Tony Labrusca
For young actor Tony Labrusca, the term “dad” is something that should be earned and not used so casually.
While Tony’s biological dad is actor Anthony “Boom” Labrusca, the 22-year-old said he has given the title to his stepfather, who raised him while living in Canada.
“He and I are like barkada,” Tony said of Boom. “I don’t call him by his first name, but I don’t call him ‘dad’ either. I just feel that it’s very disrespectful to just give away that name to somebody who just came in to my life only recently when there’s a man who raised me. My stepdad has been around the whole time.”
Tony added: “I love my fathers. I hope people don’t get the wrong idea.”
The actor explained that while he and his stepdad “might not be related by blood, I don’t see him other than a father. Sometimes, family is not always about blood relations, but about the bond and the trust that you make with people.”
Tony, however, stressed that “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the two of them. I will always have the highest respect for both of them. No matter what has been said, they are both my fathers.”
To youngsters who may be feeling insecure because they come from broken families, Tony has this to say: “You might feel that you’re all messed up, but I guarantee that the rest of us feel as messed up as you. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all have stories to tell. Just always keep your heads up.”
He added that “the fact that you’re still around and continue to fight is in itself an accomplishment. Also, if you feel that you have no one else to run to, know that God is always around, and that life will not always be difficult.”
Tony claimed that he never regretted being part of a broken family. “Those of us with similar background have the best of hearts. We are able to relate to people and show empathy,” the actor said during a press conference for his business venture, a brand of gourmet drinks called Deja Blend.
On Father’s Day, Tony said he hoped to celebrate with both dads by having dinner with them, “although not at the same time,” he quipped.
He is now busy with two film projects. He will be seen with Eddie Garcia in Benedict Mique’s horror-thriller “ML,” which is an entry in the 2018 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
Come November, he will be seen as a gymnast in Joseph Abello’s “Double Twisting Double Black” for this year’s edition of Cinema One Originals Film Festival.
“It’s a sports-erotic-psycho thriller. It’s actually endorsed by the Philippine Sports Commission,” he declared. “I’m proud of the films I’m doing. I chose to be part of them because I want to show people that, even though I’m just a newcomer, I take acting seriously.”