Gabby’s ‘Batch ’81’ tattoo

Gabby Eigenmann

Gabby Eigenmann undoubtedly looks up to his late father, Mark Gil, as one of his acting idols. When he was still around, Mark was not afraid to admit that he was quite a stern taskmaster with Gabby, whom he kept pushing to take the craft seriously.

In 2014, Gabby decided to have a tattoo done on his chest, to pay tribute to his father.

“I got it a week after my dad passed away,” Gabby told the Inquirer. “I chose his photo from the ‘Batch ’81’ poster because it was the movie he was most known for.”

The iconic portrait shows a blindfolded Mark—a scene from Mike de Leon’s celebrated film on the folly of fraternities.

“When I auditioned for the role of Roxie in ‘Citizen Jake,’ it was the first time I met Direk Mike,” Gabby recalled. “He knew my dad, of course, but he had never seen my work.”

With true Eigenmann chutzpah, Gabby broke the ice in his own inimitable way. “When I entered the room, I showed him my tattoo and said: ‘Direk, my dad says Hi!’”

The acclaimed director was amused. Gabby recounted: “He laughed and said, ‘Ang ganda nyan ha (That looks beautiful)!’”

The esteemed director wrote on Facebook: “Underneath Gabby’s seemingly devil-may-care attitude lies a very serious and compelling actor. He has his father’s intensity and something else, a versatility—an ability to flit from meanness to black humor, with perfect timing … that perfectly fits his tragi-comic character.”

Gabby, who topbills the GMA 7 afternoon soap “Contessa,” is likewise thankful for the chance to work with a master director. “I’ll forever be grateful for being part of this movie, to have worked with the great Mike de Leon. It was truly an unforgettable experience.”—BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.