Kapamilya actor Anthony Jennings shared amusing and candid details about his life during his guest appearance on Kring Kim’s podcast Think Talk Tea, including why he considers himself “fully Filipino” despite being of mixed heritage.
During the interview, Jennings revealed that he is half-Filipino and half-British, with his father hailing from the United Kingdom. However, the actor jokingly said that he feels completely Filipino because he underwent a rite of passage common among Filipino boys.
“Dito na ako lumaki, feeling ko naman buong-buong Pilipino ako, kasi natuli ako,” Anthony said with a laugh.
Host Kring Kim could not help but laugh at the remark, prompting Anthony to explain further.
“Usually kasi ‘di ba, siyempre foreigner…” he said.
Jennings clarified that although he once lived in the United Kingdom, he did not grow up there. Most of his childhood was spent in the Philippines, particularly in Rizal province, where he learned to speak Tagalog and picked up the street slang commonly used among his childhood friends.
The actor also shared that his British father worked as an engineer at construction sites, often moving from one location to another due to work assignments.
When asked whether any of his British traits still show, Anthony mentioned that his skin tends to turn red instead of darkening when exposed to the sun. He also admitted to enjoying pork and beans, a staple commonly associated with British cuisine.
Despite these influences, Jennings said he strongly identifies with his Filipino roots and would still choose to live in the Philippines even after seeing other parts of Europe.
“Sana mapaganda natin yung Pilipinas,” he said jokingly.
“Kasi ang ganda talaga ng Pilipinas. Nakapunta na ako sa ibang part ng Pinas eh,” he added.
The interview also touched on a more serious topic as Jennings opened up about how fame affected him at one point in his career.
When asked by Kring Kim if he was admitting that success had made him arrogant, the actor answered honestly.
Jennings recalled skipping simple gatherings because he felt too busy at the time, something he now recognizes as unprofessional.
The actor said he eventually realized he needed to make changes in his life. To regain perspective, he stepped away from social media and reconnected with family members and friends outside the entertainment industry.
Looking back, Jennings said he is grateful for the lessons he learned during that period.
Jennings rose to greater prominence through the hit ABS-CBN series ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, where he portrayed Snoop Manansala opposite Maris Racal. Their on-screen partnership became popular among fans under the loveteam name “SnoRene.”
He is now set to headline the iWant original supernatural comedy series ‘Nurse the Dead’, which premiered on June 12. The project marks the first Filipino-produced series filmed in Hollywood and is directed by Filipino-American filmmaker Mark Labella.
Jennings stars alongside Fil-Am actress and host Jelynn Sophia Malone, Princess Punzalan, Ruby Rodriguez, Gigette Reyes, and Tootsie Guevara.
