ER Ejercito won’t aim for MMFF Best Actor anymore
Laguna governor Jeorge ‘ER” Ejercito may be willing to go all way to the Supreme Court in defending himself against accusations of election overspending, but he is done with expecting a Best Actor award from the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
“Ayaw ko na mag-try,” he told members of media at the press conference for his official entry to this year’s annual film festival.
The former president of the Actors’ Guild, explained, “Masaya na ako sa mga nakaraang awards ko, from the FAMAS, the PMPC Star Awards, sa Luna Awards na nagbigay sa akin ng apat na Best Actor awards.”
Disappointed
He showed disappointment in last year’s MMFF awards: “Doon pa lang sa FPJ Memorial Award, doon pa lang makikita natin ang credibility … (sabi nila) the FPJ (Memorial) Award should go to the historical film that inspires national patrimony.”
The said award went to the romance drama “One More Try.”
ER clarified however, that he will be very much surprised if his leading lady, KC Concepcion doesn’t win a Best Actress award as Marla de Guzman, a stunning but cold and calculated woman who becomes his partner in crime.
The film’s leading man came to the press conference in a gold suit, his character’s signature wear back in the turbulent ‘60s, when the lanky, good-looking former society boy Arturo Porcuna (aka Boy Golden) rose to notoriety.
ER explained that Boy Golden admired Elvis Presley so much, he tried to imitate the King of Rock ‘n Roll’s way of dressing (Presley wore this kind of suit in many of his performances). This love for rhythm was naturally coupled with a passion for dance. Boy Golden was also a dance instructor.
Fantasy movies next
In 2014, ER will break away from his signature action-drama movies and shift to fantasy. He bared plans of shooting “Pedro Penduko,” based on the story of a Filipino folk hero.
“Next year, may usapan kami ni Boss Vic (del Rosario of Viva Entertainment) na baka pambata naman. We might start shooting Pedro Penduko in March.”
Another project is “Maria Makiling,” also a fantasy based on a popular character in Philippine mythology. ER revealed that he is tapping Angel Locsin for the role.
The man, who, as Pagsanjan (Laguna) mayor promised his late father George Estregan, that he would make one movie a year to help the film industry is only keeping his word. And he is raising his quota of films to three times what it used to be.
“Boy Golden,” directed by Chito Rono, opens December 25 in theaters nationwide.
