From miracle-working child to mature lead, Zaijian Jaranilla has come a long way since his iconic turn as Santino in ‘May Bukas Pa’.
Now 23, the former child star is stepping into his boldest role yet in the upcoming Puregold digital series ‘Si Sol at Si Luna’ — and fans are still reeling from the passionate trailer reveal.
In the now-viral teaser, Zaijian shares an intimate scene with Jane Oineza, which caught netizens by surprise and sparked a flurry of reactions. “Grabe! Si Santino may love scene na!” was a common sentiment online.
At the media conference held on May 16, Zaijian admitted the project was both nerve-wracking and rewarding.
“Sobrang halo yung emosyon ko nung mapanood ko [ang trailer]. Masaya kasi first time ko siyang ipapakita sa mga tao na kaya ko ring gumawa ng ganun. Sobrang malaking step yun para sa akin,” he said.
Portraying Sol, a heart-on-his-sleeve 21-year-old film student who falls for the emotionally scarred 31-year-old Luna (Oineza), Zaijian dives deep into themes of grief, emotional recovery, and the complexity of love with a significant age gap. The series is helmed by acclaimed writer-director Dolly Dulu.
Zaijian recalled how nervous he was shooting his first onscreen kissing scene: “Hindi po talaga ako mapakali… pero with the help of Direk Dolly at ni Ate Jane, nagawa ko po nang maayos.”
Jane, who has previously tackled mature roles, ensured Zaijian felt supported: “Teamwork po talaga ‘yun. You have to know how to support your co-actor, lalo na kung first time niya. We made sure na comfortable kami pareho at lahat was done professionally.”
Jane even shared that RK Bagatsing, her real-life boyfriend, had already seen the trailer — and liked it. She emphasized that both she and Zaijian approached the project as professionals, focused on honoring the story.
As for the romantic chemistry between the two, many netizens say it’s more compelling than Jane’s previous on-screen pairings.
“Masaya ako na nakita ng tao si Sol at si Luna. Ibig sabihin, effective ang characters namin,” said Jane.
Zaijian also gave credit to Star Magic for trusting him with this mature role, and noted that his past experiences of falling in love helped him connect emotionally with the material.
“Gusto ko po ng mga roles na nacha-challenge ako. Mas napu-push ako na gawin nang mas maganda ‘yung trabaho ko.”
The digital series premieres on May 31 at 7PM on the Puregold YouTube Channel, with new episodes every Saturday night. The cast also includes Joao Constancia, Karina Bautista, Polo Ravales, and more.
From innocent prayers to passionate portrayals, Zaijian is proving he’s more than ready to redefine his image. As he himself puts it: “It’s still me. Just a braver version.”
