Acting against type
Gelli de Belen and Coco Martin
Typecasting is the all-too-common show biz industry practice of assigning actors roles that are “right” for them. Trouble is, that decision is often too limiting, since it restricts performers to playing minor variations on the type of role that made them stars a long time ago, and don’t give them room to grow and expand their range and versatility.
That’s why it’s heartening to see, this early in the 2016 show biz season, that some performers are intentionally opting to act against type, with generally encouraging results.
For instance, Gelli de Belen has always been associated with perky, comedic characters, but in “Ang Probinsyano,” she came on strong as a dramatic player. She was cast as the mother of a boy who has a kidney problem and is in urgent need of a transplant, forcing her to break the law.
She secures the services of a shady surgeon, not realizing that he gets his “supply” of organs from criminals who kidnap hapless kids for that evil purpose.
Gelli’s role is decidedly dark and conflicted, a far cry from her usually lighthearted and sometimes even slap-happy portrayals. It’s heartening to report, therefore, that she did well in her new thespic challenge, and should therefore play a wider range of roles from here on in.
The role of the shady doctor in the teleserye is played by Eric Quizon, another actor who’s going against type this season. Eric didn’t do as well as Gelli, but the fault wasn’t entirely his, because the way his character was written was too shallow and stereotypical.
Viewers wanted to know more about why the doctor was so warped, but the reasons given were too predictable and superficial to be of much insightful help.
Eric Quizon
Other TV acting notes: On “Dolce Amore,” the noteworthy “mature” thespic discovery is Ruben Maria Soriquez as Liza Soberano’s adoptive Italian father. His portrayal is both believable and warmly engaging, so he should be seen in other roles on local TV-film screens as well.
We’re told that he’s a “Filipino-Italian actor, director and producer.” He moved to the Philippines in 2013, and produced, directed and acted in the film, “Of Sinners and Saints,” which also top-billed Raymond Bagatsing.
On “The Story of Us,” Kim Chiu and Xian Lim essay visibly “more mature” (less giddy and “cute”) portrayals, and should be credited for belatedly wanting to grow up as actors.
Thus far, it’s Kim who’s making a relatively positive impression with her more “grounded” performance, and her speaking voice sounds less thin and tinny than before.
For his part, Xian also works hard on his character, but is foiled by his not looking “right” for the “hard-up” role, despite efforts to alter his appearance and projection.
Finally, on “Ang Probinsyano,” Bela Padilla’s hitherto weak and vacillating character Carmen finally learned to fight back and attempt to free herself from captivity.
Tragically, however, her newfound courage has resulted in her demise—a major plot twist that could mean that the hit series is revving up for its final confrontation—and conclusion.
