A life he chose: Jespipat Tilapornputt on finding joy—in work, in golf, and in staying true to himself

If acting is his first love, golf has quietly become the next—one Jes is convinced will remain in his life until the very end. Though his father encouraged all three sons to start young, Jes, the youngest, admits he wasn’t quite sold at first.

“That was around the time my father’s business collapsed in 1997,” he recalls. “He was under a lot of stress, and golf became his way to refresh himself. He wanted all of us to learn and play alongside him. But as kids, we couldn’t really find the fun in it yet. Like most children, we preferred sports like football, basketball—sports where you can clearly see the competition, the fight, the win.”

Then, last year, Jes returned to golf—properly, seriously—and something shifted.

“Golf has become the one sport I’m completely confident I can stay with until I die,” he says, his expression suddenly earnest. “My dad is 72 now. He still plays, and he still looks forward to going twice a week. Golf is for every age. Every time you go to the course, you’ll see people my age, younger than me, older than me—even my father’s age. And I hope I’ll be with it for a long time.”

Read more: Jeeno Atthaya Thitikul, Thailand's world number one female golfer, named 'Golfer of the Year' after winning the CME Group Tour.

For Jes, golf is not only a restorative hobby—it is also a quiet teacher.

“Every time I play, I barely touch my phone,” he says. “It’s like a four-to-five-hour social detox. You get to be with yourself, observe yourself—and forgive yourself.”

Golf, he explains, is a shot-by-shot game. “On any given day, there are moments you hit well and moments you don’t. There are countless factors you can’t control. The more frustrated you get, the worse you play. You have to learn to let go quickly, and forgive what you did wrong. For me, golf isn’t a game of doing your best—it’s a game of making the fewest mistakes.”

It’s a philosophy he now applies to acting too.

“In the past, if I felt I acted badly—even if it was only one scene that day—I would take it home with me. I’d replay it in my head, rehearse it in the mirror again and again, even though it didn’t help. Because you can’t go back and reshoot that scene. What you can do is try your hardest every day—not to be perfect, but to feel less dissatisfied with yourself.”

Sixteen years into his career, Jes has built a body of work spanning more than 30 television dramas. He singles out his first lead role in Live to Kill, Love to You (2017) as a defining period—one that demanded he carry an entire story on his shoulders, and break through a wall he once feared most: crying on screen.

Years later, he transformed again in Wild Thing (2023), a role he calls one of the most complex—and the one he is proudest of. When the response landed, he felt every ounce of exhaustion had been worth it.

“The challenge of being a Thai drama leading man is that there’s a certain template—people expect the hero to be a particular way,” he says. “I’d played those versions already. When I received roles that were very similar, the difficulty was how to make it feel different. And the more I heard feedback that I was acting the same, the less fun it became. It turned into stress.”

That's why the young actor opened up to Boy Takonkiat Veerawan, the boss of Channel One, saying that if a good role came his way, even if it wasn't the lead role, he could play it. That "courage" became a crucial turning point in his acting career.

"If I hadn't spoken up that day, the senior actors wouldn't have understood. For example, if there was a really good role, but it wasn't the lead role, they wouldn't dare offer it to me for fear of making me feel bad. So, it was like a breakthrough, and it allowed me to get other roles that I liked, like the role of 'Teerakit' in ' Rak Rai. ' Even though it wasn't the lead role, it was a really good and prominent role. It helped me try things I'd never done before and showcase my acting skills in ways many people might not have expected." (smiles)

That was why Jes chose to speak candidly with Boy Takonkiet Viravan, the head of ONE Channel: if a strong role came along, even if it wasn’t the lead, he wanted the chance to take it. That single act of courage became a turning point.

“If I hadn’t said it, the executives might not have understood,” he explains. “Imagine there’s an incredible role, but not a leading role—they might not dare offer it, because they’d worry it would hurt my feelings. Saying it was like unlocking a door. It allowed me to receive roles I truly liked—like the role ‘Therakit’ in Wild Thing. It wasn’t the lead, but it was a standout role. It gave me the chance to do something I’d never done, and to show a side of my acting many people didn’t expect.” (smiles)

Saying yes to variety opened even more doors, including a surprise milestone: his first BL series, 4 Minutes (2024). The past year became one of his most dynamic—international travel, new kinds of events, new audiences he’d never met before. For an actor of his generation, he calls it pure luck.

“Younger actors who do Boys' Love (BL) and Girls' Love (GL) series often follow a similar trajectory,” he says. “A series ends, then come fan meetings, tours, fashion weeks. We didn’t grow up with that. We used to think those things were impossible for our generation. So when I stepped into that world, I felt incredibly lucky. I’m grateful for every opportunity. It’s a great experience—and if I don’t do it now, I don’t know when I ever will.”

When asked what kind of role he wants next, Jes pauses. “I’ve never been able to answer that,” he admits. “But it would probably be something I’ve never done. I want to be part of stories our industry doesn’t often make—or doesn’t dare to make.”

“I don’t want to work while constantly wondering whether a drama will be a hit or not. I don’t want to be addicted to fame. I just want to enjoy being an actor—and have someone say, ‘you acted so well,’ or ‘your performance has grown so much.’”

Looking ahead to 2026, fans can expect a new film from Be On Cloud, scheduled for release around February, as well as a series Jes describes as something Thailand has never done before—alongside actors he never imagined he’d get the chance to work with.

After 16 years in the industry, Jes—now in his early thirties—knows the world, knows the work, and perhaps most importantly, knows himself. What, then, has never changed—and what has changed the most?

“I think it’s the same thing,” he laughs. “What never changed is my personality. I’m just… like this. I don’t want everything to feel tense or overly serious. I try to make every day happy.”

“And what changed is also my personality,” he adds, softer now. “I used to be very self-centred. But as I grew up and lived real life, I realized I’m not as strong or as capable as I once thought—there are so many people better than me. So I learned to listen more, to learn from others more. And slowly, my nature changed in a better direction.” (smiles)

Jes admits that in the past, he had to try to be “someone who wasn’t himself,” because the culture within entertainment didn’t always separate an artist’s real life from the roles they played.

“I never agreed from the start with the idea that celebrities must behave a certain way, that actors must be a certain type,” he says. “People may love us because of a character—but I always say I’m lucky that people love me because I’m me. It allows me to be myself everywhere. And that doesn’t happen to everyone.”

Jes speaks fondly of the relationship he has with his fan community—“Jes’s Vaccine”—and the playful, blunt, mischievous charm that makes many feel like they’ve known him for years.

“My fans like to say I’m like a ‘rabid dog,’” he laughs. “Because I complain loudly, I tease them loudly—so I told them, if I’m the rabid dog, then you can be the vaccine.”

“For me, it’s a very healthy relationship,” he continues. “Because neither side demands anything, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable. They’ve seen me like this from day one. Everyone knows I’m an actor, and my fans have their own lives and careers too. It’s simply a favour—one side is happy to give, the other is happy to receive. It’s not forced, not demanded. And if there’s something I can do, something I can give, then I’ll do it.”

Sometimes, he says, he reads private messages from fans thanking him for a photo, or for taking a moment to talk, to encourage them. “To me, it feels normal. But sometimes it changes their life. It makes an ordinary day better.”

“If I weren’t an artist, I probably couldn’t do that for someone. But in this role, I can—without even knowing them personally. That’s the luck of being an actor. And if it’s possible, I hope that one role of mine—one way or another—can help someone become better, or live better.” (smiles)

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