Manny Castañeda. Image: IMDb
Manny Castañeda, who made a name for himself as an actor and filmmaker, was remembered by close friends and colleagues in the entertainment industry, following his death.
Castañeda’s passing was confirmed by his close friend, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chair and CEO Jose Javier “Joey” Reyes on Monday, July 1, who thanked the screen veteran and director for his friendship that spanned six decades.
According to Reyes, Castañeda died at the age of 69 and had been diagnosed with pneumonia a month prior. The cause of his death remains unknown, as of this writing.
In the comments of Reyes’ post, fellow celebrities such as Franco Laurel, Agot Isidro, Mel Kimura, and Vickie Rushton, paid tribute to Castañeda, saying his life and legacy will remain.
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Joey Reyes
Entertainment publicist Noel Ferrer also took to his Facebook page to share some of his favorite memories with Castañeda, while looking at their many “misadventures” through the years.
“And because of your BFF Joey Javier Reyes, we grew even closer, attending special gatherings and yes, you were the life of [every] party,” he wrote. “Oh Manny, we may have differed in our political beliefs, but we remained friends.”
Meanwhile, singer Richard Reynoso recalled the time when Castañeda was a writer of “The Sharon Cuneta Show,” saying he always enjoyed his “little banter” with the actor-director behind the scenes.
“I remember Manny Catañeda as a writer of ‘The Sharon Cuneta Show’ back in the day whenever I was fortunate enough to get invited to sing to promote a movie or record album. I enjoyed our little banter which made my guesting more enjoyable,” he said.
“Manny was a person full of life. Anyone would easily be magnified by his lively personality and funny anecdotes. It was truly an honor knowing you Direk Manuel Castaneda. Rest now in God’s loving arms,” he further added.
On Facebook, celebrity photographer Niccolo Cosme remembered how Castañeda was an “animated fairy godmother” behind the scenes, where they would always exchange lighthearted conversations whenever they ran into each other.
“He was a big part of my formative years as a young gay man. Ang ganda ng observations ko sa buhay nila noon as a thriving gay person in society at yung buhay naming (then) bagets na witness ng birth of the internet,” he said.
“I am very fortunate to have had him in my life. As a young gay man ang dami kong natutunan from our fairy god mothers, madami akong natutunan from Manny.”
Castañeda started his entertainment career as a cast member in the 1979 “Aliw.” He has since appeared in several TV series and films through the years.