In his three decades as an actor, Jhong Hilario has taken on a slew of kontrabida roles both on television and film, allowing him to not just hone and exhibit his acting skills but to also prove his versatility and caliber as an actor. And the latest addition to his growing resume is his promising portrayal of Django, the wicked and treacherous nemesis of main character Gabo, played by lead actor-director Coco Martin in “Coco Martin’s Sigabo.”
Just on the first two episodes, Django has surely already gotten into the nerves not only of Gabo but of the audiences too, because of how deceitful, arrogant, and vicious he is. They used to be partners-in-crime when Gabo was still part of the gun-for-hire syndicate being run by Django’s father, Paquito (Rez Cortez). However, they instantly became enemies when Django betrayed Gabo in their last mission together, which resulted in the latter’s incarceration for eight years.
As Gabo made his surprise comeback to Barangay Ginintuang Lupa upon being granted parole, viewers were treated to the long-awaited, ferocious showdown between him and Django as he unhesitatingly accepted his longtime rival's bold challenge for a one-on-one square-off. Fueled by years of anger and resentment, Gabo was determined to make Django pay for everything he had done to him. He relentlessly beat Django up and nearly knocked him out, leaving him bruised, bloodied, and utterly defeated by the time Gabo decided to put an end to their clash.
Let us hear straight from Jhong the rigorous and meticulous preparations that he and the “Sigabo” team had carried out to achieve the seamless execution of their high-octane fight scenes via his interview with CCM Film Productions.
He began by sharing the approach he follows in portraying Django. According to him, he simply gives the script and story what they require, allowing the character to develop naturally, as if he is merely playing the role. He also revealed that beyond delivering Django’s fiery lines as written, he intentionally throws in a little playful provocation in his pursuit of irritating not only Gabo but the audiences, too—a technique he apparently learned from late legendary screen villains and action stars Eddie Garcia and Paquito Diaz.
In addition to figuring out what the script or story demands, Jhong emphasized the significance of knowing the backstory of his character, Django, whom he firmly believes is not inherently cruel but rather a product of his circumstances.
“Kailangan alam mo ‘yong istorya. Doon ka humuhugot e, ‘di ba?” Kasi syempre may mga backstory ‘yan, kung bakit ba siya naging ganyan,” he related. “May mga hugot ‘yan sa buhay. Hindi lang naman basta naging masama ‘yan eh.”
For Jhong, poverty plays a major role in shaping Django into the person he becomes. Coming from a family living in a squatter community in Tondo—an area long burdened by stereotypes of crime and disorder—Django grows up believing that escaping hardship sometimes means resorting to desperate measures or “kapit sa patalim” in order to survive and improve one’s life.
At the same time, Django faces a personal conflict involving his father, who is known as the "king" of the “Ginintuang Lupa.” He sees following in his father’s footsteps as a shortcut to wealth and a way out of poverty, even if it means becoming involved in illegal and morally questionable activities.
One of the directors of “Coco Martin’s Sigabo,” Direk Richard V. Somes, also spoke about the development of Django’s compelling character, who, according to him, is a brainchild of Coco. Direk Richard praised Coco’s creativity in crafting characters, noting that strong characterization is a crucial element of the series.
He further divulged that the primary arc of Django revolves around protecting the influence of his father’s syndicate and maintaining control over their barangay, which they regard as their territory. This objective becomes even more challenging with the return of Gabo, who is widely recognized as the true “Siga ng Tondo.”
Aside from the exclusive interviews with Jhong and Direk Richard, the video also takes viewers behind the scenes of Gabo and Django’s intense and brutal fight sequences featured in the first and third episodes of “Coco Martin’s Sigabo.”
Do not miss the next episodes of “Coco Martin’s Sigabo,” weeknights at 8PM on ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, Kapamilya Channel, TV5, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), or stream anytime on iWant!
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