Not one to rest on his laurels, Gerald Anderson has proven time and again that his passion for the craft only deepens. Nearly two decades since he first captured hearts as a teen heartthrob and grew into a bankable solo lead, we’ve seen him embrace every opportunity to evolve not just as an actor but as a true student of storytelling.
Known for being observant on set, Gerald has spent years soaking up everything he could from the industry greats who once directed him. So it's no surprise that he's now taking that chance to step behind the camera for his directorial debut via "Sins of the Father," the same teleserye he leads as an actor. If anything, this only feels like the natural next chapter in his journey.
For his first directorial assignment, Gerald tackled the high-stakes fight scene where his character Samuel must take on an overwhelming number of opponents, yes, he's both the star of the action and the one at the helm.
In an interview with ABS-CBN Studios, Gerald opens up about how fulfilling it feels to be part of a show that continues to deliver despite the growing competition from all kinds of content creators, including social media influencers. "We have to make sure na mas quality 'yung binibigay namin," says Gerald, who has always been involved in the making of their teleserye.
During one of their brainstorming sessions, the producers noticed how much he was contributing to the creative process, prompting JRB Creative Production head Julie Anne "JRB" Benitez to suggest that he take the director’s chair. Though he responded with a calm, “Sige po,” he admits he was secretly shocked by the offer.
He knew he had to take it seriously, “Preparation is everything. You have to come prepared talaga." He made sure to plan every detail so he could focus and stay relaxed when the shoot day came. And being surrounded by seasoned co-stars made the experience even smoother. “They’re all great actors, professional,” he recounts. “I’m very blessed kasi sina JC [De Vera], sina Kuya Joko [Diaz], sina LA [Santos], sila ‘yung mga ka-eksena ko kahapon na ako ‘yung nag-direk, and they were very supportive. Binigay nila ‘yung best nila.”
Even after almost two decades of acting, Gerald admits that starring in a new project still comes with jitters but "Sins of the Father" is an exception. For the first time in a long while, he recalls sitting through meetings and preparations without feeling that familiar anxiety, for this he credits the atmosphere fostered by the entire unit, especially producer JRB and director FM Reyes, for making him feel completely at ease. As the lead actor, that kind of support made a world of difference.
Although the pressure will always be there, this is the first project where nerves never got the better of him because he knew the whole team had his back. “I’m confident because I’m in a safe place. ‘Yung producers namin, ‘yung buong team, they take care of me and the least I can do is ibigay ko ‘yung best ko rin para sa kanila."
He also has nothing but praise for Direk FM, who made a conscious effort to build rapport with the cast, particularly with him in the lead. That connection, Gerald says, gave him the sense that he had an ally every step of the way. “Parang giyera ‘to, eh. Pagsabak sa giyera, parang may kakampi ako. It took away ‘yung mga doubt,” he explains. “Alam ko na ‘yung gagawin ko and that also came from the confidence na binibigay ng buong team from pinaka-top hanggang sa baba, the management of course.”
When asked about the most challenging part of directing, Gerald points to the tricky balancing act of performing in front of the camera while also calling the shots behind it. In the massive fight sequence he directed, he had to act on cam and then preview each take immediately after, which was a demanding process for someone with such a meticulous eye for detail. Gerald realized he's the type of director who would call for another take even with just the slightest flaw, such as a brief loss of camera focus or a small inconsistency in the blocking.
“I’m trying to finish everything, i-fast pace pero maganda pa rin ang kalalabasan,” he explains, aware of the many moving parts that go into making a single scene work. “Maraming factors, eh. Akala ng mga tao kapag napanood sa TV ang dali ng ginagawa namin, na all about glitz and glamour. Pero mahirap po ‘yung ginagawa namin.”
For Gerald, the challenge isn’t exclusive to the lead star or the director—it’s a shared grind, “It’s not an easy job, hindi lang sa artista kundi sa lahat."
The passion his teammates pour into the show, he matches with equal dedication. For him, they are the perfect ensemble, with each one contributing something vital to make the work shine. Knowing not everyone gets this kind of opportunity, Gerald makes it a point to give his all and prepare for anything related to the teleserye.
“The show is very important to me. Hanggang dulo ibibigay ko best ko,” he maintains.
The Kapamilya A-lister clearly enjoyed dipping his toes into the world of directing. “Masarap maging direktor, eh,” he affirms, likening it to coaching basketball where he guides younger players, correct their mistakes, and feels proud when he sees them willing to learn. That same sense of fulfillment is what he experienced on set, and while he enjoyed his first stint calling the shots, Gerald assures fans that he has no plans of stepping away from acting in front of the camera anytime soon.
Watch “Sins of the Father” on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, TV5 and iWant, weeknights. The series also stars Jessy Mendiola, RK Bagatsing, Shaina Magdayao, FranSeth (Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin), and Tirso Cruz III.