Pepe Herrera.jpg — **Pepe Herrera stars on his first lead role on the film "Bantay-bahay" (Carissa Alcantara)**

Actor Pepe Herrara revealed a dream role following the success of his supporting roles in the movies "Rewind" and "I Am Not A Big Bird."

During the media conference for his first lead role film, "Bantay Bahay," at the Valencia Events venue in Quezon City, Pepe mentioned that one of his dream roles is to star in a biopic about Pepe Smith, the OPM rock icon.

"Idol kasi ng family namin yung Juan dela Cruz band, and matagal ko na rin gustong gumawa ng biopic yung tribute sa isang music icon, or any performing artist, and may matinding curiosity lang ako sa buhay ni Pepe Smith," Pepe said.

(My family has always been a big fan of the Juan Dela Cruz band, and I've always wanted to make a biopic that is a tribute to a music icon, or any performing artist, and I just have a great curiosity about the life of Pepe Smith)

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As a funny man himself, the actor shared that one of his biggest influences on comedy was Dolphy.

"Lumaki kasi ako na nanonood ng Home along da riles, fan talaga ako ng mga sitcom niya, and dami niya ring ginawa na projects hindi niya lang pinakita na comedy king siya. He also did projects na kaya niya rin mag drama," he added.

(Because I grew up watching Home Along da riles, I'm really a fan of his sitcoms, and he also did a lot of projects, he didn't just show that he's a comedy king. He also did projects that he can do drama too)

Becoming one of the rising comedic actors in the scene, Pepe also dreams of working in a film together with other comedic actors such as Long Meija, Jerald Napoles, Empoy Marquez, and more.

Finding balance between comedy and horror

Working on his first comedy-horror film, "Bantay-bahay", directed by Jose Javier Reyes under Regal Films, Pepe said he fully trusts the director in his role.

"Honestly speaking, I put my complete trust sa director kasi vision niya yun ehh. Kung may gusto man ako baliin ng onte, I always consult the director. But more often, I give it to the director, who is the captain of the ship," Pepe said.

(Honestly speaking, I put my complete trust in the director because that's his vision. If I want to tweak something on the scene, I always consult the director. But more often, I give it to the director, who is the captain of the ship)

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He mentioned that he cannot handle straight horror or any genre that would negatively affect his mental health.

"Hindi ko kayang gumawa ng straight horror sa ngayon, to protect my mental state. Okay sa akin yung mga hybrid genres like horror-comedy, basta may touch ng comedy," he added.

(I can't do straight horror right now, to protect my mental state. Hybrid genres like horror-comedy are okay with me, as long as there is a touch of comedy)

Of ghosts and spirits

Pepe shares his thoughts about ghosts and spirits due to the presence of a dark entity in an abandoned house.

"I cannot say that there supernatural, but I believe in those unseen creatures na hindi lang tayo ang nakatira dito. I've experienced that kind of thing, as early as five years old," Pepe shared.

(I cannot say that there supernatural, but I believe in those unseen creatures that we are not the only ones living here. I've experienced that kind of thing, as early as five years old)

Pepe believes that the "third eye" is open at birth but closes voluntarily due to external factors.

He shared his scariest childhood memory at their ancestral house.

"Yung ancestral house namin sa Caloocan, malapit sa monumento. I think 1950s pa siya. Medyo related siya sa Bantay-bahay. Maraming nakatira roon na hindi namin nakikita," Pepe shared.

(Our ancestral house in Caloocan, near Monumento. I think this was in the 1950s. And it is somewhat related to Bantay-bahay film. There are many spirits in the area.)

"So as early as five years old, may nagpakita sa akin maliit na, hindi ko masabing bata, pero parang creature. Basically, meron kaming maliit na grotto ni Mama Mary. I thought may sakit lang ako pero it transformed into a creature, and then it went on pagtanda namin. Kahit sa mga kapatid ko, its either makakarinig or makakakita kami dun sa bahay," he added.

(So as early as five years old, I already encountered an entity, I can't say it was a child, but it looked like a creature. But basically we have this small grotto of Mama Mary. I thought I was just sick but it transformed into a creature, and then it went on as we got older. Even with my siblings, its either we see or hear something in our house.)

In the end, Pepe and his family moved to a new house and gave their house a spiritual blessing before selling it to another buyer.

Directed by Jose Javier Reyes, "Bantay-bahay" follows the story of a vlogger and podcaster named Caleb Herrera who agrees to look after his girlfriend's grandmother's house in the province, only to find out that the house has a dark secret that has been hidden for a long time.

Also joining Pepe in the film are Casie Banks, Johannes Rissler, Melizza Jimenez, Karl Gabriel, and Rolando Inocencio.

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