The fine performances of 2002 (lead actors)

( Third of four parts )

In my past two columns, I cited the fine performances of secondary actors and actresses last year. Below are the outstanding performances of lead actors in my book for 2002.

Ricky Davao – Although he doesn’t have the superstar quality of Richard Gomez and Aga Muhlach, Ricky Davao has been one of the more important actors in local cinema since the mid-’90s. Even if he has never been a box-office draw, he continues getting movie assignments because he is an excellent actor and a versatile one. He can play it good, bad and even gay.

Last year, in fact, he played another closet queen role (who’d forget him in Ang Lalake sa Buhay ni Selya?) in American Adobo and was so good at it — as usual. His shining moment there was when he kissed a surprised Christopher de Leon on the lips in his attempt to profess his love for him.

Rudy Fernandez – It’s difficult to shine in action films because you always end up getting dwarfed by the explosions, the fight scenes and other ingredients of films of this genre. But if you are as good an actor as Rudy Fernandez, you will still stand out in the middle of all those action spectacles on the big screen. This he managed to show in Diskarte, where he proved once more that he is a cut (or several cuts) above most action stars in local films.

Christopher de Leon – After almost 30 years, Christopher de Leon is still the undisputed king of drama – a much sought-after leading man to generations of leading ladies. In the last Metro Manila Film Festival, he displayed his brilliance in acting in Dekada ’70 as the traditional family man insensitive to his wife’s needs. His character is not the main focus of the story, but you still feel his presence all over the movie because of his fine performance in practically every scene he is in.

Jay Manalo – In the forthcoming Gawad Urian, Jay Manalo is competing in two categories: Best Supporting Actor (for Mano Po) and Best Actor (for Prosti). Although he excels in both films, it is really in Prosti where he makes a bigger impact — and not necessarily because he plays the lead role in this film.

I guess it’s because he fits his pimp, street-smart role in Prosti better — being brusque and rough-looking physically (unlike in Mano Po, where he has to play against type — that of a dignified and wealthy Chinese businessman). But the fact that he is able to portray both types of roles very well is a testimony to his maturity as an actor. If he wins in either film (or who knows — in both?), this is going to be his first official recognition as a fine performer.

Albert Martinez – Although I swear I’d tear up the screen of every movie theater in town once he plays another heel role, I have to admit he was very good in that role in last year’s Laman. In spite of the fact that the movie has its flaws, his performance in that sex film remained flawless from beginning to end.

Aga Muhlach – Early in his career (no, I’m not talking about Campus Beat), Aga Muhlach displayed sensitivity as an actor. He was impressive, for instance, in his first important film, Miguelito: Ang Batang Rebelde. Then, in 1986, at 17, he became the youngest actor to win the Urian (Best Supporting Actor for Napakasakit, Kuya Eddie), a feat he would repeat nine years later when he was adjudged Urian Best Actor for Sana Maulit Mulit.

In Kailangan Kita, where he plays the chef who falls in love with his supposed-to-be sister-in-law, Claudine Barretto, he is at his best in all his scenes. But the most heart- wrenching of all (and no doubt his finest moment) is his reconciliation scene with his long-lost father, Dante Rivero, while in the middle of a session on how to cook the perfect laing.

Vhong Navarro – The Streetboys obviously are not only excellent dancers, but fantastic actors as well. You see this in Jhong Hilario, who has won awards and nominations for playing a deep-sea diver in Muro-Ami, Spencer Reyes, who was impressive in Istokwa and Danilo Barrios in most of his movies. Now comes Vhong Navarro, who was really fantastic in Jologs, where he played a man so enamored with Julia Clarete, but unfortunately was rebuffed by his one and only love. His best scene there for me was that one where he tried suicide — done comically, of course — by forcing a cobra to bite him (but it didn’t).

Yul Servo – In his expensive launching movie last year, Batang Westside, Yul Servo got left out in the nominations. In fact, three of his co-stars monopolized the acting categories in the Urian by winning Best Actor (Joel Torre), Best Supporting Actor (Raul Arellano) and Best Supporting Actress (Gloria Diaz) and only failed to bag the Best Actor trophy because the film didn’t have a lead actress.

Yul Servo, however, makes up for his non-inclusion in the Urian race last year by coming up with a very convincing portrayal of a rural boy who tries his luck in the city but ends up defeated in the sex film Laman. Last March, he won the Best Actor trophy in the Star Awards and is in the running for the same category (in the same film) in the coming Gawad Urian on May 17. (To be concluded).