Jerald Napoles goes solo and plays dad on the big screen

Essaying a role that actor-comedian Jerald Napoles has not yet portrayed on the big screen, more so in real life, is admittedly a huge challenge for him.

His latest assignment, Viva Films’ heartwarming dramedy, Instant Daddy, is about a man who vowed to stay away from serious relationships, but is forced into a long-time commitment, that of raising a child by his lonesome.

Jerald plays Val Roxas, with child star Althea Ruedas as his daughter, Mira. Instant Daddy is an adaptation of the global Mexican blockbuster, Instructions Not Included, shown in 2013. The film culled more than $100M at the tills with a meager budget of merely $5M.

“Hindi mo pwedeng ilatag kung ano gusto mong mangyari sa buhay kapag naging tatay ka na,” Jerald informed. “Kung ano ang mangyayari o binibigay sa ‘yo ng pagkakataon bilang pagmamahal mo sa anak mo, ‘yun na ‘yun.”

“Then, you just make the most out of it. Actually, ‘yun din ang kinapitan ko for me to have a safe realization to portray my role in this film,” he added.

“Whatever is the moment that Althea delivered as my daughter in this film, I embraced it agad. Para ‘yung rapport namin swak na swak.”

Jerald does not deny that the father roles he gives his nod to are a good training ground for him, in case he and real-life partner Kim Molina decide to have a kid in the near future.

Aside from Instant Daddy, Jerald works on a weekly TV5 sitcom, Team A, where he also plays a dad opposite Kim Molina. “Mag-iiba ang buhay ko sa sitcom,” he granted. “Parang naging fantasy na may reality.”

Instant Daddy also stars Ryza Cenon, MC Muah, Nikko Natividad, Benj Manalo and Nicco Manalo.

“I researched about my daddy role. Kailangan mag-research ako kasi I’ve never done it before. Although noon binatilyo ako, growing up in Tondo with my mom and tito, naiiwan sa akin ang baby ng tito ko at pinsan, ako ang mag-aalaga kapag naglalaro sila ng basketball. Pinaghugutan ko ‘yung experience ko kung paano mag-alaga ng baby,” he shared.

Looking at Althea, Jerald fondly wished, “Sana, ganitong kagaling, kabibo, katalino at kaganda ang anak ko. Pero hindi ko alam ang ibibigay ni Lord. I will just adjust (smiled). Isa si Althea sa nagpaganda sa pelikula. Of course, ‘yung child actor or actress na kasama mo, kailangan titimplahin mo ‘yan. May mood ‘yan. Aalagaan mo. Pero si Althea, parang tropa lang.”

“It’s very rare to have a child actor or actress na ganitong ka-ready. She’s so ready in whatever role. I believe she’s the best in the industry when it comes to child acting,” he added.

Althea, meanwhile, found it a breeze to work with Jerald for the first time.

“When we’re not shooting lagi po siyang nagpapatawa,” said Althea of her co-actor. “We’re not pressured sa shooting. Marami po akong natutunan kay Tito Je (as she fondly calls Jerald).”

In Instant Daddy, Jerald notably goes solo minus his partner, Kim, with whom he has been paired in half a dozen films in the past. Kim, for her part, gets paired with comedian Empoy Marquez in director Bobby Bonifacio’s horror-comedy, Zombabe.

Jerald is not on tenterhooks even now that he is by his lonesome on the big screen. “Okay lang naman as Kim and I have our individual career paths and different branding,” Jerald maintained. “Going solo is also for our growth as actors.”

“Kami ni Kim na-introduced na sa tao. She has her own career path, ako ganu’n din. We also want to get paired and work with other stars. I appreciate that personally. May brand na Jerald, may brand na Kim at may Kimerald,” he shared.

Megged by award-winning director and screenwriter Crisanto Aquino, most of the scenes in the shoot of Instant Daddy were finished in only a single take. “Ninety-five percent, if not 100,” direk Cris beamed.

Jerald noted. “It works for the whole production. Advantage na one take ang director namin and it’s a challenge for actors because within that one take, kailangan makuha na nila. ‘Yun na ‘’yun. Kung kailangan ulitin, cure na lang.”

Direk Cris heavily altered the original Mexican script to add Filipino touch to Instant Daddy. “Malaki ang adjustment na kailangan kong gawin,” he granted. “Sobrang Americanized ang original story.”

“Malayung-malayo ang structure. Of course, nandoon pa rin ‘yung core ng story. Hindi nagbago. I’m very grateful to Boss Vic (del Rosario) for entrusting the project to me. I got a writer, binuo namin ang kwento. Nagdagdag kami ng mga Filipino values and nabuo ang pelikula,” he added.

Instant Daddy also stars Ryza Cenon as Kate, Val’s neighbor and love interest, as well as Danita Paner as Julie, Val’s former partner. Others in the cast are MC Muah and Nikko Natividad.