Joseph's daring career move

Go ahead, rub your eyes. That’s former teenybopper Joseph Bitangcol staring at you, topless and leaning casually against a wall. He’s the same guy who romanced Sandara Park in SCQ Reload, the same one who tried his hand at comedy in D Lucky Ones.

What happened? Somewhere along the way, Joseph decided he’d better do something different to stand out among the sea of faces in showbiz.

So he decided to go daring as a fresh high school graduate who falls in love with a fisherman (Polo Ravales) in Walang Kawala.

The film, says its producer Manny Valera, has something more to it than a gay theme. Yes, the romantic trysts in the beach burn with passion.

 But that’s not all there is to Walang Kawala, which opens today in Metro Manila, Bacolod and Cebu.

“The daring scenes were essential to tackling the timely issue of human trafficking. It’s a mirror to society, a revelation of the purity of real love and the dark side and weakness of people,” explains its director, Joel Lamangan.

 Joseph didn’t enter the picture with eyes closed. He hesitated at first, since some scenes see him locking lips with Polo. He also performs a macho dance and goes completely naked with Polo.

Direk Joel allayed Joseph’s fears. Direk Joel told Joseph, “After seeing this film, people will regard you as a serious actor.”

Joseph took one big gulp and said yes, he will do it.

“I don’t think I’ll get typecast in gay roles because the film is not just about being gay,” says Joseph.

Look at Dennis Trillo, who played a gay in the acclaimed Aishite Imasu. The guy’s playing the macho Gagambino these days.

Look at Baron Geisler, who also portrayed a member of the third sex in Jay. The role even gave him an award.

Direk Joel is confident critics will sit up and notice Joseph (and Polo) after the film is shown.

Joseph doesn’t think people will question his masculinity because of his role. He is as comfortable as can be about this.

Joseph has a Japanese-Korean-Filipino girlfriend who studies at College of St. Benilde.

The similarity between Joseph’s girl, Nami Kim, and his former flame Sandara Park, is obvious. Both have Korean blood — albeit to a lesser degree in Nami Kim’s case.

Would Sandara get the shock of her life when he sees Joseph in his naked glory in Walang Kawala? Joseph shrugs.

All he knows is that he’s making a good career move. And most career moves — especially ones involving a drastic change of image like this — entails risk.

Joseph is taking that risk. And he hopes that in venturing into the untried and untested, he will gain just-as-meaty roles he can sink his teeth into.