The Right Moves

Rosales is the kind of celebrity you can easily walk up to and  ask a photo op with. He makes you forget that he has been in the business over the past 19 years. He makes stardom seem like it’s not a big deal.

Grounded and very honest—the kind who tells it as it is—he may have been just the second choice for Ethan, the bitter, lovelorn character in the upcoming MMFF entry “Walang Forever,” but the 35-year-old actor doesn’t mind at all. He knew the role was intended
for JM De Guzman.

To Jericho,  what’s important is that the role went to him.  Jericho “Echo” Vibar Rosales is skilled in many things—acting, singing, dancing.He is even into animal activism.

But one skill that got him through the demanding and sometimes crazy world of showbiz is his ability to focus.

Who would expect that this former fish vendor would turn out to be  one of the most  marketable matinee idols. Topbilling a successful two-year run of the original version  of the teleserye “Pangako sa ‘Yo,” then a string of hits such as “Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas,” “Panday,” “The Legal Wife” and recently “Bridges of Love.”

Cool, calm and collected despite his hectic schedule, Echo was recently in Cebu as restaurant Kuya J’s  endorser at the opening of its SM Cebu Branch. Food for thought—anything can happen to this modern man. Chances are, he’s already heading for another breakthrough—bite of success should taste more different this time.

How has your marriage to Kim Jones changed you?
I believe that’s not her intention—she never wanted to change me. She lets me be. Siguro there are some things I saw in her that made me want to change certain things about me. That’s how things work right now, because at times there are moments when I am with her and I just realized na… gusto ko ‘yan, or gagayahin ko ‘yan. ‘Yung mga medyo mapupurol na qualities ko hinahasa ko para sa kanya. She is very creative and very proactive, and kami ni Kim kasi… we are not only dreamers, we are also doers. We don’t just like to stop and think. We have to do something about it.

Any plan to have children?
Wala pa, hindi pa kaya. Wala lang talaga sa  priority namin as of now.

 

You started in showbiz via “Eat Bulaga.”
If there was a Maine Mendoza during that time, would you also have grabbed that opportunity to be paired with her?
I hate to be rude pero matagal na at hindi na ako nakakapanood ng TV kasi ‘eh. So ang alam ko is sikat na sikat na sila. I just read it this morning from the article of Sir Joey De Leon that they are now getting 70 percent of the audience share and that’s  big. I am happy for them and happy ako sa  ‘yung  nangyari sa akin sa “Eat Bulaga.”

Are you into social media?
Social media should not be your means of validation… it should be you as a person. Can you imagine if magka-lindol ngayon or if there’s a major disaster in the  country and you will just end up being part of  a statistic. Although social media is a powerful tool to promote yourself, letting people know what you’re doing —more of like output lang nang output—pero never mo siyang iti-treat as input for your validation.

Where are you in terms of social media involvement? How do you see  celebrities with millions of  followers?
I am happy for them. Ako, I don’t really look at the number of followers ’eh. I am more into their response. How involved they are with my movement. Kung  paano mag- respond ‘yung followers mo sa mission na ginagawa mo. Like  if you want
to tell them about sports or about their faith—it’s their engagement that’s more important. And then it’s really a dangerous thing… this  thought of a following.  There are artists na walang Instagram or Facebook, but their star power is there, like John Lloyd Cruz or Piolo Pascual… they are not heavily into social media pero they are very influential. I heard that Cameron Diaz just gave up her Twitter because she said thatit’s weird to get your validation from strangers. I respect some people who are into social media pero I believe that it should be done in a manner that’s light and positive. Even if may bashers hindi kita papansinin—hanggang dyan ka na lang.

Which do you think has more weight— ticket sales or social media following?
Depende ‘eh because TV shows and movies… it’s a synergy project, we cannot base it on just the performance. Pwedeng galingan ko dun sa show, gawin ko lahat ng makakaya ko and look good all the time, be seen on TV and always engage myself with fans, pero kung hindi rin magaling ’yung team na magha-handle sa iyo, it’s nothing. So there should be chemistry. In Facebook and Twitter, there are ways to increase your reach—if you want to boost your post on Facebook, well, you can spend a little money for it. All of it… it’s very tricky, but important. I don’t want to look at ratings, because sa business ngayon, kailangan kung sa TV may boom, may pasabog palagi. And if there are ratings, then comes in the advertisements… Ganun naman yun, di ba?. So I don’t want to pressure myself about  ratings and Twitter followers. I remember it was Gab Valenciano who talked me into having my own Twitter and Instagram, and I did it and people are following me na not because of popularity but because of the things I do with my life. Sometimes I choose to rest for a month and not do anything… that’s how I go with my life, but then again it’s always good to be active. Mas maganda kung palagi mong ini-engage ’yung audience mo.

With Gab, are you aware that he also went through a suicidal phase, and that he felt that he wasn’t that recognized by the Philippine entertainment scene?
I wasn’t able to read that particular post, pero I believe in his talent. I believe that everyone is entitled to feel a certain way. And anyone can be vulnerable from the business’ viciousness.

Is it more of that he’s more appreciated internationally rather than locally?
Naiintindihan ko ‘yun. Look, nung  nasa Malaysia ako—may sarili akong suite, may sarili akong car or ganito, ganyan—that’s how they treat me in Malaysia. Sometimes I would think do I deserve this and I am not saying that they do not treat me well here in the Philippines pero pag andun ako —it’s like, wow! For me parang exaggerated ‘yung treatment nila. There’s just something about it na
inherent sa business. And here’s something that I believe in… Gabriel Valenciano’s talent, or what he has… is global. We have different cultures, I mean we like kilig, we like sentimental or mushy stuff, and it’s a different culture in the States. So maybe there’s a good thing with what he said—not the suicidal action—para maybe in a way ma-realize natin ‘yung dapat natin ma-realize.

When you started in showbiz, was  there a male figure in the industry that you look up to?
I do have ninongs here in showbiz pero let’s not mention that because ayaw nila medyo ng limelight. I would say na there’s this guy that I really look up to and we don’t get to hang out as often, pero I look up to him. His name is Edu Manzano. He’s kind of funny—pero para sa akin he is a real gentleman. I really look up to him and  we talk a lot about business, nature, and people.

Your  last Metro Manila Film Festival entry was ”Baler” and you won an award for it. What is your expectation for “Walang Forever?”
I just want to do rom-coms. Nothing complicated about the story but ang daming fun elements sa story, and I am part of the big piece of the movie. His character is typical, someone na nasaktan pero like most na lalake he is ma-emote, kaya niya  nasabi na walang forever. So let’s see if I can play a bitter character in a funny way.

So how was it—you being the replacement of JM De Guzman in this upcoming MMFF film “Walang Forever”?
It’s really not a big deal. Really, when they offered the film sa akin, immediately I said, yes, game! Pagbasa ko ng synopsis I just liked it. And I never asked kung second option lang ba ako. I just said yes and I don’t know anybody from JM’s camp so wala po talaga akong masabi. But I don’t really mind if the question is about me being the second choice, eh sa “Bridges of Love,” I was the second choice, then there’s also “Baler.” Buong puso ko siyang ina-accept and I always make sure that I put all my heart in every project.

Were you ever bitter in your life?
Oo naman.

How will you portray this character?
Mahirap ‘eh. Positive kasi ako ngayon so ang challenge ko is paano maging negative

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