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Jerry Donato - The Philippine Star
April 16, 2025 | 12:00am
Starring in a murder mystery TV series such as “SLAY” is not new to Royce Cabrera. Prior to joining the ensemble cast of the GMA-Viu collaboration, the actor played the pivotal character named Jerico in the Kapuso Primetime hit, “Widows’ War.” Royce took on a role that initially presented as the sympathetic and concerned sibling of Rebecca and dynamically evolved into the mastermind behind the sad endings of the Palacios.
Again, he is seen in another murder mystery genre via “SLAY” as investigator Juro Catapang, who serves as a main, reliable point person or an alternative perspective, besides the female characters Amelie, Liv, Sugar and Yana, in finding the plausible truth about the early demise of fitness influencer Zach, or Z.
“Sa totoo lang po, napaka-hirap (actually, it’s challenging),” said Royce of portraying his role in a recent press conference. “Mahirap pa lang maging isang imbestigador kasi bilang imbestigador kailangan talaga alamin mo yung mga simpleng movement nila (as an investigator or detective, one needs to know even the minutest detail that may set a lead).”
He added that even a character’s “‘pag bagsak ng pilik mata” (a blink or an eyelid flutter) is also considered by his character Juro, for it could be a telltale sign.
To understand that side of Juro and imbibe it, Royce sought insights from other creatives on the “SLAY” set.
“So, talagang humingi rin po talaga ako ng tulong kala direk, kay sir RJ, sa production and the cast kung paano talaga yung tamang gawin (So, I really ask for help from director Rod Marmol, the show’s creative consultant RJ Nuevas, the production people and the cast on what the appropriate approach to do),” continued he.
And Royce also expressed the daunting nature of his role in an interview with the “Kapuso Showbiz News.”
“Honestly, medyo nahirapan ako italon yung character ko kasi medyo matagal din naming ginawa ‘to, itong previous soap ko, na (my character was a) killer and a suspect (it’s a bit challenging because I played a totally different role in ‘Widows War’ for a long time. It was a suspect of a crime and among the killers),” shared he. “Then, in ‘SLAY,’ I play an inspector. OK naman (so far, so good in portraying the character)… kinakabahan, pressured, pero siyempre ganito yung gusto natin na na cha-challenge tayo, eh (I got nervous at first and felt pressured, but of course, as actors, we want to get challenged, role-wise). So, I just study the character.”
Getting into the psyche and knowing the motivation of an investigator from that of a shrewd mastermind is a huge jump, as Royce put it in the presscon.
“So, with the help of (fellow creatives) and through doing research, feeling ko naman kahit papaano naitatawid ko po si inspector Juro (I feel I’m able to portray the character),” said he.
Royce also shared that his natural curiosity did help him connect to Juro’s enthusiasm to piece the puzzle together and eventually see the bigger picture.
“Ako kasi sa totoong buhay, kapag meron talaga akong gustong bagay na malaman, talagang ginagawa ko ang lahat ng paraan para malaman kung ano ang katotohanan (in life, if there’s something I want to know about, I really find a way to know it),” said he. “Kasi alam naman nating lahat na ayaw nating naloloko talaga tayo (because we don’t want to be fooled). So, hanggat maaari may mga kanya, kanya tayong proseso, kanya, kanyang way kung paano malalaman ang katotohanan na yun (we have our own processes and ways to know it) at hindi rin ako basta, basta nag-a-assume na porket naramdaman ko na siya, siya na. Hindi, dapat kailangan din ng solid evidence or enough reason na masabi na siya talaga ang gumawa nun (and I also don’t make assumptions easily even if my gut feeling tells me. I need some solid evidence or enough reason for me to come up with a conclusion).”
The previous episodes of “SLAY” show that Royce as Juro has immersed himself in the latter’s world. The character pursues the possible link of Sugar to the fate of Zach after her best friend entered the picture, revealing some aspects of Sugar’s past.
But one must be reminded that each character has a personal knowledge and intention to either clear the path or cloud it.
Watch “SLAY” from Mondays to Thursdays at 9:25 p.m. on GMA Prime and witness the kind of dedication and hard work Juro puts in to solve the case.
