Actor and recording artist Grae Fernandez chatted about starring in the Philippine drama TV series “Pamilya Sagrado.”
James Dean once said: “Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.” This quote to Grae Fernandez.
The synopsis of “Pamilya Sagrado” is: A prominent political family strives to maintain their pristine reputation, but a scandalous event threatens to tarnish their name.
Fernandez on being a part of ‘Pamilya Sagrado’
“My experience was super good,” he exclaimed. “We shot for about six months, from March to August. We had two months of workshops.”
“My character, Justin, was a race car driver so I had a day of learning how to drive stick shift. It’s all about family, politics, and frats, as well as the consequences and benefits of fraternities back in the Philippines,” he said.
“It is all about the family dynamics back in the Philippines, and a lot about politics and how power is abused in a third-word country just like the Philippines,” he noted.
“Also, whoever has any sort of power really gets to abuse that power and really use it in ways that are immoral and wrong,” he acknowledged.
Fernandez remarked, “My character, in the start of the show, manslaughters this other kid that wants to join a fraternity; that’s where the story starts off. My character’s father is a governor in the Philippines, and I am trying to cover it up and he is trying to cover it up.”
“It revolves a lot around fraternities and any political institutions where you have to earn your place into it, thanks why there are initiations,” he noted.
“The reason why people want to get into these fraternities in the Philippines is so that they can get opportunities. There is a benefit to it as well. It is setting you up for a good future after you leave the university setting after you finish your studies, so it does help,” he explained.
“My character is a Political Science major in the university, and when the story starts off, he wants to get into law school. His father is a politician and a prominent lawyer, so he wants to follow into his footsteps, but also does want to be a race car driver,” he elaborated.
“Our characters clash in the beginning because I tell him that my dream is to become a race car driver while he wants me to become a lawyer. While I am into the law, it is not my passion in life. A lot of circumstances happen afterward,” he explained.
Working with Kyle Echarri
On workign with Kyle Echarri, Fernandez said, “My good friend and co-star Kyle Echarri is a great actor, and he plays Moises. When the story starts off, Moises is the new kid in the university who wants to get his place, and he wants to make good with his family.”
“His character comes from humble beginnings,” he admitted. “That differentiates the social classes in the Philippines, which are very different than the United States, and you can see that on a regular basis.”
“Moises is just trying to be an architect and really uplift his family through success within his own chosen career,” he added.
Fernandez on playing Justin Sagrado
“My character, Justin Sagrado, is the villain and anti-hero, and I really didn’t want to play him as a caricature,” he said.
“I wanted to play him as a human being who has wants and needs,” he revealed.
“From the start of the story, Justin wants to be his own person. He is really looking for what makes his Justin, and not the son of a wealthy and famous politician Rafael (played by Piolo Pascual). It is really him being a kid,” he elaborated.
“Justin is a very intense guy and an alpha character who wants to dominate the whole situation and everyone he is around,” he said.
Fernandez continued, “Justin is the alpha of the fraternity, and he is a guy that is really looking for his place. He is highly competitive, selfish and he is a kid that is lost and fighting for his own survival, and he is fighting for his name, his family’s name and his reputation.”
“The story is really about Justin trying to find the love of his father and never getting it and finding his place in this world. Justin never gets the validation that he needs from his father,” he added.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Fernandez said, “Honestly, I love that the digital age gives us unlimited knowledge; I am a very curious guy. I love culture and information in general. It is all about how we use our phones and social networks. A tool can be anything you really want it to be.”
“For me, personally, I want to use it to be informed on any number of topics. We have all this unlimited information literally at our fingertips, and that’s how I like to use technology,” he said.
“Technology is both a good and bad thing,” he admitted. “There are people who have these platforms, and they do not use them for the best intentions.”
“Honestly, everyone prioritizes themselves first, but I think it should be used to really spread messages that are good for society and good for other people,” he added.
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and emerging actors, Fernandez said, “Honestly, I am a young and emerging actor as well. If you are serious about acting itself, do it for the love of the craft, and not for the money or the fame. You need to have a burning desire and a passion to be an actor.”
“Personally, I am a very big fan of movies and TV shows, and I am getting to know theatre as well,” he said. “As a person, I love stories and getting to know people.”
Success
Regarding his definition of success, Fernandez said, To be honest, you will feel success within yourself. It has to come from a sense of your own self-image and your own definition of success.”
“I try to be as present as I can, and be with my fellow actors, directors, and everyone involved in the project,” he acknowledged.
“Also, the day-to-day wins such as being professional and being on time. I’m very professional and punctual. It is about prioritizing the work first. Be considerate and caring for the other person,” he added.
Closing thoughts on ‘Pamilya Sagrado’
For his fans and followers, Fernandez said, “The series ‘Pamilya Sagrado’ has taught me to become a better human being. Honestly, just to be more considerate for our fellow humans.”
To learn more about actor and artist Grae Fernandez, follow him on Instagram and check out his IMDb page.
