Zanjoe Marudo on the acting process that works best for him

In order to effectively portray his role in “Dirty Linen,” actor Zanjoe Marudo said he preferred not to read the more important parts of the script, especially those that didn’t involve his character, Aidan Fiero.

“It’s part of my process in any project to read the entire script, which, in this case, is really a page-turner. But I later realized that reading this particular script did not help me develop Aidan. I got worried that if, as Zanjoe, I know what is happening to the other characters in the story, especially things that Aidan is not supposed to know, this would show in my nuances. As Zanjoe, I also cannot know these secrets. When I stopped reading the script, it made my work easier,” the actor told Inquirer Entertainment in a recent interview.

Aidan is the eldest son of influential businessman Carlos Fiero (John Arcilla), who manages the family-owned Blazing Fiero cockpit arena. Aidan’s father is also suspected to be behind the disappearance of four houseworkers of the aristocratic family.

Overprepared

“It took a while before I discovered the [acting] process that actually worked for me. I tried different techniques—I tried overpreparing by memorizing my lines, I also tried not talking much to anyone on the set and simply focusing on my character. I likewise tried using my personal experiences in order to easily express emotions while working on difficult or intense scenes,” he began.

“Later on, I discovered that it helps if I study the story and know my character well, but when I’m on the set, I maintain a blank face. I start being my character only when the director says, ‘action!’ Anticipating the things that will happen on the set doesn’t work for me. When the cameras start rolling, bahala na! Either I start feeling the right emotion right away, or I ask for a second take,” Zanjoe said.

The actor was last seen in the top-rated drama series “The Broken Marriage Vow,” where he played unrepentant womanizer David Ilustre. He said he made sure his supporters would see a different performance in “Dirty Linen.”

“Aidan is far from David, who is so open about his being a babaero. This guy has many secrets. The audience will really have to watch out for him, because a lot of the story’s biggest secrets, its wildest twists, involve him,” the actor said.

A special screening, which featured the “abridged” version of the series’ pilot week, was held at the Trinoma Mall cinemas recently. Zanjoe explained that the said version did not show a lot of Aidan’s more important scenes because they would spoil the story for the audience.

“We don’t want viewers to figure out some of the secrets before they should. Things will unfold in the coming weeks, not only for Aidan, but also for a lot of the characters in the story.

Through the years

Even I was amazed to see how scenes ended up connected to each other in the end,” he said.

In a previous interview, series director Onat Diaz said Zanjoe is the leading man of choice of a lot of productions. Asked for his reaction to this, Zanjoe said this positive reception is most likely the result of all the good seeds he has planted through the years. “When I joined this business, I didn’t know anything about acting at all,” said Zanjoe, whose entry to show biz was via the talent search show “Pinoy Big Brother.” “I guess my bosses saw that I was eager to learn, listened to criticisms, and tried to work professionally. I also noticed that the people I’ve worked with through the years are happy with what I’ve become. They are aware of how much I’ve developed as an actor.”

Zanjoe also said this was also because he puts importance on the relationships he has formed with coworkers through the years. “I don’t consider myself a good actor. I’m not like the others who even studied to be one. I still rely on the people around me for help,” he said. “I also make sure to think of my coactors’ needs. I give support when I feel that it is needed from me. The chemistry you find between actors in most love stories is not developed by just one. It’s all about partnership.”

In “Dirty Linen,” Zanjoe is paired with Janine Gutierrez, who was last seen in the romantic-comedy series “Marry Me, Marry You.” The program, codirected by Onat Diaz and Andoy Ranay, has been airing on the Kapamilya Channel, from Monday to Friday, at 9:30 p.m., since Jan. 23. INQ

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