Jennylyn’s cup runneth over

MANILA, Philippines - Jennylyn Mercado is beaming with contentment. And why shouldn’t she? Her winning the Best Actress award at the recently-concluded 2014 Metro Manila Filmfest Awards Night for her performance in English Only, Please opposite Derek Ramsay has all the more made her star shine. Acting and endorsement offers have started coming in left and right. In fact, just by enumerating the various activities she is about to do beginning this month already makes it obvious that downtime is going to be pretty rare in her schedule.

Jennylyn shares that another movie with Derek is in the works yet the actress is mum on the details “because we still need to finalize everything. No, it’s not a sequel (to English Only, Please). It will be a different genre.”

Derek, she adds, has become her “instant loveteam” and she is happy about having an on-cam partner outside GMA 7, her mother network.

Asked if she was surprised that their team-up drew positive response from many people, Jennylyn nods with a smile. “All we wanted was for people to be entertained pero parang na-in love sila sa loveteam namin; kilig na kilig sila. It exceeded our expectations so thankful kami.”

She, too, expresses delight at clinching an acting award for a romantic-comedy role. “I was telling my mother that in the many drama projects that I did since I started in showbiz 10 years ago, this is my first time to get an acting award at first time ko din mag-comedy. Siguro dito ako nakalinya (laughs). The award adds pressure, in effect, knowing that we have to make sure that our next movie is better than the first.”

Her Best Actress win had also created a lot of buzz among showbiz watchers. Many agreed that she deserved the acting award while some thought otherwise. But Jennylyn is not the type who would further comment on the matter.

“We cannot please everybody,” says Jennylyn. “It’s really fine with me (to hear negative comments) because we are entitled to our own opinion. Even I have my own reason. And we cannot avoid those things, especially in this industry. Sanayan na lang.”

Besides, Jennylyn is more focused on her various commitments in and outside showbiz. Apart from doing a movie with Derek, Jennylyn is now prepping up for her Valentine show titled Oo, Ako Na! Ako Na Mag-isa… Samahan N’yo Naman Ako! on Feb. 13 at the SM North EDSA Skydome.

The 27-year-old actress also has her plate full with TV assignments. Her cooking show, Sarap with Family, that airs on GMA News TV is entering its new season. Starting on Monday, Jan. 12, Jennylyn is set to display her dramatic talent anew on GMA 7’s latest primetime series Second Chances with Rafael Rosell, Raymart Santiago and Camille Prats.

“On Sundays, I’m on SAS (Sunday All Stars), plus I have two new (product) endorsements. My schedule is so tight,” says Jennylyn who is still very much into triathlons even after having been operated on her knees due to an injury.

That’s why, her eyes grow wide in disbelief when asked if there is truth to the rumor that she and former flame Dennis Trillo are going out on dates. There were also reports that the two had been seen swimming together and that Jennylyn visited Dennis in his condo unit.

“I really don’t have much time to do that; nadagdagan na ulit ang work ko so parang san galing ‘yan?,” she amusingly asks back. “Dennis and I did not swim together; we were with the whole team as part of the training (in triathlon). I didn’t visit him in his condo.”

With her tight schedule, Jennylyn prefers to put love in the back burner. She stresses that she also needs to spend quality time with her son Alex Jazz. “Wala talagang time for love and I’m happy that most of my exes are now my friends. Like Mark (Herras), dumadalaw s’ya sa bahay.”

She has also become friends with Alex Jazz’s dad, Patrick Garcia. Truth is, she and Patrick’s soon-to-be wife Nikka Martinez are close to each other. “I will definitely attend their wedding in March since Alex Jazz is their ring bearer.”

Having been prodded to talk some more about her lovelife, Jennylyn says, “I don’t want to rush into a new relationship. I know a new love will come but right now zero pa talaga.”