He may have reached popularity playing Snoop in Can’t Buy Me Love but did you know that Anthony Jennings is a no read, no write star?
Anthony made the revelation in a podcast where he shared that when he joined ABS-CBN he can’t read nor write because he stopped schooling because of financial problems.
Anthony first revealed his predicament in the Boys After Dark podcast show in 2022, where Markus Paterson, Jae Miranda, Gello Marquez, and Aljon Mendoza also shared their regrets in life.
“Well, regret ko siya pero at the same time hindi ko naman siya sobrang kasalanan, parang 50/50 siya. Hindi kasi ako nag-aral, elementary lang. As in, like, hindi ako marunong magsulat. Pumunta ako sa [ABS-CBN] noon hindi ako marunong magsulat,” Anthony revealed.
Anthony also revealed this facet of his life in an interview with Ogie Diaz.
“Hanggang elementary lang ’yung natapos ko, siguro pinakamataas ko na, Grade 2 lang. ’Yun na ’yung max ko. Tapos hindi na ako nag-aral ” he said.
Aside from financial problems, Anthony revealed that they were moving out from one house to another, making it difficult to pursue his studies.
“Lipat na naman kami [ng bahay]. Never na natuloy [pag-aaral ko] kasi sobrang dami nang nangyari. ’Yun na ’yung time na umuwi kami ng probinsya, nangisda ako, iba na naman gagawin ko, VTR, commercial naman,” he said.
Eventually, Anthony learned to read and write by himself.
Then, in 2019, a big break came when he was cast in the Kathryn Bernardi-Alden Richards first movie, Hello, Love, Goodbye. This was followed by a series of TV projects which enabled him to send his siblings to school.
“Pinag-aral ko ang mga kapatid ko kasi siyempre ayoko namang matulad sila sa akin. Hindi ako marunong magsulat kung makikita n’yo, ang pangit ng sulat ko,” he said.
“Sana [nakapag-aral ako] pero hindi ako nabigyan ng opportunity. Kasi, at a young age, nag-start na akong mag-work na kung anu-ano ang ginawa ko sa buhay ko,” he said.
“Pero alam ko, nasa top of mind ko pa rin na mag-aral ako after everything, after ng kahit ano’ng mangyari.”
Anthony was introduced as part of 2019’s Star Magic Circle. He was in the batch of Belle Mariano.
Now, Anthony is cast in Incognito after his successful portrayal of Snoop in Can’t Buy Me Love, where he unwittingly build a tandem with Maris Racal who is also part of Incognito. (NIGEL CHAVEZ DE ESTRADA)
