JERICHO Rosales will officially take the mantle of portraying the late president Manuel L. Quezon in the upcoming biopic “Quezon” scheduled for a 2025 release.
The actor’s casting was announced by the film’s production company TBA Studios in a press statement, which will mark his return to the big screen after seven years. His last film appearance was the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry “The Girl in the Orange Dress.”
“I feel so honored to be with this team. Coming to a script like this which is so potent and so entertaining, I feel so lucky and happy. Here, you will see Quezon as a person. He is not written as a hero,” Rosales said of his character.
According to the statement, “Quezon” will cover the second president’s life as a lawyer, soldier, and how he rose to become the country’s top leader from 1935 to 1944.
Without giving any key scenes away, Rosales described the late president as someone “cunning, charming, and intelligent” which makes it an exciting character for him to bring to life.
“Quezon is such an interesting character to play; there are so many things I can put into the role to build Quezon as a character. That adds to the pressure, but at the same time, I am very excited,” he said.
Rosales was chosen for his ability to “deliver power onscreen,” according to the film’s director and co-writer Jerrold Tarog, while revealing that he, too, auditioned for the role of Gen. Antonio Luna in the 2015 film “Heneral Luna.” The role eventually went to John Arcilla.
Meanwhile, TBA Studios president and COO Daphne Chiu praised the actor’s prowess, noting he has an “unbelievable screen presence.”
Also joining Rosales are Benjamin Alves as the younger Quezon, Karylle as Quezon’s wife Aurora Aragon Quezon, Romnick Sarmenta as Sergio Osmeña, JC Santos as Manuel Roxas, Mon Confiado as Emilio Aguinaldo, and Cris Villanueva as the fictional Joven Hernando.
The upcoming film is part of the production company’s “Bayaniverse,” a series of films based on the lives of Filipino historical figures, including “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.” (Hannah Malloca © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
