So when people learn that Jake Cuenca is the grand-nephew of former MTRCB chief Manoling Morato (Jake’s father is the son of Manoling’s sister; while Alicia Cuenca, the model-socialite with a classic beauty, is Jake’s aunt), the first thing they ask him is, "How does your Lolo react to your sexy image?"
Protesting that he’s not really a sexy/bold actor (the X-Ray pictorial was an exception, he qualified), Jake would smile and say, "He hasn’t seen it (the magazine). Besides, everytime there’s a family gathering, we don’t really talk about showbiz."
Jake is the first one from his clan to join showbiz.
At the age of nine, he started as a commercial model. Now 19 (a Capricorn, born in San Jose, California on Dec. 30), Jake at 15 was discovered by movie writer Neil de Guia (now Jake’s manager) for showbiz.
"I really like to act," he said. "I mean, I can dance but it’s acting that I want to excell in. Even as a kid, I loved to entertain people.
So engrossed is Jake in showbiz that he has decided to temporarily quit school (he’s in fourth year high school at Southridge). "But I promised my parents that I will resume my studies soon," added Jake who lived in the States until he was three years old. He enjoys dual citizenship (his mom is Filipino and his dad is, although a Spaniard, an American citizen).
"I had a happy childhood," recalled Jake (full name: Juan Carlos Cuenca). "I loved hanging around with older people. I learned a lot from them. Now that I’m an actor, I can use what I learned from them in my craft."
Introduced in the youth-oriented show Click on GMA 7, Jake went on to star in Love to Love, Majika, Enkantadia and Joy Ride (with occasional guestings on S.O.P., all on the same channel. He’s now with ABS-CBN where he’s doing his first soap (after a stint in Pedro Penduko, with Matt Evans in the title role), Sana Maulit Muli, which premieres on Monday, Jan. 8. Directed by Jerome Pobocan and Tots Sanchez-Mariscal, Sana Maulit Muli is topbilled by Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson in a love story "tested by time, by fate, a love for a family member or a lover" starting when Kim and Gerald meet as stowaways in a ship from Cebu.
Jake plays Gerald’s brother, with Gloria Diaz as their mother.
"My character is a troubled youth, a typical teenager going through growing-up pains," explained Jake, "a teenager who reflects the problems most teenagers today are confronted with."
Asked if he has ever been a "problem child" in real life, Jake smiled. "I’m a good boy."
Jake stands 5’11", weighs 160 lbs., with a 31-inch waistline, and wears small-size shirt and size-11 shoes.
What exercise do you do?
"I play soccer on Sundays and, if I have the time, on Tuesdays. The game requires a lot of running. When I’m free, I work out in the gym. I lift weights."
What part of your body is your favorite?
"My abs."
What part do you think needs some improvement?
"My biceps. I have small arms. I should work harder on them."
What part is most vulnerable?
"My heart!"
Oh, you’re like Alessandra da Rossi!
"It’s really the most vulnerable part of my body."
What part of a girl’s body turns you on?
"The butt."
And what part of a girl’s body do you look at first?
"Her face."
What kind of diet do you follow?
"I avoid carbs (rice, etc.). But I do eat healthy carbs like wheat bread. I eat more of chicken and fish, vegetables and fruits."
What about vitamins and minerals (or supplements)?
"I take multi-vitamins and supplements to build up my muscles."
How much sleep do you get per night?
"I try to get as much as seven hours."
What’s your favorite sleeping wear?
"I sleep in my own room alone, so sometimes I sleep in the nude. Otherwise, I sleep in boxer’s shorts."
Do you bring a girl home?
"I don’t. Otherwise, my mom will kill me. But I invite friends over to the house every now and then."
No sleepovers?
"None. Bawal! My brother will kick me out of the house." (He’s the second of three children.)
What’s the last thing that you do before you go to sleep?
"I pray."
And the first thing that you do when you wake up?
"Take a bath."
How much water do you take per day?
"Five glasses, usually distilled water. Mineral water makes me feel bloated. Besides water, I take juices. For more energy, I take Gatorade."
How do you cope with stress?
"I let it out in the gym or in sports. Sometimes, I listen to music."
What kind of music do you like?
"Rock music."
Any favorite hideaway?
"None. When I have a problem, I just drive around and around, with nowhere to go. By myself. That way, I can sort things out better."
Favorite city?
"Valencia, Spain. I’ve been there twice. I feel at home there. Many of my relatives live there."
How’s your love life?
"None. Right now, I’m focused on my career. I don’t want to be distracted."
How do you deal with aggressive girls?
"Politely."
No, ehem, one-night stands or "quickies"?
"For me, sex is something special, something only people who really love each other should do...not just sex for the sake of sex."
How many times have you been in love?
"Only twice."
How’s your nightlife?
"I’m fed up with gimmicks. I’d rather now stay home and listen to music and watch movies."
What kind of movies do you like?
"All kinds. The last movie I watched was A Scanner Darkly (on DVD), starring Keanu Reeves."
Who are your favorite actors?
"The senior ones – Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and Dustin Hoffman. I also watch a lot of old movies."
Are you vain like most good-looking guys?
"Not naman to the extent of checking myself in the mirror all the time. If I am presentable enough, it’s okay with me."
How long does it take you to fix yourself?
"Fast! Now that I have shorter hair, it takes me only so many minutes."
What’s your outlook in life?
"I look at the bright side. I live one day at a time."
What’s one thing that you cannot do without?
"My rosary, given to me by brother who got it from Italy. I never leave home without it."
Name three women you think have nice bodies.
"Rachel McAdams. Eva Longoria. Beyoncé."
And three men...
"Brad Pitt. One day, I want to have a body like his...Tom Cruise...and Ashton Kutcher."
Using only body language, how would you make a girl know that you admire/like her?
"Through eye contact."
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)