JM de Guzman: Personal struggles led to ‘My Bespren Emman’
Stories that actors like the reliable JM de Guzman come across range from peculiar to familiar.
And the one his primetime inspirational drama titled “My Bespren Emman” will explore is close to his personal journey or mirrors some aspects of it. The show will premiere April 27 on TV5.
“Malapit (it is close),” said JM, Best Actor winner at last year’s Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival, in a brief chat with this paper. “(It’s about) second chances, masalimoot na past (a complicated past), fighting for love, fighting for the family.”
During the mediacon, the soft-spoken and amiable actor somehow gave the context of it when asked about the struggles and challenges in taking on the character.
“Well, before the show started, actually, to be honest, medyo I (was) battling spiritual warfare, parang I lost my connection with God. I lost my relationship with God and this show helped me to reconnect with Him,” said he, recalling the time when Derick Cabrido, one of the show’s directors, went to his condominium unit. “Na kinukwento niya yung storya, yung character, yung backstory, iyak lang ako ng iyak sa kanya (when he was telling me the story, the character and his backstory, I was crying to him) dahil sabi ko parang natataon (na) kailangan ko talaga ‘to sa buhay ko ngayon, kailangan ko si God sa buhay ko, si Emman sa buhay ko ngayon (because I felt like it coincided with the moment when I needed such a story and God in my life).”
Even if he has recovered from his past, he still encounters “ups and downs,” added he. “Meron pa ring talagang binibigay na mission sa’yo si Emman na hindi mo minsan maintindihan kung bakit paulit-ulit, bakit mahirap (He would give you a mission and challenges that sometimes you couldn’t understand), and ayun nung dumating yung ‘My Bespren Emman’ sa akin, si Mateo, parang nagkaroon ako ng enlightenment (when the chance to do the show and the character came along, I had enlightenment). Parang nagbago lahat yung pananaw ko ulit (my perspective again changed). So, parang na-realize ko lang na parang lahat nung pinagdadaanan ko noon, depression, anxiety, ni-lead lang ako dito to prepare me for this show (I realized the things I went through, such as depression and anxiety, in the past led and prepared me for it).”
A piece of information says that “the series follows Mateo, a man navigating the consequences of his past mistakes while trying to build a future with his childhood best friend Ruth.” It adds that “in a life-altering accident, Mateo meets a mysterious figure named Emman, who guides him through a transformative journey toward redemption.”
The show’s trailer might also give one the impression that his character is in the state of “limbo” at some points of it. JM, however, said in the chat with The STAR, “Buhay pa siya (he’s still alive). Tignan natin kung may effect ba yun sa kanya, yung tragic (event) na nangyari na yun and then kasi maraming naka-incorporate na stories behind that (and scenes) (let’s see if that tragic incident will bring changes to him. There are a lot of stories and scenes being incorporated in it).”
Whether actors can relate to their characters or not, JM shared that “pareho namang may matututunan ka (you can both learn from them) kasi habang kino-contemplate mo yung mga decisions, as an actor, decisions nung character (while you’re contemplating on the character’s decisions) — Tama ba ‘to? Mali ba ‘to? Moral ba ‘to? — (are they right or wrong, morally good or not?), mapapa-realize ka rin at kailangan mo ring maki-empathize kahit masama yung gagawing decisions (you can’t help but realize something and you need to empathize with the character’s decisions, even if the latter are wrong).”
“I-empathize mo na bakit siya gumagawa ng masama (you empathize with why he’s acting that way). Iintindihin mo yung tao (you’ll try to understand the character and where he is coming from). So, may mga matututunan ka din. Yung one thing is empathy (you’ll learn from the character and one of them is empathy),” added he.
JM agreed that empathy is a fundamental trait that an actor possesses.
“That’s really No. 1,” said he. “Kung wala ka nun, mahihirapan kang intindihin yung character. Lutuin yung character and ma-mold yung (character) (without it, you find it difficult to understand the character, get into his shoes and build or mold it).”
As for the takeaways viewers may glean from watching the story of his Mateo and the latter’s meeting with Emman, JM said, “Never nawawala si Emman, never nawawala si Lord (He never leaves our side). Kung minsan man na parang wala Siya (if ever it feels like He’s not with you), He’s just making you strong and making you wiser.”
And there are better opportunities and blessings, concluded he, that are coming one’s way.
Please watch the TV5 Entertainment production, “My Bespren Emman,” with Spring Films and Numinous Narratives, weeknights at 8:45. It is directed by Derick and Jerome Pobocan.
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