Photo from MJ Felipe, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Theater actor and comedian Jerald Napoles admitted that while he enjoys doing comedy now, his life before was no joke.

He admitted that it was such a struggle for him financially to be a theater actor that he considered working abroad.

"Yung isa kong best friend, operations manager na siya ng isang fast food sa UAE. Nung nagte-theater ako noon, tapos nagwe-waiter siya... Sabi ko galingan mo, 'pag tumaas ang posisyon mo, sama ako. Punta na 'ko dun," he said. ("One of my best friends, he is now the operations manager of a fast food in the UAE. When I was working in theater, and he worked as a waiter... I told him, when you move up in position, I will join you. I will go there.")

Napoles said he even considered working for a theme park in Singapore. 

But when he reached the final stages of recruitment, he gave his passion for acting one last chance. He gave himself an ultimatum of hopefully making it in a year.

Then he became a part of the musical "Magsimula Ka," where he got in first comedy role, which was entrusted to him by theater stalwarts Robert Seña and Isay Alvarez.

"Uy kaya mo mag-comedy? Sabi ko sige ho, basta basahin ko lang. Tapos nun, napanood na 'ko ng APT nila Mr. Tuviera. During that year din nabuo 'yung Triple A management so 'yun na," he recalled. ("Hey, can you do comedy? I said okay, as long as I read it. After that, I watched Mr. Tuviera's APT. During that year, the Triple A management was also formed, so that was it.")

Napoles has appeared in many comedy titles since then and will now top-bill the horror-comedy movie "Pagpag 24/7." 

The movie is inspired by the Filipino superstitious belief that one must make a stop somewhere before going home after attending a wake, so that spirits will not follow you home.

It also stars Nikko Natividad, Wilbert Ross, Danita Paner, Dindo Arroyo and Nicco Manalo who will play Napoles' BFF in the movie.

Up-and-coming director JR Reyes who helmed the film said he and the cast were very collaborative in making the movie, especially with punchlines and comedic timings.

"Pagpag 24/7" will open in cinemas on March 20, 2024. -- Report from MJ Felipe, ABS-CBN News