In the infinite scroll of social media, between the blur of selfies, sponsored posts and pictures of brunch, sometimes all it takes is a single image to catch the attention of fate. For Jaylerr, it was a photograph from a modest jean modelling gig at a mall in the serene city of Chiang Mai. It was hardly the stuff of a star-making moment—a makeshift runway, amateur photographs and the casual poses of a 16-year-old at the end of his walk. Yet, through some cosmic design, those images found their way to prominent Thai director Ma-Deaw’s screen.

Ma-Deaw, the visionary behind critically acclaimed works like The Love of Siam (2007), saw something in those mall photos that others might have scrolled past. Perhaps he spotted something in Jaylerr that exuded the same ineffable quality he captured in his masterpieces—raw, authentic, uninhibited. Perhaps it is as a much younger Jaylerr jokingly recalls in a 2013 interview, “My good looks caught the attention of the staff”. Whatever the reason, a team was dispatched, a mother was contacted, and suddenly Jaylerr found himself cast as Oat in the 2013 coming-of-age film Green Fictions.

What Jaylerr found himself holding at 17 was the entertainment industry’s most precious currency: opportunity. It’s what young actors dream of, what seasoned performers still chase. But in the unforgiving world of show business, opportunity alone doesn’t guarantee survival.

The industry is strewn in what-ifs and could-have-beens, lined with the photographs of child stars who blazed across screens only to disappear into oblivion. Success demands a rare alchemy—the perfect collision of opportunity and readiness, and Jaylerr had both. He used his initial success as a launchpad to propel himself across the spectrum of entertainment from film, television and web series. The trajectory of his career may have started with a stroke of luck, but everything that came after was determination.

Perhaps this is why QOW Entertainment, his latest talent agency venture with partner Thanaerng, feels less like a business and more like a mission. Perhaps it’s his way of completing the circle—creating opportunities for others and showing them how to seize their own destiny, just as he once did.

ESQUIRE SINGAPORE: What drives you to act? Is it the love of storytelling, personal expression, or something else entirely?

JAYLERR: It’s something else. In my view, acting has become a major part of my life. I started young, and at first, it was just an opportunity I wanted to seize. But over time, it became something I truly fell in love with and grew deeply passionate about.

ESQ: What do you think draws international audiences to Thai drama productions?

J: I think a lot is coming together, especially with the rise of Asian entertainment. Thai drama is growing fast, and I believe we have strong production quality and talent.

ESQ: Are there any international collaborations or crossovers you’d be interested in exploring?

J: I really want to collaborate with many artists. Over the last two or three years, I’ve explored a lot of works by Asian artists, and I think they’re amazing. There’s so much talent out there, like Yung Raja from Singapore, SB19 and James Reid from the Philippines, among others.

ESQ: Many international viewers watch your work with subtitles. Do you think anything gets lost in translation, especially when conveying emotions or humour?

J: In my opinion, something does get lost when we’re watching and reading subtitles at the same time. That’s why we often have to rewatch things to catch all the details.

ESQ: What is your favourite movie?

J: Forrest Gump.

As a kid who grew up on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, procuring and owning music was anything but easy. As with any adolescent that grew up with the internet in the 2000s, he resorted to downloading music illegally. However, after much wrestling with his musical conscience, he ended up doing the right thing. With only 1,000 baht to his name and a burning desire for music, Jaylerr made his first legitimate purchase on the Apple store—Kid Ink’s My Own Lane. It was here where he committed the proverbial “sin” of judging a book by its cover. What he thought was just a pretty album cover introduced him to hip-hop, a genre that would quietly shape his artistic DNA long before he knew that it would.

The beats and rhymes of My Own Lane planted seeds that would take years to bloom. Once Jaylerr found his footing as an actor, music was a direction he found himself exploring. He was invited to join the nine-member boy group Nine by Nine.

Though short-lived, it caused something to stir in Jaylerr's musical memory. Between everyday life and performances, he found himself closely observing his groupmates who rapped. What started out as a tentative question of “Can I try?” evolved into late-night writing sessions, countless hours of practice and hip-hop listening sessions. He would pour everything he absorbed into “Empty King”, a collaboration with his former groupmates Paris and Captain under the “Human Error” project. This would be the first song ever composed and written by him (Insert Q-Tip nodding in approval). This creative liberation led to Jaylerr x Paris, a duo where Jaylerr could fully indulge his hip-hop side. Now, as a solo artist at 28, he’s no longer the guilt-stricken boy who could barely afford one album. The restraints have fallen off, leaving an artist with both the freedom and artistic integrity to explore every corner of his musical identity.

ESQ: Between music and acting, which feels more personal to you? Do you find that one feels more like an extension of your true self?

J: Both feel really personal to me. Acting has become personal because I’ve been doing it for so long, while music is personal because it allows me to express my true self.

ESQ: What’s your favourite song?

J: “Limbo” by Keshi.

ESQ: Aside from being an artist, is there anything you’ve been interested in developing but never had the time to pursue?

J: I really want to develop my music production skills, and learn to play the piano. It’s on my list, but I haven’t had time to pursue it yet.

ESQ: What’s one hobby or passion outside of acting that keeps you grounded and helps you recharge creatively?

J: Night drives. I don’t know why, but most of my creative ideas come when I’m driving at night. Sometimes I have to stop the car to jot down ideas that pop into my head.

The blur of streetlights, the quiet of the night, the world rushing past windows. It makes sense that night drives get his creative juices flowing, it’s this sense of movement that seems to spark something deeper within him. After all, staying static and stagnant is hardly the environment where unique ideas are born. Perhaps this is why travelling to different countries seems to inspire Jaylerr as well. As he ventures into unfamiliar sights and different environments—whether he’s walking on the streets of a foreign city or simply observing the way people live, Jaylerr absorbs the nuances of each place.

ESQ: Where’s somewhere you have travelled that has impacted you deeply?

J: Kood Island in Trad, Thailand. It’s a very quiet and peaceful place.

ESQ: How do you balance your creative process when travelling, whether for work or leisure? Do you find it easier to focus on music or acting while you’re on the move or when you’re settled?

J: I don’t have any trouble being creative because the places I visit and the people I meet always inspire me. But when it comes to focusing on music or acting, it’s definitely easier when I’m settled.

ESQ: What are some of your must-have essentials when you’re travelling?

J: Earbuds, analogue headphones, my phone and perfume.

ESQ: How has visiting other countries changed your worldview?

J: Experiencing new cultures while visiting other countries always broadens my perspective.

ESQ: Do you ever get homesick?

J: All the time. I’m the kind of person who gets stuck in places and the past.

This cover story with Esquire Singapore feels emblematic of the journey Jaylerr has taken—not just across physical borders, but across the boundaries of artistry itself. In the end, maybe there’s no real difference between his travels and his artistic evolution. Both are about forward motion, about finding new territories to explore, about the courage to venture into the unknown with nothing but instinct as a guide. Travel broadens the soul but it is home that is ultimately the anchor.

Photography: Chee Wei
Creative Direction: Izwan Abdullah
Fashion Direction: Asri Jasman
Art Direction: Joan Tai
Styling: Kelly Hsu
Hair for Thanaerng: Panithan Summa
Makeup for Thanaerng: Yothin Chuaysri
Grooming for Jaylerr: Sukwasa Khadphad
Photography Assistants: Thanakit Meecharoen and Thanakorn Kantaponthanat
Producer: Ratchada Tubimphet