Jericho Rosales Is Taking Bold Creative Risks and Breaking Boundaries

From taking on a complex character in "Lavender Fields" to embracing his passion for producing and writing, Asia's Drama King continues challenging himself and redefining his role in the entertainment industry

Judy Arias

October 1, 2024, 05:04 PM

Jericho Rosales pushes himself to find new ways of connecting with his character, as he takes on the role of Tyrone in "Lavender Fields." | Photography by Renzo Navarro

Jericho Rosales has always been known for bringing authenticity and depth to every role he takes on. But now, he’s showing that his talents go far beyond acting. Echo’s creative journey is evolving in exciting ways, focusing on new roles, producing, and even writing. Through his “Yes Year,” he’s stepping out of his comfort zone, challenging himself in ways that reflect his growth not just as an actor but also as a storyteller and creative force.

His latest project, Lavender Fields, has captivated audiences with its intriguing storyline and complex characters. But for Echo, it’s more than just another teleserye—it’s an opportunity to challenge the conventions of the genre and push himself as an actor.

Digging deeper

When discussing his character Tyrone, Echo’s excitement is palpable. “Tyrone being complex, fun for me. Tyrone being challenging, fun for me,” he says. “The more challenging it is, the more areas that I haven’t explored and touched, the better for me.”

For Echo, taking on the role of Tyrone isn’t just about delivering a performance—it’s about pushing himself to find new ways of connecting with the character. He reveals that despite having portrayed numerous roles throughout his career, Lavender Fields offered moments of discovery. “I have a lot of moments reading [the] script and then catching myself thinking, ‘What am I gonna do here?’” Jericho explains. “There have been moments kasi before na ‘Ah alam ko na ’yan,’ I go to work and ‘ah automatic na,’ and then I find ways to change it.”

For Echo, the joy lies in reinventing how teleseryes are performed. “This one I have a lot of moments na, sure, nagawa ko na ’to, pero mas maraming moments na, ‘Oh bago ito ah!’” The challenge, he says, is keeping the emotions grounded while maintaining simplicity, even in a larger-than-life teleserye setting. “I’m really practicing restraint and simplicity,” he adds.

One of the key elements that makes Tyrone such a complex character is his constant struggle with guilt. For Echo, tapping into that emotional depth required drawing from his own life experiences. “My character has a constant companion: guilt. Guilt is a heavy buddy to carry around,” he explains. “So Tyrone walks around having guilt, parang Inside Out e no?, parang ganon siya, and regret.”

This layer of complexity allowed him to explore new emotional depths, reflecting the themes embedded in the series: love, loss, and second chances which actually resonate deeply with him. “I love second chances, second chances are sweet,” he says. “I think they’re gifts. Love, I’m very familiar with, loss? I’m also familiar.” he explains, drawing parallels between his role and real life. “There’s a bunch of things that I already experienced, and I’m grateful that I’ve experienced these emotions in my life.”

Elevating acting in Sellblock

While Lavender Fields challenged Echo emotionally, his upcoming project Sellblock pushed him both physically and mentally. When he started talking about this project, his energy shifted—it was clear how excited he was about this role.

“I was offered Sellblock years ago, before the pandemic,” Echo shares. The long development process gave him time to prepare both mentally and physically. “It took years of preparation,” he recalls. “Tagal, may action scenes nu’n e. Nag-train ako actually. I have two busted shoulders, and I was doing therapy while doing it, but I was also doing action scenes.”

For Echo, the physical demands of Sellblock were unlike anything he had done before. “They gave me a great action director to work with, and of course, I had to workout,” he says. “Then I shaved my head, and I was given enough time.” To bring Cenon to life, he drew inspiration from some of cinema’s most iconic complex characters, such as the Joker. His goal was to explore what drives such characters and their inner battles, bringing a sense of depth to his portrayal in Sellblock. This approach allowed him to add layers to the character, making it far more than just a traditional action role.

Sellblock which chronicles the activities of powerful drug empires operating from inside Philippine prisons, is another example of Echo’s commitment to taking on roles that challenge him in new ways.

The pilot episode was screened for producers and distributors from around the world, marking an exciting debut for the project on the global stage.

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The power of producing

Producing has allowed Jericho to take on more creative control over the projects he’s passionate about. “I was always fearful, scared,” he admits. “Doing therapy, that’s what I discovered—low self-esteem, and resulting in not being able to reach for my dreams.” This realization became a turning point for him, leading him to embrace producing with a fresh perspective. “When I started working on the things that I really wanted to do, the stories I wanted to tell, and just bravery and courage being on my side, and belief in myself, that’s when I said, ‘Okay, producing.’”

He sees producers as the backbone of any project. “Producers are like the mothers of every project,” he explains. “They will be there during development, up to the end—sales, marketing, and backends. They’re always present whenever everyone is calling them.”

His approach to producing isn’t just about logistics or money, it’s about fostering a creative environment. “I have huge respect to producers,” Echo says, “because they are the ones who stay involved from start to finish. They make sure that everyone is doing their best work and enjoying the process.”

For Echo, producing is about connecting with others and nurturing creativity on set. “I’m a connector kasi. I know how to connect people, find people. I’m also a hunter. I don’t mind hunting films, stories, people,” he says with a smile. Producing allows him to bring together creative minds and turn ideas into reality.

A storyteller by heart

In addition to acting and producing, Echo has also been quietly honing his writing skills. While he describes himself as a “reluctant writer,” his passion for storytelling through words is undeniable. “I never stop writing kasi,” Jericho says with a laugh. “I’m also a writer in secret. I wrote Pusong Ligaw, Bumuhos Man Ang Ulan, and Dahil sa Pag-Ibig.”

His writing, however, isn’t just limited to lyrics. He is working on a film script, a project that has allowed him to explore new creative avenues. “I’m actually currently writing a film right now,” Jericho reveals. “I just can’t announce any details yet, but I have a partner. I’ve co-written with some of my friends.”

Writing is a way to express his love for storytelling in a different format. “I write stories, not scripts,” he says with a smile. “Maybe someday I’ll be a scriptwriter if I have more time.”

As he looks ahead to future projects, Echo is excited for what’s to come. “We’re working on a bunch of film projects starting 2025, with different kinds of roles and stuff, so watch out for that,” he says. His passion for storytelling—whether through acting, producing, or writing—is stronger than ever, and he’s ready to take on whatever challenges lie ahead.

Lavender Fields, directed by Emmanuel Quindo Palo and Jojo Saguin, airs weeknights at 8:45PM after FPJ’s Batang Quiapo on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, andTV5! It is also available on iWantTFC, TFC, and Netflix!

Check out more photos from Jericho Rosales’ Metro cover shoot in the gallery below: