Newly-signed ABS-CBN talent Jake Ejercito is all set to work on his first-ever teleserye, Marry Me, Marry You – a romance that sees his character in a love triangle with a couple played by Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez.

The actor said that the project is “exciting and nerve-racking at the same time,” especially considering that he is working with a cast of highly-acclaimed actors – both Paulo and Janine recently won prestigious acting awards in late 2020.

“The pressure is real,” Jake said at a press conference on Friday, April 30.

“Actually until now I’m still overwhelmed to be part of the show and to be amongst these brilliant, talented actors. But ever since, inaaral ko na talaga (I’ve been studying) the script that we have, I ask my mom for advice, my dad also for advice. I just wanna get into taping, into lock-in,” he said.

Jake, who is the son of former actress Laarni Enriquez and former action star and president Joseph Estrada, said that he had always been hovering between showbiz and politics. He initially wanted to pursue a career in public service, but said that “somewhere along the way, I got disillusioned with our system here in the Philippines.”

“‘Yung pagpasok sa showbiz, talagang it’s been in the back of my head lang ever since. Hindi lang ako pinayagan kasi gusto ng parents ko i-prioritize lang ‘yung studies ko, pero nandiyan lang talaga siya, never nawala ‘yung interest ko sa pagpasok sa showbiz,” he said.

(Me entering showbiz, it’s always been in the back of my head ever since. I just wasn’t allowed to because my parents wanted me to prioritize my studies, but it’s always been there, I never lost interest in entering showbiz.)

Jake said that he isn’t writing off politics for good, but at the moment he has no plans to pursue it. For now, he is placing his focus on acting, particularly in preparing to film Marry Me, Marry You.

“Our lock-in taping starts I think in two weeks time or something. I’m in the process of preparing myself. I already told my daughter Ellie I’ll be away for two to three weeks. It’s actually really exciting for me kasi sa (because in the) cast I only know Adrian Lindayag. Apart from him, it will be my first time meeting everyone else. So talagang (really) I look forward to the experience,” he said.

Jake shares 9-year-old Ellie with his ex-girlfriend, actress Andi Eigenmann, who is herself part of a prominent showbiz family. Jake said that he is open to someday working with both Andi and her mother, screen legend Jaclyn Jose.

“It would be an honor,” he said of possibly working with Jaclyn.

While he’s making his teleserye debut with a romance, Jake eventually hopes to work on projects that spread awareness on social issues.

“If given the opportunity, I would want to work on projects that tackle social issues, mga (the) hot-button topics in society.”

He also said that while he is currently focusing on acting, he might ven consider producing shows in the future. – Rappler.com