Award-winning actor Jake Cuenca has revealed that he's ready to do frontal nude scenes provided that the movie is a big project that will go to Hollywood or other prestigious film festivals abroad.
During a solo press conference for the upcoming movie "My Father, Myself" held in Quezon City recently, Jake also said that he's an actor without limitations.
(I have not done a frontal (nude scene) yet. I have not yet and I have no limitations. But certainly, I will choose the film in which I will do the frontal nude scenes. Not just any film.)
"Pero if it's a regular movie lang, huwag na lang. Kung hindi naman sigurado na makakarating tayo roon sa Hollywood, Cannes or Venice, then I won't do it.
(But if it's just a regular movie, nevermind. If it's not sure that we can get there in Hollywood, Cannes or Venice, then I won't do it.)
"Ako naman, even if I haven't done any frontal scenes, I have shown a lot. I'll save that for the big one. I'll save that for the big movie," said Jake, whose latest movie is one of the official entries at the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival. It will be shown on Dec. 25.
Asked what he learned from his role as gay father, Jake said: "It's hard to suppress your true self."
Jake, 34, said that he's not expecting to bring home the MMFF best actor trophy this year.
"To be honest, I'm not expecting kasi maraming beses na akong nalagay sa position na akala ko mananalo tapos hindi naman ako nanalo. Isang taon ako na-depress noon.
(To be honest, I'm not expecting (any award) because many times I've been put in a position where I thought I would win and then I didn't win. I was depressed for a year.)
"Noong pinuri ako ni Direk Joel Lamangan noong unang press conference, para na akong nanalo nun. Hindi man ako manalo sa awards night, yun na lang ang panghahawakan ko, yung papuri ninyo," he said.
(When Director Joel Lamangan praised me during the first press conference, I felt like I had won. Even if I don't win the awards night, that's all I'll hold on to, your praise.)
Asked if he would be depressed if he would not win, Jake said: "Hindi na. Matapos ang mga pinagdaanan natin, medyo tumapang din tayo because of the pandemic."
(Not anymore. After what we went through, we also got a little braver because of the pandemic.)
Jake said that he is not competing with anyone in the filmfest, adding that the movie industry needs the help of moviegoers.
"Kailangan natin buhayin muli ang movie industry (we need to revive the movie industry), so let's support all the films in the Metro Manila Film Festival," he said. "But in the real world, I hope this movie makes money. And I'm really proud of 'My Father, Myself." But if the other movies will make money, we should be proud of that. But I hope they can also catch our movie."
Jake also said that moviegoers will be surprised at his daring scene with Sean.
"I think there are factors kung bakit ito binigyan ng R-18 rating. Una is yung tema ng pelikula and pangalawa yung eksena namin ni Sean (De Guzman) pero isa lang naman yun na intense. Hindi talaga kami nag-hold back ni Sean. Akala ko nga makakapasa ito ng R-16 because may ibang mga pelikula na mas grabe pa. At kung tatanggalin naman yung eksena na yun baka wala na yung pelikula," he said. "Magugulat kayo sa ginawa namin."
(I think there are factors why it was given an R-18 rating. First is the theme of the movie and second is our scene with Sean (De Guzman) but that's just one intense scene. Sean and I never held back. I thought it would pass R-16 because there are other movies that are worse. And if that scene is deleted, the movie might not exist. You will be surprised by what we did.)