Jake Ejercito’s journey into acting was made a bit easy by the tips he got from his actor-dad, Joseph “Erap” Estrada, and “Marry Me, Marry You” co-stars, the veteran actresses Cherry Pie Picache and Sunshine Dizon.

“Considering that it’s my first teleserye, it’s like being on a brand new planet for me! Everything’s new,” Ejercito said during the online press conference for the series, Sept. 2. The series is currently showing via the iWantTFC app, the Kapamilya online platforms, A2Z and TV5 channels, and The Filipino Channel.

Being new to the teleserye format, Ejercito feels like he is groping in the dark as far as acting is concerned, especially during “the firsts few shooting days,” he confessed.

“Undeniably, the first few days, the jitters were there,” the actor said. “We’ve such an amazing cast. Everyone, from the director to everyone behind the camera, everyone’s so encouraging and supportive.”

One of the main lessons he got from Picache and Dizon “is to be real and be true to your character.”

jake ejercito ig — Jake Ejercito. Image: Instagram/@unoemilio

“Siyempre si daddy 1960s, 1970s pa siya so medyo old school din ‘yung mga advice niya sa akin. Sasabihin niya, ‘Kaibiganin mo ‘yung mga cameraman para maganda ‘yung mga anggulo mo or sikuhin mo ‘yung leading man para medyo umangat ka nang konti, mga gano’n, very old school,” he said.

(Of course, daddy was a 1960s, 1970s (actor) so his advice to me were old school. He would tell me, “Make friends with the cameraman so your angles would be nice,” or “Elbow the leading man so you will stand out a little,” things like that, very old school.)

Ejercito plays Cedric Banez in the series, the best friend of Paulo Avelino’s Andrei character. Is it a villain role?

“Without giving away too much, I started as a BFF of Paulo and I also work for him in his tech company. Hanggang dumating ang character ni Janine (Until Janine’s character came). Medyo mate-test ‘yung friendship namin ni Paulo (My friendship with Paulo will be tested),” he teased. JB

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