Jorrybell wears a KARL NADALES dress. Photographed by Colin Dancel
Actress Jorrybell Agoto talks about her past lives, the making of Filipiñana, and what young actors need to hear today.
About five years have passed since Jorrybell Agoto first played the role of Isabel in the 2020 short film Filipiñana, when she began filming its full-length feature. “At first, grabe yung kaba ko [I was really nervous],” she tells Vogue Philippines.
It’s completely understandable. Over those five years, Agoto has lived many lives, especially as a struggling actress: she sold condominiums, worked as a project specialist and copywriter, and at some point, even wrote for the Filipino TV Series Batang Quiapo. In 2023, she had her breakout year in Cinemalaya, receiving recognition for her performances in When This Is All Over and Tether. The following year, she won Best Actress at the 2024 Tokyo Film Festival for the short film Cross My Heart and Hope To Die (2023).
So when the time came to film Filipiñana (2026), Agoto feared that she wouldn’t be able to capture the same innocence and curiosity that Isabel has. “Natakot ako kasi parang feelingko sobrang matured ko nang tinitingnan yung buhay compared nung ginawa ko yung shortnun [I felt that I was already too mature and didn’t view life the same way when we did the short film],” she says. But despite her anxiety, she slipped back into the role quite easily. It felt like “muscle memory,” she says, putting on that same costume and stepping on set with a familiar crew.
At her first Vogue Philippines shoot, she looks quite at ease, her laughter echoing through the studio as she spins, poses, and emotes for the camera. It’s only a few days away before she attends the Berlin International Film Festival, where Filipiñana (2026) will continue its festival run after winning the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
Agoto has come a long way, indeed. Like her character, Isabel, she comes from Ilocos Norte and lived a simple life in the province before moving to the country’s capital. “Manila is like a box of dreams,” she muses. “Everyone is seeking and trying to have a better life here.”
She credits teleseryes for making her a dreamer. “Fascinated ako at an early age kasi whenever I watched teleseryes, parang ang ganda kasi sobrang nabibigyan niya ng color yung buhay,” she shares. “While nanonood, parang nagkaroon ako ng idea na ‘Oh, ganito pala siya kalaki yung mundo [I was so fascinated by teleseryes at an early age. It’s like they give so much color to life. When I watch them, it gives me the feeling that the world is so big].’”
She grew up loving playing pretend, from childhood games of bahay-bahayan to joining community theater in Ilocos Norte. In college, she decided to pursue Theater Arts at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), which largely informed her approach to acting.
“I’m from Ilocos, sobrang secluded ng pananaw ko, but then when I went to PUP, nakita ko din na malawak,” she says. “At the same time, kahit na iba’t ibang part ng Philippines, same lang din pala yung pinagdadaanan na struggle [I’m from Ilocos, my perspective was so secluded. When I went to PUP, it widened. But at the same time, you see the same struggles in different parts of the Philippines].” The plays and stories that she explored at the university were those of the masses, which strengthened her empathy for life and people. This was also the time when she realized the importance of community immersion as an actress. “Yung hindi ko lang nagkukuwento on the surface, but rather, lumulubog ka din talaga para magkaroon ka ng better understanding sa character mo [You don’t tell a story surface level, but rather, you sink deeper to get a better understanding of your character].”
She encourages aspiring actors to do the same. “Makinig kayo, panoorin niyo, magtanong kayo,” she says. “Panoorin niyo yung mga kapwa natin Filipino kasi, feeling ko, enough na yung mga kwento nila para maging matapang tayo na ilahad kung ano yung katotohanan or kung ano yung mga ipaglaban, yung mga rights natin bilang mga Filipino [Listen, watch, and ask questions. Watch fellow Filipinos because I feel like their stories are enough for us to be brave enough to tell the truth or to fight for our rights as Filipinos].”
In both the short and full-length versions of Filipiñana, immersion played a big part for the lead actress and the film’s director, Rafael “Ram” Manuel. The film follows the story of 17-year-old Isabel, who works as a tee girl at the fictional Maynila Country Club. The teen becomes infatuated with the club president, Dr. Palanca.
During the pre-production stages, they immersed themselves by going to golf courses, interviewing tee girls, and even doing the job themselves. “Ang kulit kasi nakita ko yung power dynamic. Naranasan ko yung paanong ako yung nasa top, tapos ako yung nasa down [It was interesting to see the power dynamic. I experienced being on top and being down],” she shares.
The two were also able to have conversations about Agoto’s perspective on her character. She shares that while she expresses her thoughts, she lends herself to Manuel’s vision once on set. “Si Direk Ram kasi sobrang tapang niya. Alam niya kung ano yung gusto niya, and he knows how to get what he wants,” she says. “Kapag nasa scene ako talaga, hinahayaan ko lang siya. Nakikinig lang ako kung ano yung gusto niyang gawin [Direk Ram is quite brave. He knows what he wants, and he knows how to get what he wants. When I’m in the scene, I just let him do his thing. I just listen to what he wants].”
And after working on the full-length film, director Manuel noticed a change in her, too. “Mas naging outspoken ako ngayon, mas nagkakaroon ako ng agency talaga now and voice para sabihin kung ano yung tingin ko na makakatulong dun sa character, [Now, I’m more outspoken, I have more agency and voice to say what I think will help the character],” Agoto shares.
For Agoto, Filipiñana (2020) is a film that led to many opportunities. She credits the short film as the reason why she was able to bag her role in When This Is All Over, as well as her acceptance into the Berlinale Talents development program last year. She got in on her first try.
But she still keeps on dreaming. When asked if she has any dream collaborators, she mentions wanting to work with slow cinema auteur Lav Diaz, and used to dream of working with the late National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor. “Fantasy ko [rin] talaga is magka one-on-one talk with Timothee Chalamet,” she jokes, laughing. “Or rom-com!”
As Filipiñana (2026) continues to be the talk of the industry, hopefully there will be more to come for Jorrybell. Right now, she looks forward to attending Berlinale 2026, hoping to meet and watch films with directors, especially Oscar winner Sean Baker and Oscar nominee Chloe Zhao.
For her, it’s not about celebrity and recognition, but craft and responsibility. “Nafifeel ko yun lagi na, ‘Okay, artista na ako,’ kapag yun, nag-aaral ako ng script, kasi talagang nirerecognize ko yung responsibility ko na bilang artista o bilang actor na kailangan kong aralin as honestly as possible yung character at i-bring out yung truth nila [I always think, ‘okay, I’m an actor now.’ I have to learn my script, and I recognize my responsibility as an artist to learn my character as honestly as possible and bring out their truth],” she says.
By DAPHNE SAGUN. Photographs by COLIN DANCEL. Video by CHURCH CACBREIRA and LIAM TANGAN. Fashion Editor: DAVID MILAN. Digital Associate Editor: CHELSEA SARABIA. Media Channels Editor: Anz Hizon. Producer: Mavi Sulangi and Julian Rodriguez. Media Channels Producer: Angelo Tantuico. Media Channels Video Lead: Wainah Joson. Hair: JA Feliciano. Makeup: Booya Mocorro. Nails: Extraordinail. Colorist: Nala Villena Chincuanco. Copywriter: Aylli Cortez.
