Tinutukso namin si Jeffrey Hildalgo na nerdy. Paano ba naman sila ng sister niyang si Arnee Hidalgo ay parang nag-PhiSci (Philippine Science High School) na napaka-hirap makapasa. Tapos, naging DOST (Department of Science and Technology) scholar pa raw siya at that time.
Kaya naman pala kahit successful ang career niya noon sa Smokey Mountain, pinull-out siya ng mommy niya para maka-pokus sa pag-aaral. Labo din ng mom niya, e. Knowing na may boses ang anak, she pushed Jeffrey to try and be a performer dahil frustrated singer ang mom niya. Kalaunan, siya din pala magko-convince kay Jeffrey to leave Smokey Mountain na. (Joke lang po.) In college, nag-UP (University of the Philippines naman si Jepoy (his nickname) at Chemical Engineering lang naman ang course at nag-graduate pa sa the 11th in his class.
Singing scientist pala.
In fairness, nagamit naman daw niya ang pagka-Chem Eng niya dahil ang itinayo niyang business ay mag-manufacture ng mga cleaning agents, which they supplied sa mga restaurants. Running smoothly naman daw ito until nag-pandemic at nagsara ang mga restaurants kaya directly affected sila.
In between, kahit nag-aaral siya, naisingit naman niyang magka-solo career as singer and eventually ay nabigyan na ng acting jobs. Kaya kahit nagpapaka-dalubhasa sa sciences, hinahatak pa rin siya ng arts.
Ang arts eventually won. Habang nag-aartista, nag-oobserve siya ang fell in love with the behind the camera aspects of filmmaking such as scriptwriting and directing. Sumubok-subok gumawa ng mga music videos and he took a filmmaking crash course in Dubai in 2009.
But it wasn’t until 2015 when he directed his first full-length indie film with mainstream cast, ang romantic thriller na Silong starred in by Piolo Pascual and Rhian Ramos, who played as a mysterious woman na kinupkop ni Piolo.
Even in that first output, kita na ang fondness niya to titillate the senses. But he immersed sa moviemaking some more by joining the companies of creatives.
And this time around, as he signed up with Viva once again, he signed up as actor and director. He made it clear that as director, he’s pursuing the erotic genre. He already knows na ito ang gusto niyang trademark, so to speak. Viva greenlighted his erotica trilogy concept, starting with Adan na pinagbibidahan ni Mahjong Nights star Angeli Khang.
Hindi daw ang Eva ang una sa concept niya but the bosses convinced him to start his trilogy with Eva, which he describes as unapologetically sensual. In the future, he wants to create an erotica universe kung saan nagko-cross over ang mga sexy characters niya sa iba’t ibang projects na may one wholistic storyline.
We told him, maraming hindi maka-get over sa fact na isa na siyang erotica director. And once you view his Eva trailer, parang mahirap paniwalaan na siya ang nag-ministrate ng lahat ng iyon.
Bait-baitan kasi ang aura ni Jeffrey. Maski siya ay aware na ang tingin sa kanya ng mga tao ay “parang academe” na walang naughty and “dark side.” Even some members of the press ay naninibago sa kanya to the point na tila hindi matanggap na ito ang napili niyang genre.
“Surprise!” natatawang sabi niya. “Susko naman, nasa age na tayo...hindi naman na tayo teenager. I’m just enjoying my evolution as an artist. And I’m embracing din also the fearlessness that my materials are bringing to the table. Sana magustuhan naman nila.”
Does his art reflect daw kaya his bedroom persona? In short, ma-elya daw kaya siya kaya siya nandito sa mundong ito?
“S’yempre meron...hindi naman p’wede na gagawin ko ’to tapos...”
Gaano daw, tanong ng fans?
“’Yon ang s’yempre, something that I will leave to your imagination.”
