Piolo Pascual, who has not made a movie for almost two years and was last seen in a drama series in 2009, admits he is ?at a crossroads? in his career.

?I?m searching for that one good story for my next film. I?ve read many scripts but I have yet to find something that?s worth my while,? says Piolo. His last project, ?Love Me Again (Land Down Under),? with Angel Locsin, was released in January 2009.

?I?ve also decided to do just one TV soap a year,? he tells Inquirer. ?Lovers in Paris,? which lasted only one season, ended in December last year. ?I?m not being picky,? he insists. ?I just want to be always reinventing myself.?

Piolo is currently working on the drama-adventure series ?Noah? with child star Zaijian Jaranilla. ?I'm focusing on this one,? says Piolo. ?Squeezing in a movie will not be good. I?d rather secure my track record [as a box-office hit star].

It?s his first time to play a policeman, plus he?s taking on the role of a father to 8-year-old Zaijian. ?I don?t mind,? says Piolo, 33. ??Di na rin naman ako bata. I can?t do romantic leads forever. I appreciate the fact that my bosses at ABS-CBN are helping me grow as an actor by offering me challenging projects like ?Noah.? Not only am I acting here; I?m also in the production team.?

No ?Avatar?

The actor-producer clarifies this early that ?Noah? is not patterned after the Hollywood hit movie ?Avatar??an expected comparison. He points out, ?The concept was thought up long before ?Avatar? was shown. The network had planned it way before the series ?Gulong ng Palad.? But like ?Avatar,? ?Noah? also aims to raise awareness on the state of the environment.?

Piolo said a big set was built in Subic just for the show. ?Ginastusan talaga. It?s an ambitious project. We?ve created a tribe of monkey people. It?s hard work, especially for actors who wear prosthetics for many hours. And it?s tough working deep in the jungle. The weather isn?t always on our side.?

He still dreams of more off-beat roles, Piolo admits. On top of this, ?I?m serious about my work as producer, if only occasionally. I?d like to grow as a businessman, too.?

Piolo was executive producer for the box-office hit comedy film ?Kimmy Dora,? released in 2009. He also helped produce ?Manila? (2009), by Adolf Alix Jr. and Raya Martin.

?Noah,? directed by Malu Sevilla and Lino Cayetano, also stars Kristine Hermosa, Jodi Santamaria, Cherry Pie Picache, Lou Veloso, Anna Capri, Baron Geisler and Noni Buencamino.

E-mail mcruz@inquirer.com.ph.