Jake Zyrus' coming out docu-film earns Emmy nomination

Jake Zyrus' tell-all story just made it to the Emmys.

Docu-film "Jake and Charice" starring the singer-songwriter earned the 2020 International Emmy Awards nomination for Best Arts Programming, with Jake expressing gratitude online for the nomination.

"Surreal," he wrote in an Instagram post. "It's an honor."

"Jake and Charice" joins HBO Brasil’s “Refavela 40”  (Brazil), France Televisions’ “Vertige de la Chute (Ressaca)” (France), and Sky Arts Production Hub’s “Why Do We Dance?” (United Kingdom) in the category.

The documentary tells Jake's story of coming out as a transman, which came with many challenges and life lessons. It was produced and co-produced by NHK Enterprises in Japan and ABS-CBN, respectively.

The same work, which premiered in Japan late last year, won the Gold Camera plum at this year’s US International Film and Video Festival.

Jake was first thrust into celebrity as teenager Charice Pempengco, whose Whitney Houston-like vocals translated to praise and appearances on The Ellen Degeneres Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Pempengco would soon climb up the music ranks, performing with David Foster, Andrea Bocelli, and Celine Dion on stage. She also released her studio album "Charice," the first album featuring an Asian solo artist to ever land on the Billboard Top 10.

She would come out as a lesbian in 2013, before changing to "Jake Zyrus" as a transgender in 2017.

As Jake, he has since been vocal about issues among the Filipino LGBTQIA+ community.

He is engaged to Shyre Aquino, after proposing in November 2018.

Banner image taken from Jake Zyrus' Instagram account