One of the biggest child
superstars on TV for ABS-CBN had been Zaijian Jaranilla. While he has done work
for both major networks, he is best remembered as a Kapamilya, especially when
he played the lead role of Jesus-pal Santino in the 2009 tele-serye “May Bukas
Pa.” He would figure prominently in at least two more soaps afterwards, but as
he grew older Jaranilla would be more often seen performing one-off roles in
episodes of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” or “Ipaglaban Mo.” But now he has a new lead gig
in a series that is streaming exclusively on the iWant platform.
The Manila Bulletin has it that Zaijian Jaranilla is starring in a
new streaming series on iWant titled “Story of My Life.” This series’ theme is
particularly poignant for Jaranilla, as it deals with the trials and
tribulations of youth going through life while struggling with mental health
problems, particularly depression. The former Kapamilya child star looks to
cement his new image as a teen actor in the role of Rex, a constantly depressed
teen looking for love and affection due to having a neglectful mother, and
overachieving brother, being ostracized in school, and suffering heartbreak
from a crush that he thought was the only good thing in his world.
While the circumstances are
fairly dramatic, the experiences of Rex are familiar to Jaranilla who has had
some ups and downs during his early-bird showbiz career. He notes that
mentally-troubled people risk increased turmoil when getting involved in the
entertainment industry, which can be very intrusive especially regarding the
lives of celebrities. “When you’re in showbiz, your life is very open,” says
Zaijian. “It’s like every little thing can cause issues. But we’re just human,
and we lose patience too.”
So far, the one-time star of “May
Bukas Pa” has avoided the pitfalls that could lead to depression by learning to
keep his attention on more positive things. “I just keep thinking that there
are always opportunities coming my way,” Jaranilla remarks adding, “Then I use
all the rejections that have happened to me as inspiration.” Another perk for
Zaijian that helps him avoid being down is his consciously minimal usage of
social media. Nevertheless, he feels knows enough about depression and the
importance of mental health to faithfully characterize his role of Rex, who
seeks empathy and compassion from a world that tends to be very harsh on him.
“Story of My Life,” directed by Barry Gonzales
III and co-starring Tart Carlos, Iyah Mina, Raul Montessa, Vance Larena, Belle
Mariano, and Alyanna Angeles, is available for streaming on iWant.
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