Jeyrick Sigmaton, known as Carrot Man, shared on Monday, November 29, the changes he experienced after being discovered as a model and actor.
In the press conference for his short film Dayas, which earned him Best Actor in the 2021 International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) Autumn edition in New York, the Igorot actor recalled how it all started.
“One day, may mga dumaan na bisita. They took a photo of me and pinost sa social media. Pero hindi ko alam ‘yon so doon nagsimula ang lahat.”
Sigmaton, however, pointed that his rise to fame did not change most of his life, admitting he still cherishes the culture and the tradition from which he came.
“Doon nabago ang hardworking ko and then ito na po, showbiz life. Pero kahit na ganoon, ang masasabi ko lang hindi nagbago ang lahat. May mga kasanayan ako na binabalik-balikan,” he said.
When asked to compare which kind of life he enjoys most, Sigmaton responded that he enjoys both but would always choose a simple way of living.
“Actually parehas eh. Pero mas masaya ang simpleng buhay.”
Meanwhile, Sigmaton [obviously] did not change his style since he went viral in 2016. The actor was following the teachings of his ancestors to never forget where he came from.
“Hindi ko talaga plano baguhin ang style ko eh. Talagang ganito na ata ako.
“Opo. Kasi yun ang turo nang ninuno sa amin. Kahit anong marating mo, saan ka man mapadpad, h’wag mong kalimutan kung saan ka galing, kung ano yung kultura natin.”
He was also asked about his love life and admitted he is still single. Sigmaton then shared the qualities he is looking for in a woman.
“Gusto ko po mabait, maka-Diyos, kaya niyang umintindi, masipag, at tsaka magalang.”
Dayas is directed by Jianlin De Los Santos Floresca and Pete Mariano, produced by Be Unrivaled Productions. It shares the story of small-scale gold miners in Itogon, Benguet and at the same time, spreads awareness about responsible mining.
