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Floyd Tena leads ‘Tirik.’ Handout

Josh Mercado

<p>Floyd Tena, who s<strong></strong>tarted his career as a singer in an all-male trio in 2007 before moving on to theater and television, expressed excitement about his first Cinemalaya starring film, &quot;Tirik.&quot;</p><p>“I’ve never had a lead role in a movie before, so this is significant to me. It is also a result of years of perseverance and hard effort. And it’s a representation of giving premium to my craft,” Tena told ABS-CBN News.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:655px;display:block" width="655"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774481980377floyd.jpg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Floyd Tena leads ‘Tirik.’ <em>Handout </em></span></span></span></div><p>Tena acknowledged how the just concluded Kapamilya series &quot;Roja&quot; had emotionally and physically prepared him for the new May-i Guia Padilla film.</p><p>“In a way, we were allowed to work together as a team to develop each character and their interactions with other characters in ‘Roja.’ I&#x27;m bringing the method I used to create a distinctive character of Santos, complete with backstory and everything that would give my character depth, as we are also granted that type of flexibility here in ‘Tirik,’” he told ABS-CBN News. </p><p>He added, “I&#x27;m grateful to my Dreamscape family for consistently assigning me challenging roles that highlight the discipline I&#x27;ve developed in theater. It forces me to view each character from new angles.”</p><div><strong>Sin, salvation </strong></div><p>&quot;Tirik,&quot; written by acclaimed Charlson Ong, focuses on the intricate friendship between a weary but steadfast priest whose faith is tested to its limits and a rough taxi driver plagued by his violent past.</p><p>“It resembles a journey movie where characters meet various situations that ultimately make them doubt their humanity in relation to sin, salvation, justice, and vengeance,” Tena added.</p><p>He went on to describe his character, saying, “Santos Mira is a complicated person. When presented with conflicting options, he carefully considers what is important to him. That&#x27;s what makes me similar. Being a single parent and an artist (acting and singing are my main sources of income), I frequently have to make choices that call into question my integrity.”</p><p>“However, my moral compass and values would always support my choices. Similar to Santos? Let&#x27;s see. We are both family men who would do anything to support their families and demonstrate their love,” he added.</p><p>Tena happily told ABS-CBN News that they began their first filming day last March 16 with Rocco Nacino, Chai Fonacier, Jess Mendoza, and Justin Mclaire.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:655px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774482051678members.jpg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Tirik’ cast members express excitement. <em>Handout </em></span></span></span></div><p>“It was thrilling and exciting, but also nerve-racking and stressful. Everyone was at their peak performance! It is an honor to be working on this project with amazing artists like Rocco, Chai, and Jess,” he expressed.</p><p>Speaking candidly about his love of performing, Tena acknowledged that his roles in &quot;One More Chance: The Musical,&quot; Dreamscape&#x27;s &quot;Pamilya Sagrado,&quot; and Arjo Atayde&#x27;s &quot;Bagman&quot; helped him understand how draining acting was. However, he realized that his passion was what led him to pursue a career in entertainment.</p><p>“I told myself that this is more than just my job or a way to make ends meet. Because it exhausts you not just physically but also psychologically and mentally. Plus, the pay in theatre isn&#x27;t great, so why do I keep doing it? This is passion! And I am fortunate enough to be able to make money while pursuing my passion,” he opened up.</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774482115378tirik.jpg" style="width:655px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Tena was asked at the end of his interview if he expects to win an award for “Tirik,” given how stars look ahead to winning Cinemalaya acting honors.</p><p>“In every project that I work on, I always pray that we get the storytelling right. The audience deserves it. And if or when it receives an award, it will serve as a joyful bonus, a reminder to be committed to my art and craft and to continuously strive for improvement,” he ended.</p>

<p>Floyd Tena, who started his career as a singer in an all-male trio in 2007 before moving on to theater and television, expressed excitement about his first Cinemalaya starring film, "Tirik."</p>

Floyd Tena, who started his career as a singer in an all-male trio in 2007 before moving on to theater and television, expressed excitement about his first Cinemalaya starring film, "Tirik."

From ‘Roja’ to ‘Tirik’: Does Floyd Tena expect best actor award for his 1st Cinemalaya lead?

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From ‘Roja’ to ‘Tirik’: Does Floyd Tena expect best actor award for his 1st Cinemalaya lead?

Josh Mercado

Published March 26, 2026 11:08 AM PHT

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Tirik

Floyd Tena

Cinemalaya

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