Ronaldo Valdez showed ‘notable difference’ in behavior on film set

Valdez in scenes from the movie “Ikaw at Ako” —VIVA FILMS/YOUTUBE

More than the physical pain he was feeling, the late actor Ronaldo Valdez’s failure to save his marriage was what made him sink deeper into a pit of depression, said friend Boots Anson-Rodrigo, who has worked with Valdez as far back as the 1970s.

Valdez, who passed away on Sunday afternoon, reportedly began suffering from depression since undergoing prostate cancer surgery in December 2022.

The Quezon City Police District has launched a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

“I think this had to do with his personal life. I don’t know if it’s common knowledge that his marriage broke up some three years ago. I never asked him the reason why, but of course, I know that this had an effect on him. Janno is in his 50s now, so that means they’ve been together for over 50 years,” Rodrigo told Inquirer Entertainment on Monday.

Heart condition

Rodrigo was Valdez’s leading lady in his last movie, Rechie del Carmen’s “Ikaw at Ako,” which also features Paolo Contis and Rhian Ramos. In the three-part film, she plays a woman with Alzheimer’s disease. Valdez promises to take care of her until the end.

“On the set, I noticed that he already had a hard time walking. He used a cane and needed assistance to move around. More than the physical pain, I noticed that he was sad. Yes, he would still joke around, but there was a notable difference [in his behavior],” Rodrigo recalled. “Once, when we were rehearsing, he told me, ‘Mare, masakit dito,’ while pointing to his heart. Whatever he was going through emotionally had a big impact on him. I felt too shy to ask him about it.”

Rodrigo said while she was aware that Valdez had a heart condition, he only mentioned in passing to her about his prostate cancer operation in 2022. “I just noticed that it was too painful for him to walk straight. It was kind of perfect for our scenes because we were portraying an old couple, but when the director would shout, Cut!’ I could still see his pained expression. But what was more noticeable to me was the sadness. I could feel the sadness. Ron had always been iyakin (prone to crying), but he cried so much while doing this one.”

The film, produced by Viva Entertainment, has been showing in cinemas nationwide since Dec. 6.

Rodrigo said the film and its topics (mental health and Alzhiemer’s disease) sort of foreshadowed Valdez’s own mental health issue. “Even before the premiere, I was telling our director to book screenings and tie up with the Mental Health Association or the Department of Health. Now, they have two angles already, one about my character dealing with Alzhiemer’s and then Ron’s real story in which depression played a very significant part and eventually led to his death,” the actress pointed out.

Ronaldo Valdez —VIVA FILMS/YOUTUBE

Funny moments

Rodrigo then recalled some of the funny moments she shared with Valdez through the years, most of which happened while on the set of a film. In one scene for “Tatlong Kasalanan,” which they shot in the mid-’70s, Rodrigo was supposedly mourning the death of the character of Valdez, who was lying in a coffin. “We did great during the rehearsals, but when it was time to do the actual take, Ron stood up from his coffin. Imagine how difficult it was for me to stifle a laugh!”

In another film, “Ang Pag-ibig Ko’y Huwag Mong Sukatin,” Valdez pranked Rodrigo once again. “We were doing a heavy crying scene. The camera was on me and his was an over-the-shoulder shot. He was making silly faces while I was crying!”

The last one was while doing the movie “May Minamahal,” which also featured Aga Muhlach and Aiko Melendez.

“We were on a table planning the wedding of the two. I was Aiko’s mother and he was Aga’s dad. In the scene, Ron was supposed to mention the Folk Arts Theater. He was fine during the rehearsals, but during the take, he said, ‘Folks Art Theater!’ It took all of our discipline and professionalism not to laugh and ruin the take. When it was over, everyone laughed so hard,” she recalled. “He was always like that. He would save the jokes until you’re already in the scene just to see how you’d react.”

Rodrigo will appear with Valdez in a still unreleased movie, Prime Cruz’s esport film “GG,” which also stars Donnie Pangilinan.