Ella Jay Basco (left) and Margot Robbie in “Birds of Prey” (Image: Warner Bros.)
Filipino-Korean actress Ella Jay Basco is dedicating her career-changing performance in the DC movie “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” to her Filipino fans.
Basco plays the role of Cassandra Cain, an orphan thief whom Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) took under her wing. Cain eventually became a part of Quinn’s new girl squad with Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez).
The antihero movie centers around Quinn’s life in Gotham City after breaking up with Batman’s nemesis, Joker. Quinn bands with an unlikely group of girls all fighting the same villain, the Black Mask, played by Ewan McGregor.
The 13-year-old actress retweeted a character profile of Cain made by Warner Bros. on her Twitter page yesterday, Feb. 13. The Filipino actress shared that her grandfather is from Pangasinan, while her grandmother is from Zambales.
“This movie is for you Philippines!” Basco said.
This movie is for you Philippines! My Grandpa is from Pangasinan and my Grandma is from Zambales. https://t.co/2c0pNlc2dg
— ellajaybasco (@ellajaybasco) February 13, 2020
In an interview with Basco, she described her pickpocketing character as a kid who lived in the streets of Gotham, jumping from foster home to foster home, as seen on Warner Bros. PH Twitter page on the same day.
Cain looked up to Quinn as a role model, according to Basco. Her character also learned to fight to survive at a young age.
Watch your pockets. 👀 @ellajaybasco is Cassandra Cain in #BirdsofPrey, NOW PLAYING in cinemas. Make it your pre-Valentine movie date.
Check showtimes here: https://t.co/bbeUszzBNv pic.twitter.com/SU7jfvontP
— Warner Bros. Ph (@WarnerBros_ph) February 13, 2020
Ella Jay Basco is the niece of the Filipino-American actor Dante Basco. Ella Jay’s father is the eldest among the Basco brothers.
In 1991, Dante appeared in Steven Spielberg’s Peter Pan adaptation “Hook” alongside Hollywood veterans Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman. He is also the voice actor behind Prince Zuko in Nickelodeon’s “Avatar: The Last Air Bender.” /ra
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