On Twitter, Autism Society Philippines praised Arjo on his role as Elai on ABS-CBN’s “The General’s Daughter.”
The non-profit group dedicated to the well-being of persons with autism spectrum disorder expressed their praise for the actor on Sept. 21.
The group wrote, “[Arjo’s] portrayal of autism is sensitive and nuanced. The character was well-developed and avoided stereotypical caricatures. Bravo!”
Sylvia Sanchez, Arjo’s mom, replied to the tweet as she wrote, “Thank you @AutismSociety for acknowledging Arjo’s portrayal. This means so much to us. Congrats, @arjoatayde nak, for portraying another role effectively. Always proud of you!”
Arjo obviously did his homework because portraying a character with autism is seriously difficult. According to a report from ABS-CBN, Arjo studied how to mold the character when he visited a Quezon City restaurant where “kids who have the same condition as Elai, of the same age, are serving up to a certain time.” Arjo shared, “I observed. I was talking to them. Thankfully, the owner was open to the idea.”
The 28-year-old actor also said that his preparation for the role included watching films about autism. He said, “My assignment to myself, yung pampatulog ko every night, I would watch a lot of videos and I would study the character from head to toe if I can.” (Cosmo)
