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The Relentless Wonder of Anthony Jennings
The 23-year-old actor opens up about his breakout role in "Can't Buy Me Love," learning to read and write at an older age, and being his family’s breadwinner.
Published Feb 28, 2024
Whatever life throws at him, Anthony Jennings' light refuses to lose its luster.
There are many similarities between Anthony Jennings and Snoop Manansala. The actor behind the fan-favorite character would readily admit it, too.
“Oo naman,” the 23-year-old responds when asked if he relates to his role in Can’t Buy Me Love. For one, a fast quip would easily slip in between conversations with Anthony, in the way that is famous with his teleserye role. Despite what life has thrown at them, both have an untainted brightness that seems almost invincible—and by the looks of it, it’s something that won’t shutter anytime soon.
Karlo Cadang
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Anthony Jennings for Preview In Focus February 2024
A Natural Chemistry
These days, the two names, both real-life and his fictional counterpart, are tied together in almost synonymous ways. Anthony’s stint as Snoop in the Donny Pangilinan- and Belle Mariano-led series has captured the attention of both regular viewers and casuals alike, in part due to his unexpected chemistry with Maris Racal’s Irene Tiu.
“Wala kaming idea na magkaka-love interest kami,” Anthony admits. In hindsight, however, the pairing is textbook rom-com: Two characters from vastly different social backgrounds come together in an unlikely circumstance, coupled with their contrasting personalities. Chaos ensues, and somewhere along the way, poop-y hilarity, chemistry, and a potential loveline blooms.
Karlo Cadang
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To put it into context, it isn’t a surprise that the Filipino audience, known to often crave a good old-fashioned romantic comedy, has been drawn to the allure of Snoop and Irene or Snorene. While its writers and directors have had a good hand in developing the pairing, much of their pull also comes from the natural camaraderie between Anthony and Maris.
Previously, the two actors admitted that many lines in the show weren’t part of the original script. “’Yung mga na-rehearse namin, minsan, pag ti-nake na namin, may mga bagay na sa rehearsals hindi namin ginawa,” Anthony reveals. “Sa mismong eksena, biglang lumalabas ’yung joke mo doon.”
Anthony and Maris share a mutual taste in humor, which translates to the screen and to the audience’s own brand of comedy. When Anthony recalls his verbal ping-pong with his co-star, it all came down to matching each other’s levels. “Mahirap ’yung ganoong biglaan ’yung chemistry niyo,” he explains. “Si Maris, magaling talaga siya sa trabaho niya. Para sa akin, gusto ko sundan ’yung level na ’yun. [Nung nalaman ko makakaeksena ko siya,] feeling ko magiging maganda ’to.”
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Karlo Cadang
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But while Snoop and Irene have become associated with easy banter, recent scenes have cast light on the pairing’s more serious side. In certain episodes, the characters face a pregnancy scare that has both growing anxious about their future. Snoop, in a show of his honor as a character, vowed to take responsibility for the child if Irene happened to have one. Fans called it their “serious era,” with the pair showing the potential range that they have. Still, it’s only a tiny peek into a side of the pairing yet to unfold. “Marami pa ’yung ilalabas. Mas masakit. ’Yun ’yung may times na gusto niyo naman ’yung isa’t isa, pero may barrier na hindi pwedeng maging kayo.”
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It’s during these scenes that Anthony absorbs the emotion of his character, which is a stark difference from the more lighthearted Snoop who Anthony dubs as almost “chismoso.” Compared to his previous roles, Snoop is more forthright and vocal. He’s younger than his best friend Bingo (played by Donny Pangilinan), but as the serious scenes manifested, Snoop tapped into a character growth that’s required of him because of life’s rough course. “Mas pagkabata pa siya. Inaaral niya pa lang ’yung side ng maturity,” Anthony says. “‘’Yung pinagdaanan niya, tinuturo sa kanya ng buhay ’yun.”
Karlo Cadang
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Learning the Ropes
In a way, this is where another similarity between Anthony and Snoop comes into play. Like his character, Anthony is unabashed by his humble beginnings. While born in Manila, a young Anthony would grow up backdropped by several locales as their family moved from place to place, driven by the need due to landlords’ contract changes and rising rental fees. He would find himself in Cainta, Rizal for much of his growing years, which later changed to Parañaque, Antipolo, and at some point, to a year-or-so-long stay in Negros Occidental with his lolo and lola. There, Anthony spent his time with his grandparents in the province, where he even earned money while fishing.
With their family’s fickle financial situation and their impermanent address, Anthony had to halt his studies at the beginning of his elementary education. The actor narrated his story to Ogie Diaz in a now-famous interview, where he revealed his struggle with reading and writing upon entering showbiz. Anthony, alongside the help of his parents, had trained himself to fully read by age 10 or 11—which, he notes, was a late start compared to most.
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In a industy filled with formal agreements and potentially ill-willed prying eyes, this caused a slight disadvantage to his fledgling career on screen. “Nahirapan ako noon na hindi ko alam kung paano bumasa ng kontrata,” he admits. “Kung bibigyan mo ako ng kontrata ’nung bata ako, pwedeng-pwedeng mo akong maloko. Kinailangan kong aralin ’yun.”
Karlo Cadang
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Fortunately, however, Anthony says that his handlers and managers remained on his side. They were aware of everything from the beginning, he expresses, and his situation wasn’t treated like a stumbling block. In a world of celebrity aspirants, venturing into becoming an artista is often laced with its financial advantages—think reality show contestants, who’d often begin their rags-to-riches story in the glitz of stardom. Anthony admits that this element, like most, plays a practical part in his career. “Actually, kasama naman talaga siya,” he says.
While being an actor was a path he had always put into consideration, Anthony began with a point of uncertainty. “’Nung nakapasok na ako sa showbiz, ewan ko kung si-seryosohin ko ba.” Before finding his name among the call sheets of teleseryes, he had appeared in several local ads. At that point in time, he already felt settled. “’Yun lang talaga ang plano ko ’nung una. Okay na ako sa kitaan ko sa commercial.”
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But Anthony’s commercial run would then shift to more auditions, including an unsuccessful bid with ABS-CBN’s rival network. Luck struck masked by rejection, when soon after, he would be tapped by Star Magic, and ended up attending acting workshops after meeting former head Johnny Manahan or Mr. M. “Doon pa lang, alam ko na acting talaga ’yung gusto kong tahakin. Tinry ko kumanta, tinry ko sumayaw, wala talagang lumalabas. Sa luha may lumabas eh,” he jests. “Sabi ko, ‘Ah, acting ’to!”
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The uncertainty transformed into a full-fledged passion for the craft after being knee-deep into the industry and its know-how. This would manifest in small ways, from glimpsing monitors after a take, to Anthony ruminating how he could improve his approach with a scene. “’Nung tumatagal, napapamahal ka na sa ginagawa mo,” he says. “Nandun na ’yung love, ’yung passion mo sa work mo. And happy ako kasi nakakatulong.”
The Pursuit of Happiness
Passion and practicality are a balancing act for any artist, but as a long-time breadwinner, Anthony had often placed the latter as a priority. After the passing of his British father in 2022, the actor had to take the helm as his family’s main provider. Prior to this, it had always been him and his dad who acted hand-in-hand to support their household.
“Nung una, hindi ko masyado na naiisip na ‘Nahihirapan ba ako?’” he remarks. “Masaya lang ako na kumikita ako, nakakapagtrabaho ako, na natutulungan ko ’yung pamilya ko. Never ko naman na feel na naging pabigat sila. Masaya naman ako na may nakakakain kami ilang beses sa araw, na nakakapag-aral ’yung mga kapatid ko.”
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Like Snoop, there has always been a bright light that shines from Anthony, despite the dark shadows that can often linger in life. Jokes and laughter are a staple when it comes to the young actor, and to him, it’s second nature. “’Yung lungkot ko, ginagawa kong comedy minsan. Minsan sobrang taas ng energy ko. Pag nagseryoso ako, parang natatawa pa rin sila, hindi pa rin daw ako mukhang seryoso,” he says, noting a time while shooting Can’t Buy Me Love. “Masaya ako sa buhay ko, eh. Ito ’yung binigay ng Diyos sa akin.”
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He may have gotten his attitude from his father, who, he says, still made them laugh despite having a difficult time underneath. However, it isn’t to say that Anthony leans into toxic positivity and unquestioned resilience now, as the actor shares that he can surrender to sadness, too. It’s healthy to do so once in a while, after all, as he lets himself fall into those feelings, and then, once he’s come to terms with them, he veers to the brighter side of things once again.
“Ang dami ko na kasi pinagdaanan. Pinatibay na ako ng mga bagay na ’yun.” He says, point-blank, “Ano pa ba ’yung mga mapapabangga at mapapasaktan [sa akin]?”
Karlo Cadang
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These days, Anthony still has a list of goals. On top of his priority is finishing his schooling, as well as for his siblings to complete theirs, too. As an actor, he hopes to bring even the tiniest sparks of happiness to his viewers, even if it’s just a quick fragment in their lives’ bigger picture.
He cites an instance of when a mom of his fan approached him, who had mentioned their child’s open heart surgery. “Isa ’yun sa parang pinakapangarap ko dati, nakakapagpasaya ka ng mga tao,” he expresses. “’Yung maalis mo man lang ’yung problema, ’yung karamdaman nila for a while man lang. Lagi ko nang sinasabi sa sarili ko, kailangan ko magpasaya ng tao.”
Karlo Cadang
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In the role of Snoop, Anthony steps into the set with this goal in mind—to make people “happy.” It isn’t to be comedic, per se, but with his natural embodiment of the character. If Snoop and Irene’s eager viewers are proof enough, it’s clear that he’s well on track with his wishes—and maybe, even surpassing them.
“Sabi ko nga, okay lang sa akin na hindi makilala ’yung pangalan ko, na Anthony Jennings. Okay na sa akin, na makikilala lang ’yung character ko,” he says.
But, of course, we might have to beg to differ—for Snoop to shine brightly, Anthony Jennings’ wondrous spark would have to light him first.
Karlo Cadang
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Produced and Styled by The Preview Team
Photographer: Karlo Cadang
Creative Director: Bacs Arcebal
Editor-in-Chief: Marj Ramos-Clemente
Production: Reg Rodriguez
Grooming: Aron Guevara
Hairstyling: Chino Maniquiz
Story: Katrina Maisie Cabral
Social Media: Jamie Lou Briones
Special thanks to Rise Artists Studio and Star Magic Philippines
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