Jodi Sta. Maria and Elijah Canlas. Scene from “Edjop” —CONTRIBUTED photograph
Actor Elijah Canlas has admitted that he was initially supplied to do solely two scenes within the biopic “Edjop,” however since he cherished the challenge a lot, he pleaded to its director Katski Flores to provide him the lead function as an alternative.
“Initially, I received supplied to play the younger Edjop (the late labor rights activist Edgar Jopson), whom I realized about in highschool. After I learn the script, I texted Direk to say, ‘Can I play the previous Edjop, too? I do know I look younger, however I’ll work on it. I’ll attempt to age.’ On the time, they turned me down. I assume they had been having a tough time casting somebody as a result of it’s a really controversial challenge, and, I assume, harmful for some, that they ultimately instructed me to do a display check,” he recalled.
“I confirmed up—this was round November 2023—did my make-up and did a scene. The producer, Ms Joyette (Jopson, Edjop’s daughter) got here in, too. They mentioned she cried after watching me do the scene, and they also mentioned, ‘Sport! You’re doing it!’ The work began there,” he instructed Inquirer Leisure in an interview.
Daughter’s story
Elijah mentioned that whereas this can be a story about Edjop, it’s about his daughter, as nicely. Joyette might be performed by Jodi Sta. Maria. “So technically, Ms Jodi is my daughter within the film. That is loopy, however I’m simply so honored,” Elijah mentioned, laughing. “That is primarily based on a real story, and Edjop was assassinated. The query right here is whether or not or not I’ll have a scene together with her. That’s actually all I can say about it.”
Elijah then recalled the time he first spoke with Jodi in regards to the challenge. “Her present ‘100 Days to Heaven’ is the one teleserye I watched after I was younger. One time, we each attended Gawad Tanglaw and sat subsequent to one another. I instructed her, ‘I’m taking part in your father, by the way in which,’” Elijah recalled.
“She mentioned, ‘Sure, I heard. I’m so excited. When will we begin working collectively?’ We then began to speak about the entire challenge. I’m so honored to be working together with her as a result of I understand how proficient of an actress and the way good of an individual she is. I can’t wait to see the ultimate product, truthfully. It’s a giant movie and we need to get it proper,” he added.
‘Important initiatives’
Elijah mentioned he needs to be recognized for engaged on initiatives like this one. “Important initiatives like this excite me. They problem me and align with my rules as an individual. That’s why I dedicated to this as quickly as I learn the script,” he identified.
“I don’t know what it could present to folks about me as an artist. I’m simply attempting to justify Edjop’s life and story in one of the best ways I can. The character is totally different from every thing I’ve portrayed to this point. He’s the second character I’ve performed primarily based on an actual individual. The primary one was Paciano Rizal for ‘GomBurZa.’”
As a part of his analysis, Elijah mentioned he learn Benjamin Tolentino’s “U.G. An Underground Story: The Journey of Edgar Jopson and the First Quarter Storm Technology.”
“I’m having fun with the method,” mentioned Elijah in relation to how he’s creating his character. “However on the identical time, I really feel a lot stress as a result of I understand how a lot Edjop as an individual means to our producer, Ms Joyette, and to the Filipino folks, in addition to to the opposition. I hope folks get loads of classes from this with regard to household, love for one’s nation, and love for one’s religion. The movie is like that in essence. It’s a fantastically written story.” INQ
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