Jon Jon Briones: role in ‘Ratched’, a recognition of my Filipino culture

Cast of “Ratched” (left to right): Finn Wittrock, Judy Davis, Jon Jon Briones, Sarah Paulson, Cynthia Nixon, Sophie Okonedo, Sharon Stone and Charlie Carver

It’s not every day that we can interview a homegrown Filipino actor and talk about his crucial role in a mainstream Hollywood production. And it becomes even more endearing when you see him wearing his Pinoy identity on his sleeve with such pride and humility.

The actor we’re talking about is Jon Jon Briones, and the visually sumptuous TV series that showcases his acting skills (in the role of the head of the asylum, Dr. Richard Hanover) is “Ratched,” where he ranks fourth after by Sarah Paulson. (Nurse Mildred Ratched), Finn Wittrock (notorious murderer Edmund Tolleson), and Cynthia Nixon (Gwendolyn Briggs, a politician’s press secretary).

In our Zoom exclusive video interview with Sharon Stone on the same day that we spoke to Jon Jon and the handsome actor Finn (who was paired with the latter for our two-on-one chat), it was the actress herself who voluntarily brought up Jon Jon. as we concluded our questions and answers with her.

Sharon, along with “Ratched” producer Ryan Murphy, not only sees a (Marlon) Brando in Jon Jon’s exceptional skill set, but also considers him a “very humble and good man” with whom he is amazing to work.

What we liked even more about Jon Jon was his humility without servility. When asked if he wasn’t intimidated alongside his star scene partners, particularly Sharon, Cynthia and Judy, Jon Jon shared with Inquirer Entertainment his memorable experience working with Sharon on a crucial sequence. The actor described a scene in which his character, Dr. Hanover, visits Lenore to discuss his treatment for Henry’s psychosis.

“Actually, I did [get intimidated] in that scene with Sharon, ”Jon Jon recalled. “I was a foot away from her, and I was like… (pauses) —After all, we’re talking about Sharon’s ‘Basic Instinct’ Stone (laughs)!

“Then there was a part where he was having a hard time. Then Sharon came up to me, took my hand and just looked at me. Well, she probably said something, but now I can’t remember what it was … because I just remember that it was Sharon Stone right in front of me! And that gesture really helped me, you know? When it comes to things like this, you will outgrow them as you get older. You just have to tell yourself, ‘Okay, I’m just as good as them.’

Briones plays Filipino doctor Richard Hanover

But Sharon was just one of the stars Jon Jon had to interact with on the show – formidable Hollywood insiders have also been tapped to bring to life the supporting characters of Nurse Mildred Ratched (from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest “) partial origin story, which includes Sharon (as vengeful heiress Lenore Osgood), Judy Davis (nurse Betsy Bucket, Mildred’s nemesis), Vincent D’Onofrio (Governor George Wilburn), Charlie Carver (orderly of the Huck Finnegan Hospital); Alice Englert (Dolly staff nurse), Brandon Flynn (Lenore’s troubled son Henry), Sophie Okonedo (Charlotte Wells, a patient with multiple personality disorder), Amanda Plummer (Louise motel manager), Rosanna Arquette (worker social Annie) and Corey Stoll (Charles Wainwright, private detective on a mission).

“You’re right. It’s easy to get intimidated when working with stars of this magnitude. But you know what? When Ryan (the man behind actor-friendly vehicles like” American Horror Story, “” Glee, “” Pose, “” The murder of Gianni Versace “,” Feud “,” Nip / Tuck “and” The Politician “) invites you to become part of his world, that’s a compliment that instantly boosts your confidence. It means you can play whatever role he I assign you, then getting his blessing is enough.

“Also, once you meet these wonderful artists, you can see that they are good people and wonderful human beings. You realize that Finn, Sarah, Sharon and the others are just like you and me. “

We told Jon Jon that while his scene-stealing cameo (as Modesto, the troubled father Pinoy of Fil-Am serial killer Andrew Cunanan, played with sinister perfection by Darren Criss) in “Gianni Versace” may have made The ball will roll for him in Hollywood, his fierce and focused performance in “Ratched” is the kind that turns Broadway actors into Hollywood stars.

What makes any job easier, Jon Jon said, is the hard work and drive of an actor. He spoke of this after we said that Dr. Hanover’s impulse seemed too compelling to ignore. We compare Jon Jon’s character of “Ratched” to his career-boosting role as The Engineer in Cameron Mackintosh’s musical “Miss Saigon,” where he began as part of the pioneering Filipino cast at the musical’s 1989 West End premiere in London.

Stone – PHOTOS COURTESY OF NETFLIX

In that musical, Jon Jon earned his stripes, so to speak, and rose through the ranks, from playing a welder / bartender for the NVA to finally taking on the pivotal role of The Engineer. Regardless of what you think of “Ratched,” it’s undeniable how the actor dominates the screen with both style and vulnerability: a human bomb who will do anything to get what he thinks he deserves. “When I first read the script for ‘Ratched,’ I was very happy to read a particular line that has since been removed from the final cut,” he said. “In that scene, Mildred asked my character, ‘Are you of Filipino descent?’ I was excited because that was an acknowledgment of my culture, the Filipino culture, and placing an immigrant, a person of color, in that era in the 1940s is a big deal.

“Dr. Richard Hanover is a person who believes in his brilliance and also believes that he belongs to his world … that he can do more than anyone else. Of course, he has this huge ego that gets him in trouble, and he does, but he is a man who believes that he needs to prove many things, this makes him human.

“Another thing I like about him is that he really believes in helping people… that he can really heal anyone. In a way, this is bad because he has that God complex. Then he starts running away when it results in trouble. “

Is this why Dr. Hanover feels very protective of his patient Charlotte (Sophie), who suffers from multiple personality disorder?

“Absolutely. When Richard met Charlotte, he thought he was progressing with her condition. But he was really doing it for him as he was for her,” Jon Jon revealed. “He saw her as his salvation. And he could see himself in Charlotte’s situation: Charlotte has multiple personalities, while Hanover tries to be someone from whom she cannot escape her past. There is something similar in what they are both going through, which I find beautiful. ” As we said our goodbyes, we told Jon Jon that we couldn’t wait for the entire Philippines and our Inquirer readers to see their star turn “Ratched” today. Jon Jon then broke into a big smile, waved at us and said, “Maraming salamat! Paki-kumusta na lang sa lahat “.

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