Paul Christian Ocampo

Dawn Zulueta pays tribute to late director Fritz Ynfante

Article (news)

Clarence Roi Gillego

Push Team

<p>Actress Dawn Zulueta paid tribute to veteran television director Fritz Ynfante who died two weeks before his birthday.  </p><div> </div><p>Director Fritz, who passed away last July 21, was supposed to mark his 85th birthday on Monday, August 4. </p><div> </div><p>In honor of his memory, Dawn offered a heartfelt tribute to man she considers not only as mentor but as “second father” in an Instagram post.  </p><div> </div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-10" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DM9GlB_SHTJ/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=581&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A10%2C%22os%22%3A12668116%2C%22ls%22%3A401703%2C%22le%22%3A402124%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="825" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-10" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:658px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div> </div><p>“We laid Fritz to rest last week; and this August 4, we celebrate him on his birthday,” she opened her caption.  </p><div> </div><p>She went on: “I just want to say how much I valued and loved this great man whom I adopted as my second father.” </p><div> </div><p>The actress honored the director’s contribution to his long thriving career in the entertainment industry.  </p><div> </div><p>“How fortunate I was to have been trained &amp; taught by Director Fritz Ynfante,” she said.  </p><div> </div><p>“I owe him a great deal for the success I achieved in the span of my 40-year career in the Philippine film and TV industry. There is no one like him and show business will miss #FritzYnfante,” she added.  </p><div> </div><p>Sharing some old photos in the post, Dawn looked back at her humble beginnings under the mentorship of director Fritz.  </p><div> </div><p>“Not many know that renowned Director Fritz Ynfante was the first one I worked with before I officially entered show business in 1986,” she shared.  </p><div> </div><p>“In 1984 or ’85, I must’ve only been 15 years old when he cast me – a greenhorn, untrained actor, in the miniseries entitled ‘Mukha.’ He might have already seen some potential where I hadn’t the slightest clue,” she added.  </p><div> </div><p>Dawn further talked about how big of an impact the director had created on her artistry. According to her, the director was known for his “acerbic criticism” that brings out the best in every actor. </p><div> </div><p>“His constant demand for the highest standards rubbed off on me through the years: I also became a perfectionist. He was like my second parent, and a deeper affection for him had developed in me,” she said.  </p><div> </div><p>As seen in one of the photos shared by Dawn, her children, Jacobo and Ayisha, also had the chance to get to know the renowned director.  </p><div> </div><p>“It delighted Fritz to be able to share his life experiences with them and give them sound advice,” she said.  </p><div> </div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/7/23/martin-nievera-mourns-the-loss-of-tv-director-fritz-ynfante-he-directed-mentored-and-loved-0950" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: Martin Nievera mourns the loss of TV director Fritz Ynfante: ‘He directed, mentored, and loved’</strong></a></div><div> </div><p>Martin Nievera was among those artists who mourned the great director’s demise, whom he credited for the success of his television career. </p><div> </div><p>&quot;He gave me my first pair of wings as a tv host on a television show called, &#x27;Penthouse Live,&#x27; and was a true believer of the Pops and Martin team,&quot; he said. &quot;He always trusted us with his direction and his gazillion changes on every script. His attention to detail was second to none and he spared no one’s feelings when defending what he knew in his heart was right.”</p>

<p>Even before entering showbiz, the late director Fritz Ynfante already saw the potential of Dawn Zulueta. </p>

Even before entering showbiz, the late director Fritz Ynfante already saw the potential of Dawn Zulueta.