FOR the past four decades, Ian Veneracion has proven he is one of the most brilliant and established actors the country has ever produced.

He grew up in front of the eyes of many Filipinos when he started out his impressive showbiz career as a child star at the age of seven in the 1982 sitcom “Joey and Son.”

He was also a teen heartthrob when he joined “That’s Entertainment” before cementing his name as a sought-after action star in the ‘90s and early 2000s.

Years passed but fame caught up even better and his name shone even more when he eventually became leading man to Jodi Sta. Maria, Bea Alonzo and Iza Calzado, among others.

Rightfully so, he further captured the hearts of generations of fans as a multi-genre actor who spreads his proverbial wings with each new project he takes on — be it drama, romantic-comedy, horror or suspense.

As versatile as this driven man is, the 47-year-old also happens to be a musician, visual artist, private pilot, and a multi-sport enthusiast on top of being a dedicated father.

Indeed, Veneracion remains at the top of his career. Speaking with members of the press including The Sunday Times Magazine for his latest series “One Good Day,” Veneracion shared that he did not expect people to still support him after 40 years in show business.

“I’m just grateful because of the respect of my peers, directors, the networks, and the press. They know me and they saw me grow up. I feel so grateful to them and to the people who have been supporting my projects whether it be an art exhibit, when I started doing music, [or] a TV series. The people who are very supportive of me are still very supportive and I am very grateful for that. It’s strange. Maybe I have done something [worthwhile] in my past life,” he said.

Veneracion admitted that there are no straight lines when it comes to his career path. There remain the highs and the lows, but he definitely enjoyed the ride after being exposed to a lot of opportunities in his beloved craft.

“I’m surprised I am much busier today compared to before. My career is up and down, but I did not think it would end anytime soon. I don’t know what else will happen, but I am just so happy that I have witnessed the transition and evolution of our industry — not just the technology but the way of doing things.

“I witnessed the old shooting; we didn’t even have monitors and the lights were so hot. I’m just so happy to see the whole evolution. Because now you can edit even on your phones. I’m always excited to share my experiences back in the day with the artists who just entered showbiz. Now I can watch the playback right after we shot the scenes. That’s magic to me,” he laughingly recalled.

For Veneracion, lasting this long in the entertainment industry holds no secret, just pure passion and heart.

“I was never in it for fame or money. I think if you’re going to be an actor and you just want to be rich and famous, you won’t succeed. I think you’ll get there if you enjoy telling stories, if you enjoy acquiring different shapes, and trying different characters. There are many games that you can play as an actor — internal games that you can play and it all happens inside your head.

“I enjoy that, and I think that’s why they enjoy it with me also because it’s fun, serious fun. I take my fun and my games seriously. Being professional, I don’t want others to talk negatively about me. I think it pays off, eventually you gain a certain reputation for being reliable and maybe I’m reaping the benefits now.”

Return to action

To celebrate his four decades in the entertainment industry, Veneracion is all geared up for his muchanticipated return to action via Studio Three-Sixty series “One Good Day” set to stream November 17 exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

The top actor shared it was easy for him to say yes to the project because action was his “comfort zone” and that his love for martial arts and motorcycles played a big role in the series especially that he did all the stunts on his own and without a double.

“When they told me it’s action, of course I got interested immediately. I am excited because I’ve been doing action movies before so it’s like homecourt. They developed the script and it is really different. I’m also very comfortable with the physical aspect of it and of course, the acting part. I am comfortable because I never stopped doing martial arts, I play basketball, I play soccer, and badminton. ‘Yung mga anak ko pa nga ang nagpapaalala sa akin na ‘Dad, you’re not in your 20s anymore’ kasi lagi kong nakakalimutan pero hanggang ngayon, wala eh. I don’t really feel my age. I even do rock climbing, so okay pa.”

He continued, “It’s so different from the usual fight scenes that I’ve done in the past, especially with the use of technologies. That’s why we’re trying our best to achieve a certain quality and I think everybody did a good job.”

In “One Good Day,” Veneracion plays the role of Dale Sta. Maria, a strong-willed mobster who left the Rodrigo Organization after finding out that he has a brain tumor and that death is upon him. However, with the death of his loved ones, he is drawn out of retirement and is forced to go on a final mission before calling it a day.

Talking about his character, Veneracion shared, “Dale lived a gangster lifestyle. Started from the slums and eventually became a top mobster — he is very good in business. Although he is a very good person, he has violent tendencies. I like it because it has a very complex character. His internal chaos and need for order are always there, and all he wants is a one good day — a peaceful day with his loved ones. But before that, he must go through so much violence because his past is catching up.”

Making this heart-pounding series a reality is notable action director Lester Pimentel Ong who best known for “Panday,” “Lastikman,” “Imortal,” “La Luna Sangre,” “Indio” and “Bagani,” to name a few.

“We chose Ian because number one, he is an athlete. He is a martial artist, and other than that, he is a very good actor. We cannot think of anybody else to portray the role of the lead here but this guy,” Pimentel Ong said.

“We initially wanted a stuntman to do Ian’s scenes. When he saw the stunt double do it, he said, ‘I can do better than that.’ And that’s really special. He is really good at fighting. But it’s not just the physical thing — you have to be in character and you have to portray the role while doing the complex stunts and fighting choreography. It’s hard but he was able to do it,” the director continued.

Joining Veneracion in the star-studded cast of “One Good Day” are Joel Torre, Rabiya Mateo, Andrea Torres, Aljur Abrenica, Justin Cuyugan, Nicole Cordoves, Marco Alcaraz, Pepe Herrera, Robert Seña and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo.

Also with them are equally amazing talents Claire Ruiz, Louise Abuel, Joe Vargas, Marela Torre, Lance Pimentel and Pontri Bernardo.

Both Veneracion and Pimentel Ong hope that “One Good Day” will open doors not just for this production but for the entire Philippine film and content making industry.

“What we aspire to do here is to level up the quality of the narrative, level up the quality of the technical aspect of it, and of course, since this is an action series, we wanted to catch up with the rest of the world when it comes to action quality. That’s why we’re very thankful for Prime Video for giving us a chance because this will be shown in 10 countries,” said Pimentel Ong.

Summing up their ultimate goal for the series, Veneracion said, “Hopefully it will open doors not just for this production but other production too. Because we have a lot of good directors, actors and scriptwriters. We’re hoping to showcase that para yung mga kapitbahay natin dito sa Asia, maging familiar din sila sa gawang Pilipino.

“This series will surprise them in terms of quality. With the recent availability of current technologies; the level of image and sound quality, non-linear storytelling, creative and fast-paced fight scenes, that of which, would certainly make us proud to showcase the Filipino talent in the art, and science of film making.”

A story about family, love, greed and power in the beautiful dark backdrop of kingmakers in the Philippines, stream “One Good Day” on Amazon Prime Video beginning November 17 with new episodes dropping every Thursday.