Denzel proud of his Fordham Fil-Am scholar

Did you know that Denzel Washintgon has a Filipino scholar who recently graduated? He’s Daniel Velasco, a 2013-14 recipient of the Denzel Washington Endowed Scholarship, who was enthusiastically met by his famous two-time Academy Award-winning benefactor who personally congratulated him for finishing his theater-performance studies at Fordham College at Lincoln Center in New York City with flying colors.

“The two met face to face backstage at Ethel Barrymore Theater on West 47th Street in Times Square just days before the June 15 final performance of the Tony Award-winning play A Raisin in the Sun which starred Denzel,” reported Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre. “Fil-Am Jhett Tolentino is one of the producers of the acclaimed play.”

According to Edmund, Daniel (who was featured in Funfare last year) was accompanied by his mom, longtime Fil-Am community leader Vivian Velasco. Denzel greeted them just moments after catching up with actress Glenn Close following a sold-out performance.

A Fordham alumnus himself, Denzel gave Daniel a warm hug and a firm handshake while uttering “Go Rams!”

A proud Denzel also introduced Daniel to his Raisin colleagues backstage, telling everyone, “This is my scholar!” Daniel, who graduated at Fordham last May 17, was honored with an achievement award by its theater department.

It was in 2011 when Denzel made a $2M gift to endow the Denzel Washington Chair in Theater and a $250,000 gift to establish an endowed scholarship for an undergraduate theater student. Denzel said he created the chair and scholarship “to offer the next generation of students positive influences.”

Daniel, an outstanding high school student who earlier received a number of awards and recognitions at the prestigious Loyola School, managed to nab a scholarship grant when he studied theater at Fordham.

Exhilarated at meeting his hero, Daniel said he repeatedly thanked Denzel for helping him acquire “incredible theater training,” and added addressing Denzel, “because of you, students like myself get the opportunity to attend an increasingly prestigious theater program and learn our craft under the guidance of an incredible faculty as well as the appointed endowed chairs every year.”  

And with financial assistance from the US Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, Daniel also spent a semester overseas at Fordham’s program at the London Dramatic Academy studying classical Shakespearean and contemporary British theater training.

That stint in London also brought Daniel to some parts of Europe that only expanded his horizon in stage acting.

Denzel was quoted by Edmund as saying, “I am confident that Daniel will make me proud.”

It was actually the second time Daniel met Denzel; the first was some 10 years ago on the set of Denzel’s movie The Manchurian Candidate in which Daniel played extra (as one of the Boy Scouts).

Said Edmund, “The two reminisced and laughed as Daniel showed Denzel an old photo of them together with other young extras in the film.

Noted Edmund, born and raised in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Denzel was originally a journalism major at Fordham when he was seduced by student drama productions and switched to theater. His career includes two Oscar wins (Training Day and Glory) and five Oscar nominations altogether, among dozens of other awards and honors. He has acted in more than 40 films, including most recently, Unstoppable, The Book of Eli and the remake of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. He has directed (and co-starred in) The Great Debaters and Antwone Fisher.

Meanwhile, Vivian, who captured the backstage meeting on video and stills, said she was overwhelmed by Denzel’s “warmth and humility.

“It’s an honor and privilege, and a dream come true, for Daniel to meet Mr. Denzel Washington and personally relay to him his gratitude,” Vivian told Funfare. “The man is simply an inspiration. Very down to earth. Talagang mapapanganga ka just by looking at him and watching him talk. Nakaka-starstruck talaga. But, of course, well-behaved ako, hahahaha!”

Vivian is hopeful that Daniel (a member of the Screen Actors Guild [now known as SAG-AFTRA] since he was 10 and has had several US TV appearances and print and TV commercial credits) will soon land good projects and help him fulfill his dream to be a professional actor.

Said Edmund, “Like other actors auditioning and waiting for that big break, Daniel works in a Manhattan café to pay his bills.”

Daniel credits his mother for being his most loyal and tenacious supporter. A single mom who used to be a dancer with the Folklorico Filipino Dance Company of New York, Vivian often took her young son along on the company’s international tours. 

“That aspect of it has always stayed with me,” said Daniel, who soon developed an interest in performing.

Before Denzel and Daniel parted ways, Denzel asked Daniel, “So when are we finally working together?” Daniel exclaimed, “Anytime when you are ready!”

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