Richard Quan as Rex Vanguardia in “Mars Ravelo’s Darna”. Image from Facebook / Richard Quan
Spending 16 and a half hours while on prosthetics is a study in patience and discipline, which actor Richard Quan does not take lightly even though at times it was really a difficult task.
Quan played the evil Rex Vanguardia whose alter ego General Borgo from the planet Marte was nemesis to Darna, played by Jane De Leon, and father to Regina Vanguardia, alias, Valentina, played by Janella Salvador, in the teleserye “Mars Ravelo’s Darna”. The TV series already had its finale episode on Feb. 10.
He said that while his role was physically tasking, he was grateful for the whole new experience.
“Challenging siya kasi dual ’yung character ko. Sa Borgo kasi, naka-prosthetics siya. Ni-record ko ‘yung naka-prosthetics, sixteen and a half hours. ‘Yun’yung challenge sa akin,” he said during the series’ finale mediacon.
(It’s challenging because I have a dual character. In playing Borgo, I have prosthetics. I recorded it while I am on prosthetics, sixteen and a half hours).
“After three hours okay ka pa. After five hours medyo makati na siya, marami kang mararamdaman physically. Six hours, mentally nawawala ka na sa mood. Aarte ka pa, makikisama ka sa set so you have to put your mind sa relax na state na makatrabaho ka pa, maka-function ka nang maayos,” he continued.
(After three hours, you’re still okay. After five hours, it’s getting itchy, you will feel so many things physically. Six hours, mentally you will loose your mood. You will still act, you will have to get along on the set so you have to put your mind in a relaxed state that you can still work, that you can still function well).
Quan said that in his 30 years as an actor, he thought that he had already learned everything about acting, but being in “Darna” was being in a new level entirely.
“After ‘Darna’, iba na ang sasabihin ko. Ang dami kong na-experience, first time kong ma-experience it sa pag-arte ko. ‘Yung disiplina, dinala ako sa next level,” he said. (But after “Darna”, I will say it’s different. I have experienced so many,it was first time in my acting. The discipline, it brought me to the next level).
He said that after his “Darna” experience, he would still do this again.
“Will I do it again? Malamang. Is it worth it? Not sure kung worth it. Pero dapat ba ginawa ko? Definitely. Otherwise, question ko ‘yun buong buhay ko — ano ‘yung feeling, ano ang matutunan ko, ano ‘yung experience ko. Definitely, I’ll do it again,” he said.
(Will I do it again? Most likely. Is it worth it? Not sure if it is, but sure I have done it? Definitely. Otherwise, I would question myself all my life — how it felt, what I would have learned, what I would have experienced. Definitely, I’ll do it again.) EDV