At the age of nine, Cuenca was discovered by talent scout Arvin Bentonon for Cosmo Modeling Agency. Soon after, Cuenca appeared in several television and print advertisements including those for Safeguard, Coke and Globe Telecom. At eleven, he had cameo roles in movies such as Takbo Barbara Takbo and Panday in 1998. It was followed by another cameo in the 1999 film adaptation of the fantasy anthology, Wansapanataym.
In 2003, he returned to show business under GMA Network and appeared in the youth-oriented drama series, Click, where he was welcomed as a member of its third batch. Cuenca played a number of supporting roles in Hanggang Kailan, Forever in My Heart and the fifth season of Love to Love. In 2005, he starred as Kahlil in the hit fantasy series Encantadia. He also appeared in the ninth season of Love to Love titled “Miss Match”. In 2006, he starred as one of the wizards in the fantasy-themed television series, Majika, which became his last teleserye with GMA.
Cuenca in 2012
After transferring to ABS-CBN in 2006, he appeared in an episode of Love Spell, "Home Switch Home".
In 2007, he became part of the cast of the network's soap opera Sana Maulit Muli, his first primetime drama series on the network. Also, he starred as his first leading role in Sineserye Presents: Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos?. He portrayed Andrew - a rich, spoiled and irresponsible teen guy secretly in love with leading actress Roxanne Guinoo. Later, he was cast in the fantasy series Lastikman. He appeared in total 14 shows of ABS-CBN from late 2006 to 2007.
In 2008, he landed the lead role in ABS-CBN's remake of the action series Palos with Cesar Montano. He also played the main role of Kiko with Shaina Magdayao in Your song Presents: A million miles away. In the mini-series, he played Kiko -an assistant of Lizzie's father who asks him become a "babysitter" for Lizzie and her mean boyfriend, under the instruction of Lizzie's father. It is revealed that Kiko has been secretly in love with her for a long time.[1]
In 2011, he joined the main cast as Edward in the Filipino remake of the Korean dramaGreen Rose alongside Jericho Rosales, Anne Curtis and Alessandra De Rossi. After that, he portrayed Darmo Adarna, the well-known superhero of Filipino cartoon in Wansapanataym: Darmo Adarna, opposite Yen Santos. Different from a super-powered boy with a giant bird in the comic, Darmo Adarna in the show grows up as an overweight loser who is magically transformed into a muscular hero.
In 2012, he played the role of Paul Raymundo in Kung Ako'y Iiwan Mo alongside two female stars Shaina Magdayao and Bangs Garcia, The triangle love and OFW story in the film attracted the interest of audience. The series reached top rating in 2012 although it was aired in the afternoon. Also that same year, he was part of the primetime series Kahit Puso'y Masugatan as Rafael - a young and charming photographer with a tragic life. It is really the challenging role for him because of his inner struggles in the film.
In 2014, he starred as the main antagonist Franco in the epic drama series Ikaw Lamang with an ensemble cast.
In 2015–2016, he portrayed the role of Juan, one of the Samonte Brothers in the romantic drama series Pasión de amor, a Philippine adaptation of Telemundo-produced Pasión de Gavilanes, one of the most famous TV series in the year with top rating.
In the field of cinema, Cuenca was seen in mainstream films: In the Name of Love, Status: It's complicated, My Neighbor's Wife, Villa Estrella, Tuhog.... and featured in indie films such as: H.I.V.: Si Heidi, Si Ivy at si V (2010) - a film about AIDS, Nuwebe (2013), a film about child sexual abuse which gained local and international awards, Lihis (2013), Mulat (2014). Jake won his first best actor award at the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) in New York in 2014 for his performance in Diane Ventura's Mulat (Awaken), the same movie that won for him his second best actor at the 2016 World Cinema Festival in Copacabana, Brazil.[6]
In 2022, he appears in The Iron Heart as Eros del Rio, the main antagonist in season 2 of the series who works as a CIB Agent but he is actually a secret leader of a crime organization called Altare.
Controversies
On the night of October 9, 2021, the actor's black Jeep Wrangler hit a Mandaluyong police car stationed a checkpoint along Shaw Boulevard as part of a buy-bust operation. A plainclothes officer reported that Cuenca had not stopped for routine inspection and instead rammed through the checkpoint barriers, prompting police to chase him until his tires were shot and he was cornered along West Capitol Road in Pasig. A stray bullet hit a Grab deliveryman, who came out in stable condition. Cuenca claimed he was afraid to stop for inspection at the checkpoint as the police were plainclothes. He was allowed to leave the police precinct at 5:00 am the next day for medical attention. He initially faced charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property.[7][8]
Personal life
In April 2024, Kylie Verzosa told Karen Davila that she is dating and on a new romantic but private relationship with a non-showbiz foreigner partner, whom she met by a common friend after her breakup with Cuenca in April, 2022. After dating since 2019, Jake moved out of the condominium unit having shared with Verzosa and unto a new house. Earlier the sweethearts loved their pets: Nugget, a bulldog and Leo, a poodle.[9][10][11][12]
Cuenca is a sports enthusiast, even during his younger days. Due to a weight problem he encountered as a child, he was determined to play sports more when he grew up. Although he has done boxing and mixed martial arts, he is mainly a football player, playing twice a week.[34] As an elementary and high school student, Cuenca played as a football varsity player for PAREF Southridge School.
