44 Facts About Zaijian Jaranilla

Zaijian Godsick Lara Jaranilla was born on August 23,2001 and is a Filipino actor and dancer who is best known for his role as the orphan Santino in May Bukas Pa.

Zaijian Jaranilla portrayed "Ding", the brother of the iconic Filipino superhero Darna in the TV series of the same name under ABS-CBN.

Zaijian Godsick Lara Jaranilla was born on August 23,2001, in Gloria, Oriental Mindoro, to Glendelle Lara Jaranilla from Lucena, Quezon and Zenon Louis Jaranilla from Marinduque, grew up in Roxas District, Quezon City, Metro Manila, and spends his vacation days in Boac, Marinduque.

Zaijian Jaranilla is the oldest in the family and has two younger brothers, Zildjian Godweevil and Zymic Demigod Lara Jaranilla.

Zaijian Jaranilla's parents separated in 2006 when he was only five years old, and residing currently with his father.

Zaijian Jaranilla was fond of Hot Wheels scale model car toys which made him inspired to start owning a personal vehicle in 2011 with the first is Toyota Hiace Super Grandia, and then later acquired a Geely Coolray where ABS-CBN Studios and Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi took a ride on March 26,2023.

Zaijian Jaranilla developed his driving skills since his child star days at the age of 11 in 2012, and then ten years later on May 17,2022, he obtained a LTO non-professional driving license.

Zaijian Jaranilla is fond of gaming, such as playing PC games like Defense of the Ancients, Final Fantasy, and Plants vs Zombies, and various PSP, PS2 and recently mobile games like Mobile Legends.

Zaijian Jaranilla studied at General Roxas Elementary School in Roxas District, Quezon City until he finished Grade 1 in 2009 where he was one of the 40 pupils and top 9 in the class.

Zaijian Jaranilla transferred to Angelicum College where he was a student there for eight years from June 2010 until his second or sophomore year at junior high school in 2018.

Zaijian Jaranilla entered school regularly as a Grade 2 student at Angelicum in June 2009 but was not able to do so for a year due to the ongoing schedule of taping of the drama series May Bukas Pa, where it is still in production during that time.

Zaijian Jaranilla attended classes at Headway School for Giftedness from 2009 to early April 2010.

Zaijian Jaranilla resumed entering school regularly in June 2010, still at second grade, four months after May Bukas Pa ended on February 5 of the said year and one month before the premiere of his next on-screen appearance on a drama series which is Noah on July 12 of that year for the lessons that he did not yet take during his pause from regular school.

Zaijian Jaranilla passed the exam allowing him to go straight to Senior High School.

Zaijian Jaranilla studied SHS at Colegio de San Juan de Dios in the said municipality of San Rafael, Bulacan from 2021 to 2023, and announced that he had graduated on May 31,2023, under the Humanities and Social Sciences strand.

Zaijian Jaranilla made his first appearance on a commercial in McDonald's: Good Kuya in 2006.

Zaijian Jaranilla then appeared on Lactum MTV commercial in 2007 and a TV advertisement of Tide in 2008.

Zaijian Jaranilla made his first appearance on anthologies on Mars Ravelo's Komiks Presents in 2008.

The series was awarded an Anak TV Seal Awards twice and Zaijian Jaranilla was given the Male Makabata Awardee and 2010 Anak TV Roster of Makabata Stars .

On May 22,2011, Zaijian Jaranilla reprised his Santino role on a documentary entitled Banal on the occasion of the beatification of Pope John Paul II.

Nine years and four months after production of May Bukas Pa ended and six years after the airing of its uncut version, Zaijian Jaranilla returned to Bacolor Church in June 2019 as part of the year-long 65th anniversary celebration of ABS-CBN.

On February 11,2020, Zaijian Jaranilla was interviewed about the comparisons between his answers when he still played the role of Santino and a grown-up and teenage actor named "Same Interview, Ten Years Apart".

In 2009, Zaijian Jaranilla pleaded to everyone, candidates and voters alike, to support Millennium Development Goal 4 which is to reduce child mortality.

Zaijian Jaranilla became an endorser of Globe Telecom from 2009 to 2010, various Nestle products from 2009 to 2011, Argentina Andale Hotdog in 2011, and Converse.

Zaijian Jaranilla appeared in a commercial of Morningfields at Carmeltown in 2009.

Zaijian Jaranilla voiced Nico in his first ever film RPG Metanoia on the latter part of that year.

Zaijian Jaranilla participated in the project along with fellow talents Coco Martin, Kuya Kim Atienza, Karen Davila and Efren Penaflorida.

Zaijian Jaranilla took stage in GMA Network's noontime show Eat Bulaga to play for the segment "Pinoy Henyo" together with co-actors Xyriel Manabat and Bea Alonzo while promoting the movie.

In 2012, Zaijian Jaranilla taken the lead role for melodrama series Lorenzo's Time alongside Carmina Villarroel.

In 2014, Zaijian Jaranilla was starred in a TV series Ikaw Lamang as Young Samuel Severino.

On July 21,2014, one month before Zaijian Jaranilla became a teenage actor, he starred on Hawak-Kamay as Raymond "Emong" Agustin.

In November 2014, Zaijian Jaranilla revealed that he was eager to be a part of teenager-oriented shows after his stint at the family-oriented drama "Hawak Kamay".

Zaijian Jaranilla stressed that he was willing to accept more matured project offered by ABS-CBN.

Zaijian Jaranilla has appeared on various anthologies during this time, with various episodes for Maalaala Mo Kaya in 2015.

Zaijian Jaranilla was praised on his acting skills as this film won the Outstanding Artistic Achievement Golden Goblet Award at the 2016 Shanghai International Film Festival, and earned him his first ever "Best Actor Award" nomination for Cinema One Originals Award.

Zaijian Jaranilla acted on his first digital series Story of My Life in 2019 produced by Big Reveal Digital and streamed via iWantTV.

Zaijian Jaranilla joined the list of Filipino guest actors in the American crime drama series Almost Paradise during the "Lone Wolf" episode.

Zaijian Jaranilla was able to move on from his role when the series ended on February 5,2010, by playing various roles in other teleseryes and movies which allowed him to exclaim that it is about to give his fans a chance to see in a different light.

Zaijian Jaranilla starred in "Maalaala Mo Kaya Loving 2 Care" first episode "Dialysis" with Nonie Buencamino directed by veteran director Jerry Lopez-Sineneng.

Zaijian Jaranilla received generally positive reviews on his acting skills as he played as a Nurse fighting against chronic kidney disease.

In 2022, Zaijian Jaranilla was portrayed as Gio Illustre in The Broken Marriage Vow, a remake of a British series Doctor Foster and the first series that was produced when he was already an adult actor.

Later on that said year, Zaijian Jaranilla was chosen by the network to portray the character of Ding, the younger brother and sidekick of the titular Filipino character, Darna, his biggest role to date.

Zaijian Jaranilla was selected "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" at the Asian Academy Creative Awards for his performance on The Broken Marriage Vow and is one of the representatives for the Philippines on awards night that held in December 2022.

On November 15,2023, Zaijian Jaranilla renewed his contract with ABS-CBN and its talent agency Star Magic along with JM de Guzman, extending their stay with the network.