Toni kasi malinis naman yung hotel niya (laughs). Malinis ka naman eh (addressing Toni). Sa ibang pelikula, sinusubukan ko, teka tsi-check ko muna ang banyo. So until now, it’s been a learning process for me, and until now, I’m enjoying the learning process and I’m also looking up to the leading men before me.”
On striking a balance between drawing inspiration from the original character and offering his own take on the character, he said, “Dahil siguro sa pagkatao ko, it can be a curse and a gift. Kusa talaga nagiging sarili kong take eh. There’s a template but the way it would be delivered, executed, it’s really the Pepe-style. Of course, we’re faithful to the original and direk Fifth was there and I put my complete trust in direk Fifth.”
As for his primary takeaway from “My Sassy Girl,” he said it’s about self-love and self-care.
“Love starts with you. ‘Pag hindi buo yung pagmamahal sa sarili mo, magkakaroon ng problema dun sa love na ibabahagi mo sa iba because it comes from you. For example, love is color yellow, kung may stain na black, ‘pag binahagi mo, mapupunta yung stain na black dun sa minamahal mo. So selflove is No. 1. That’s what I learned.”
Pepe knows very well what he’s talking about. In an interview with Toni for her show “Toni Talks,” the actor opened up on why he quit showbiz at the height of a busy career — doing theater, movies and television all at the same time — in 2017.
The reason was: “Simply put, burnout. I didn’t know at that time that it was a manic disorder already, that I felt invincible and I felt I could do everything. Nagpapatawa one moment, then I’ll stop and get angry the next. To the point where my loved ones became scared of me. It was already rage; screaming at the top of my lungs. I was like a volcano.”
One of his wake up calls was when he got triggered by a simple traffic-related incident along EDSA and he lashed out at his handler who was trying to fix the situation.
He decided to step back and prioritize his health and wellbeing, going on a yearlong break that brought him to New Zealand, Hong Kong and Switzerland.
Asked by this paper on the lessons he gleaned from those experiences, Pepe said, “Saying no is saying yes to yourself. Actually this month, things are a bit hectic really but ‘pag nag-uusap kami ng handler ko, thankful ako na very caring naman yung handler ko. Andito rin yung road manager ko and they always ask me, ‘Kaya pa ba, Pepe?’ Kasi iba yung busy ka pero na-e-enjoy mo bawat moment. Like, for example, ito yung premiere, kung ‘di mo ‘to gusto, it can be stressful. But if you enjoy it, it’s happy stress.”
The actor continued, “Masayang pagod but at the same time, kahit na masaya, kailangan sa isang linggo may isang break at least. That’s a priority, so, I guess, being diligent in putting my schedule in order, it’s a big factor now. You know, learning from the past.” The practical and seemingly small things he does for self-care are, “Pagpapa-araw sa umaga (getting sunlight). These are simple things we tend to forget. The morning sun, tapos pagyapak sa lupa (being barefoot), yung tinatawag na literal grounding.”
“Regular exercise, definitely. Just simple walking, light exercise, it doesn’t have to be intense, it’s already a big help. Me, personally, that’s one of the things that helped my mental health. Then sleep. Medyo mahirap sa trabaho natin pero hangga’t maaari sleeping before 12 midnight (for) seven to eight hours.”
He absorbed all this while on a trip to Thailand plus meeting different doctors and holistic healers in his wellness journey.
Pepe’s current mindset on work and life is also strongly driven by his family.
“Kailangan isipin because I have kids. Dalawa na. So taking care of myself, it’s also taking care of them because if I cannot take care of them if I’m sick. Ito nga lang a few weeks ago, nagka-COVID ako, I was isolated for 10 days then alam mo yung anak ko, I’m thankful that she’s very understanding at three years old.
“She was asking for a hug, but I had to tell her, ‘Sorry, sick pa si daddy.’ Safe distance ‘di pa pwede ibuhat ni Daddy. So medyo nakakadurog ng puso that you cannot be the father that she wants so that’s why it’s very important to be taking care of your health for them.”
What’s next for Pepe besides movies? He will be part of another Philippine adaptation of a Korean content but this time a series, “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim.”
As for his dream projects, Pepe wishes to do biopics. The UST Conservatory of Music graduate said, “I’m putting it out there