Jake Cuenca does not mind playing support to Coco Martin

MANILA, Philippines – “It doesn’t matter kung bida ako, kontrabida ako.”

Thus said actor Jake Cuenca when asked about playing support to Coco Martin and Kim Chiu in the upcoming ABS-CBN soap opera “Ikaw Lamang” during a media gathering recently.

Jake, who starred as a leading man in a number of Kapamilya shows, will now play antagonist to Coco in the said primetime drama. Interestingly, Coco played support to Jake, Kim, and Gerald Anderson in the 2009 drama “Tayong Dalawa.”

In a previous press conference, Coco even called himself an "asungot" to Gerald's and Jake's characters in the 2009 soap opera. 

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But the 26-year-old actor said he chooses projects based on its impact on him and not whether if he will play the show’s protagonist. 

“For me, I really don’t care kung bida man ako o extra ako o kontrabida ako. Basta sa akin, pag may inoffer sa akin na role, kung tumagos sa puso ko, gagawin ko yun. Hindi importante sa akin yun,” Jake told members of the press.

He added, “Sa ‘Tayong Dalawa,’ magkakapatid talaga kami ni Gerald saka ni Coco. Ever since, we’ve always had that relationship.”

According to Jake, he was even supposed to be part of the 2013 fantasy series “Juan Dela Cruz,” where Coco played the titular role. However, the Kapamilya actor had to turn it down because he was working on the soap opera “Kahit Puso’y Masugatan” at the title. 

Nung binigay sa akin ito, hindi na ako nag-dalawang isip kapag kaming dalawa yung magkaeksena, we always push it to the limit. We do edgework, kumbaga,” he said of his role in “Ikaw Lamang.”

Meanwhile, Jake admits he is excited over the acting nomination he received at the Queens World Film Festival this year. The actor got the nod for his role in the independent film “Nuwebe.”

“Natutuwa ako na napansin ako doon sa ibang bansa. It's my first nomination in the States. I will not be able to go, but just the nomination alone na-boost yung confidence ko,” he said.

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Jake did several films last year. Besides “Nuwebe,” he did the independent film “Lihis” and mainstream movies “Status: It’s Complicated,” “When the Love is Gone,” and “Tuhog.” But he is not in hurry to do another movie project this year after his big screen success last year.

“I’m not rushing to do a movie again because I think what I did last year was super good. In terms of indie and mainstream, all I did were super good. So, until na may mag-offer na mas maganda or mas kapareho, hindi ako nagmamadali gumawa ng proyekto,” he explained.

“Ikaw Lamang” premieres Monday, March 10 on ABS-CBN.