MANILA, Philippines - Susan Roces talks fondly about her beloved husband, Fernando Poe Jr. known to the public by his moniker “FPJ” in the Aug. 28 episode of Art 2 Art as part of the program’s National Artist tribute series. FPJ whose career as an actor, director, producer and screenwriter spanned five decades — was posthumously named National Artist for Film in 2006.
The Art 2 Art episode is made more special as it airs on the birth month of the late Action King. FPJ, whose birthday is Aug. 20, would have turned 72 this year.
Roces shares many anecdotes about FPJ, including his decision to take on the directorial name of Ronwaldo Reyes, how he established his own film outfit that produced scores of films and why he had a soft spot for movie workers whose welfare was one of his chief causes in his lifetime. FPJ appeared in more than 200 films and became an icon for his portrayal of the tough guy with a soft heart who championed the downtrodden.
Aside from discussing FPJ’s professional side, Roces also reminisces about the family man whom she describes as perfect in her eyes. The pair — whose marriage on Christmas Day in 1968 grabbed headlines as the “Wedding of the Year” — was often referred to as the “First Couple of Philippine Showbiz.”
Host Lisa Macuja says,“She is such a professional, a true star and a gracious lady. It was great to listen to her stories about FPJ and to see how much she still loves him. We are so grateful that she agreed to do this in Art 2 Art.”
Roces also thanked Art 2 Art for the FPJ tribute. The visit to DZRH was a sentimental one for her, too, as she related that she actually got her first training in radio at the same station when it was still on Taft Ave. decades ago. She was also cast on DZRH soap operas in the late ’90s.
The FPJ episode airs tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. on DZRH. The program can also be viewed simultaneously on RHTV via Cablelink and accessed on dzrh.tripod.com.