Adrian Lindayag (right) and Keann Johnson
The range of opportunities for LGBTQ actors in local show biz, especially for leads, are scant as it is. And yet, many of them still end up getting passed over in favor of their straight counterparts—even for queer roles in queer-themed projects.
“Queer narratives or LGBT characters are already very limited in the entertainment industry, more so for lead roles. Thus, giving those to straight actors means fewer chances for LGBTQ actors of landing jobs,” theater-television actor Adrian Lindayag said in a recent virtual conference for “The Boy Foretold by the Stars,” an entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
“It’s already hard for us to get cast in the first place,” he added. “I hope we can give those characters to LGBTQ actors. Let’s give them the roles that are only apt for them to play.”
Adrian also stressed that gay actors need not be relegated only to comic relief roles. “I feel challenged … because it has been part of my advocacy to play queer characters that lift our integrity, characters that contribute to the community’s progress,” he said. “It’s not always being funny; the characters should have other dimensions, too.”
Produced by The Dolly Collection, Brainstormers Lab and Clever Minds Inc., “The Boy” is a coming-of-age boys love or BL film. Set in an exclusive high school, this romantic drama follows two young boys, Dominic (Adrian) and Luke (Keann Johnson), from two different campus cliques, who—as predicted by a fortuneteller—cross paths in a retreat.
Casting an openly gay actor, like Adrian, in the role of Dominic was a conscious effort, said the movie’s writer and director, Dolly Dulu.
“When I wrote the script, I wanted to cast someone effeminate or out, because I don’t think the portrayal will be genuine if the actor weren’t. It’s also inspired by my own experiences, so I can’t see the character being portrayed as straight-acting,” she said.
It’s more efficient, too, from a production standpoint. “There are a lot of layers to the character to tackle, and it would be difficult to explain the nuances [to a straight actor] … Not having to go through those means, we can immediately focus on characterization, acting and the scene’s objective.”
Adrian, who has starred in the musical “Rak of Aegis” and currently appears in the TV5 sitcom “Oh My Dad!,” saw a great deal of himself in Dominic. “He reminds me of my personal high school experiences—that feeling of being attracted to other boys, and, at the same time, feeling invalidated, because I thought it was wrong, that I was committing a sin,” he related.
While Keann is straight, there was no awkwardness in their working dynamics on the set, said Adrian, who described his onscreen partner as “gentlemanly and caring.” “Magaan ang loob namin sa isa’t isa. It helps that Keann finds this project meaningful because his mother is a lesbian,” he said.
“He told me that one of the reasons he accepted the film is because it’s something he can relate to,” added Adrian, who underwent workshops with Keann in preparation for the project. “Also, we had already worked with each other in another film that has yet to be released.”
The past year saw the BL genre gaining popularity in the Philippines, with local producers coming up with their own take, mostly for online release. What makes “The Boy Foretold” worth the P250 ticket, when the audience can watch a slew of BL series for free on YouTube?
“Many of what we had are series. But I think our movie is one of the first romantic-comedy BL films to come out. And since it’s a movie, the storytelling style will be different,” Dolly pointed out. “It was shot and mounted with the goal of showing it on the big screen, so the production reflects that.”
But while commercial success is important, the goal, Adrian said, is to put the movie’s message across and connect to “little bekis” who are in an “environment or society where they’re made to feel that their feelings are wrong.”
“We didn’t choose to get attracted to men. God knows how many times I tried to choose to be attracted to women, simply because that’s what is deemed right,” Adrian said. “But this movie gives that validation.” INQ