Jeffrey Hidalgo: From singer to erotic film director

Jeffrey Hidalgo started his career in 1989 as one of the members of the highly successful singing group Smokey Mountain, formed and managed by now National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab. 

Hidalgo, together with co-members Geneva Cruz, Jeffrey Coronel and Tony Lambino, made a string of popular OPM hits like “Paraiso”; “Da Coconut Nut” and “Can This Be Love.”

Now 35 years after, Hidalgo is still singing but is more focused on his other passion of directing erotic movies.

He started as a filmmaker way back 2021 with Eva, Lampas Langit, Ligaw na Bulaklak and his latest project, Salawahan. 

The singer-director said that this is what he always planned to do. 

“Nasa trajectory talaga ng career ko ‘yun. When I signed up with Viva, actually VivaMax naman, when it started iba pa ang positioning niya dati. I really want to do erotica talaga. Eventually, VivaMax became what it is today so pasok sa genre na I really want to do (It’s in my career’s trajectory. When I signed up with Viva, actually Vivamax, its positioning was different when it started. I really wanted to do erotica. Eventually VivaMax became what it is today so that’s perfect with the genre that I wanted to do),” he said.

Hidalgo shared that he wants to explore feel-good and romantic comedies to balance his artistry. 

“Tinitingnan ko ang filmography ko. Puro dark movies. Gusto ko naman gumawa ng feel-good, mga romantic comedies. Actually nagawa ko na mag-direk ng rom-com sa teleserye ng GMA, ‘yung Inday Will Always Love You and TODA One I Love na medyo action naman. I want to go back to that also (I’m looking at my filmography. Its purely dark movies. I want to make feel-good, romantic comedies. Actually, I managed to direct rom-coms in GMA, Inday Will Always Love You and TODA One I Love which has a bit of action. I want to go back to that, too),” he said.

Hidalgo revealed that one of his ultimate goals is a project co-starring close friend and Smokey Mountain co-member Geneva Cruz. 

“At the top of my plans, kina-career ko talaga gumawa ng movie with Geneva. That’s in the works. She knows this already and excited siya (At the top of my plans is to make a movie with Geneva. That’s in the works. She knows this already and she’s excited),” he revealed.

Aside from Geneva, he wishes to also direct actresses Nadine Lustre, Sarah Geronimo and Vilma Santos. 

“Isa pang dream is I really want to work with Nadine Lustre. I’ve worked with her sa Deleter as a co-actor. Siyempre nandyan din si Sarah G and of course Ms. Vilma Santos (Another dream is to work with Nadine Lustre. I’ve acted with her in Deleter. Of course, there’s also Sarah G and Vilma Santos),” he added.

Now busy with concept development for his future films, Hidalgo said he aims to return to his first love which is singing. 

“I never stopped singing until now. I still get paid for singing kasi mas doon ako nakilala although kilala nila ako as a director. Siyempre mas kilala pa rin nila ako as a singer (I never stopped singing until now. I still get paid for singing because that’s where I got recognized even though they know me as a director. Of course, they still know me better as a singer),” he said.

Hidalgo took part in the latest VivaMax event that celebrates 11 million subscribers for the streaming platform.