Jeremy Mayores goes international, dreams of working with Dolly de Leon, John Arcilla, and Mon Confiado

In his international acting era.

Filipino actor Jeremy Mayores, known for his roles in Agapito and Ang Halikan sa Water Fountain, now stars in an upcoming Taiwanese short film.

Directed by Taiwanese filmmaker Sun Chieh-Heng, the short film is based on the internationally acclaimed Taiwanese novel The Man with the Compound Eyes. Mayores plays Atile’i, the film's lead character.

Mayores with dir. Sun Chieh-Heng

According to Mayores, the filming process was vastly different from what he had experienced before, from pre-production to character training and immersion. He was even involved in the technical aspects of filming because of the precision required for many of the scenes. Fortunately, he says, the production team was highly supportive throughout the process.

"I was celebrated enormously, and the support was really consistent from the start of rehearsals up until now, as we are currently in the post-production phase," he details.

Image shared by Jeremy Mayores

Landing the role was no easy feat, Mayores shares with CBO, describing the audition process as a "nerve-wracking" experience. He says his cultural awareness, combined with his commitment to portraying the character truthfully and understanding Atile’i's circumstances, gave him the confidence to earn the role. "And the rest was history," he concludes.

Back on the local scene, Mayores hopes to work with veteran actors such as Dolly de Leon, John Arcilla, and Mon Confiado. "These veteran actors inspired me to become the indie actor that I've become," he explains.

When asked why he hopes to work with those veteran actors, Mayores says he wants to learn from each of them for different reasons.

For Dolly de Leon, he hopes to gain insight into her collaborative process on Hollywood productions, especially given the differences between working in the West and in Asia. Meanwhile, he admires how John Arcilla and Mon Confiado make their characters so impactful on screen.

"There's this kind of aura—they dominate and own the character once they settle into a scene," he expounds. "And that's what I want to explore in my craft—not the usual mumblecore style, but something more nuanced, with power in the eyes."

With the filming now wrapped, Mayores says he has gained a deeper appreciation for cultural respect and thorough preparation. "It was really heartwarming to engage in a cross-cultural collaboration like this, finding commonality in the diversity of each crew and staff member to build great storytelling through cinema," he says. "I carry this pride and joy, knowing that, in the first place, I—a Kapampangan Filipino actor—can take up space on the international silver screen."