JC de Vera more excited to play nerd than do Vivamax bold movies

MANILA, Philippines — Fatherhood has inspired Kapamilya actor JC de Vera want to explore more genres. But it has also made him more cautious in accepting roles.

The 37-year-old JC wants daughters Lana, 8 and Laura, one month old, to be proud of him when they see him onscreen.

“I always consider my daughters when accepting a role,” he said at the sidelines of the story conference for GK Productions’ "Apo Hapon," where he plays a World War II historian.

That means he’ll turn down roles that require him to care for no reason at all, because he has his daughters to raise up. The devoted family man is just as cautious about Vivamax roles, for which he has yet to get an offer.

“It’s not my genre,“ he said.

It’s not that Rikkah Cruz, his non-showbiz wife, is clipping his wings as an actor. In fact, the happily-married JC she always has his back when it comes to work. He has found peace and contentment at home. And he appreciates her opinion when an offer comes along.

But he’d rather practice self-censorship for his children’s sake.

As a veteran of Joel Lamangan projects, JC is letting the award-winning director lead him all the way in his first portrayal of a historian out to write his first book.

Unlike other actors who dread Lamangan’s wrath on the set, JC keeps calm in front of the veteran director. In fact, JC understands where his director’s disciplinarian ways come from.

“The actor who comes to the set unprepared – who doesn’t study the script and know his character should be afraid (of Joel). So, too, is he who fools around on the set.”

JC should know. He was a carefree 20-year-old when Lamangan first directed him in Regal Entertainment’s "Mano Po 4: Ako Legal Wife" in 2005. GMA Network’s "Babangon Ako’t Dudurugin Kita" followed in 2008. TV5’s drama series "Valiente" came next in 2012.

“Direk Joel taught me to focus. In fact, I owe my level of focus to him,” JC, who won Best Actor at the 4th QCinema International Film Festival for Best Partee in 2016, revealed.

It is this focus that JC continues to bring with him as cameras start grinding for "Apo Hapon," a story of friendship between Filipinos and the Japanese. Produced by GK Productions, it also stars Lianne Valentin, Fumiya Sankai, Nella Dizon, Sakura Akiyoshi, Jim Pebanco and others.