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John Arcilla wants to be recognized as a global actor

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Leah C. Salterio

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style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVUP_HApuop/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by JOHN ARCILLA Official (@johnarcilla)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>MANILA -- South Korean films and series are popular and widely-followed all around the world. Here in the Philippines, film companies and TV networks have been adapting top-grossing Korean films and series and tailor-fitted them to suit Filipino sensibilities.</p><p>Award-winning actor John Arcilla remains clueless to this day why Korean dramas are so popular all over the world. In 2019, Arcilla starred in “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” the blockbuster adaptation of a South Korean dramatic film topbilled by Aga Muhlach.</p><p>This time, Arcilla topbills another South Korean adaption in the edge-of-your-seat action thriller, “A Hard Day,” Viva Films’ entry in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), where he shares stellar billing with Dingdong Dantes, directed by Law Fajardo. </p><p>“Korean shows got these sensibilities that are very distinct,” Arcilla pointed out to ABS-CBN News. “I think it has something to do with their culture and the way they look about life.</p><p>“I’ve seen one TV show before, ‘The Attic Cat,’ and I just got hooked. My mother who was not even into so much TV, she just watches my TV shows, she was also hooked to that Korean series.</p><p>“I’ve been wondering why Korean shows and films are that amazing. Pati ‘yung pagtahi nila ng mga kwento, ibang-iba. Kahit ako, nagtataka paano nila nagagawa. Bilib ako sa kanila.”</p><p>Although he insists that Filipino filmmakers need to push the envelope more towards creating original material, Arcilla has nothing against Korean adaptations for films and TV series, done occasionally for local projects.</p><p>“We have a very, very colorful culture and we can explore more on our stories,” Arcilla said. “We have a lot of stories to tell. Our films have been hailed in different places globally.</p><p>“Sometimes, there are projects like ‘A Hard Day,’ that has been globally popular and it’s also nice to create a Filipino version, like this one. It is also a recognition honoring an Asian work that is also significant and has relevance to our culture.”</p><p>Arcilla’s recent Volpi Cup award, that he got as best actor for “On The Job: The Missing 8” in the Venice Film Festival last September, gave validation not just to him, but to Filipino actors and filmmakers who have long been wanting to be recognized worldwide.</p><p>“It’s the confidence for all of us,” Arcilla said about his Volpi Cup. “We’ve been growing as filmmakers and actors since 1919, with our first Filipino film [‘Dalagang Bukid’] by [Jose] Nepomuceno.</p><p>“We were not seen by the whole world before. Ngayon lang tayo nakikita, kasi nag-open up na at naghahanap na ng content ang international filmdom. It is just a validation that we are growing as filmmakers and the pioneers of the film industry, global-wise.”</p><p>Even with the global recognition that he received, Arcilla, surprisingly, has no dream role or project in mind. “I accept a project kung ano lang ang dumating,” he said. “Kung ano ‘yung project and character at hand, I should work on it. That should be my favorite.</p><p>“I don’t know why. I should look for something really very interesting about the character and the subject. That’s how I work.”</p><p>However, Arcilla keeps his simple wishes to play certain iconic characters on the big screen in future international projects.</p><p>“Now, I wish I can join a film project with those iconic heroes of DC,” Arcilla revealed. “If I can play one of those villains maybe in Batman, the first Filipino villain. Bagyo or Super Bagyo. Maybe I can also play one of the freak characters in X-Men.</p><p>“I want to see myself as a global actor. Our industry has been opening globally. We’re already there. We’re seen on the international scene and we’ve gotten the citation. We were lined up along popular actors of the globe, like Gerard Depardieu, Brad Pitt.”</p><p>Arcilla wants to eventually see himself and be in that esteemed league of actors who are recognized worldwide. “I am a Filipino, not an American-Filipino,” he asserted. “Ang dami na kasing American-Filipinos na somehow, nagkakaroon ng position in the global cinema.</p><p>“I want to sell myself as a Filipino in America, in Russia, in China, playing a significant role in their society, in their films. That is what I want to explore now.”</p><p>Even if he has been playing dark characters lately, Arcilla refuses to be typecast to a particular role. “I still want to continuously explore,” he maintained. “I want to play a colorful role. Maybe a real person who has these both sides.</p><p>“Ideally, we are like that as a human being. We have the dark and the light side, the positive and the negative. We are composed of those two energies. Siguro nga, nalilinya ako sa dark characters.</p><p>“But Heneral Luna is an anti-hero. He looks like bad guy but he is actually a good-intention person. In ‘OTJ [On the Job],’ my role is also like that. He looks like a villain, but is actually a good person.</p><p>“I want to explore a super positive role. Kaya lang, wala naman ganu’ng person. It’s kind of less exciting to do that. Pero sana, huwag naman puro dark [roles]. I can look for good projects that I can explore more.”</p><p>Comparing both his characters in “A Hard Day” and “Ang Probinsyano,” the ABS-CBN’s top-rating primetime series, Arcilla described both roles are “evil” although with different demeanor. </p><p>“[Renato] Hipolito is a subdued evil who has a façade of being a good person, while Franco is an all-out evil who is not afraid to show his dark side,” Arcilla explained.</p><p>Doing another remake, Arcilla didn’t always watch the original film, like what he did in “Miracle in Cell No. 7.” “I don’t want to preempt myself. I don’t want to compare. I don’t want to have a basis of what the other actor or how the other film mounted or created their version.</p><p>“I just base my characterization through the way it was presented by the script, with the guidance of my director. That’s my guide as an actor. I don’t want to copy anyone. I don’t want to base my acting through another interpretation. I want it to be fresh.”</p><p>The actor has high regard for Dantes, his “A Hard Day” co-star. “Dingdong is a very respectable actor,” Arcilla said. “He respects his job and his work as an actor.</p><p>“As his co-actor, you can feel that. You just can’t be lazy and just throw yourself in a scene. You have to be careful handling scenes with Dingdong.</p><p>“He’s not just one of those stars or heartthrobs. He is an actor. He finds a way to scrutinize his character and how to do things. Very respectable and responsible.”</p><p>Arcilla also relished working his “A Hard Day” director Law Fajardo. “I love working with direk Law,” Arcilla said. “We built a rapport na sobrang masaya. May pagkaka-intindihan kami na nasasakyan namin ang isa’t isa. I’m happy to work with him.”</p><p>Also starring in “A Hard Day” are Janno Gibbs, Lander Vera-Perez, Evangeline Pascual, Lou Veloso, Meg Imperial, Rafa Siguion-Reyna, Al Tantay and Archie Adamos.</p><p>Arcilla cannot be thankful enough that cinemas have opened again, so the MMFF starting December 25 will be seen on the big screen.</p><p>“I still want to ask everyone to be more cautious, stay safe and keep on following protocols,” he said. “Of course, we have to enjoy this moment. For the first time after two years, meron ulit tayong ganito.</p><p>“We have to take advantage of this reopening, but at the same time, we still have to follow protocols strictly. COVID is not a joke.”</p><p>Arcilla insisted we need to give priority to our Filipino filmmakers and one such avenue is the MMFF every December. Last year, Arcilla also starred in the film fest entry, “Suarez: The Healing Priest,” for the virtual 2020 MMFF.</p><p>“Our works as actors and filmmakers are being hailed outside the country from different parts of the globe,” Arcilla said.</p><p>“It is really very important that we, as Filipinos, we celebrate our films in our country through the MMFF. We need to value our Filipino filmmakers and celebrate our films all year round.”</p>

John Arcilla topbills another South Korean adaption in the edge-of-your-seat action thriller, 'A Hard Day,' Viva Films’ entry in this year’s MMFF, where he shares stellar billing with Dingdong Dantes, 