Film director Darryl Yap commended the Beks Battalion on September 8 for their versatility as artists, saying they deserve to have titular movies in the future.
“Yes they deserve it,” said Direk Darryl in the virtual press conference for the upcoming Vivamax film, Ang Manananggal na Nahahati ang Puso
Yap then praised the group members Chad Kinis, Lassy Marquez, and MC Calaquian for their exceptional talent in acting.
“Napakagaling ni MC sa drama. Hindi n’ya yata alam kung p’wede sabihin na nag-drama s’ya eh kasi may drama dito eh.
“Well, the three of them, Beks Batallion, they are very rare—to actually find comedians that have timing in comedy, has timing in drama,” he lauded.
“Separately napakagaling nila pero individually, they are brighter to my eyes.”
Kinis, Marquez, and Calaquian were part of the movie’s main cast led by Aubrey Caraan and Marco Gallo.
The director even advised the group to do solo projects from time to time, saying that each member was “magagaling individually.”
“Here, I’ve been working with Chad na napaka-talino din, with Lassy sobra ang timing, MC, the other directors, and other producers should see MC as a good dramatic actor.”
Yap even revealed that during the filming of the movie, the three ‘hungry’ members took turns trying to have the filmmaker notice their potential as the lead actors.
“Alam n’yo sa shoot ng Ang Manananggal, hindi tumitigil yang tatlong ‘yan kaka-audition na gawan sila ng solo na pelikula.
“Kada cut ko sa eksena, tatayo sila sa harapan ko at gagayahin nila si Marco at si Aubrey. Tapos sasabihin nila ‘Di ba Direk kaya na namin mag-solo?’ Hindi sila tumitigil,” he recalled.
Meanwhile, Kinis recalled how the director exploited, in a good way, their untapped acting ability.
“Habol ko lang, si Direk Darryl Yap lang din ang kauna-unahang nagpaniwala na kaya namin. S’ya lang yung nakapagpa… sa drama, kasi ‘di ba yung comfort zone namin malayung-malayo, comedy kasi. Si Direk Darryl lang yung nakapagpa-drama sa’min, na nakapagsabi na ‘kaya namin’.”
The comedian felt that the filmmaker trusted them and what they could bring to the set.
“Naparamdam n’ya yung tiwala, yung ano na ‘kaya n’yo ‘to, aktor kayo, artista kayo, hindi lang basta komedyante,” he continued.
Direk Darryl then clarified that he never called the Beks Batallion ‘comedians’ on set, believing that they have earned the right to be called ‘actors’.
“I don’t want to call them comedians because I know they’re more than comedians. Marunong talaga sila sa drama, particularly sa drama. That’s the shock value that I’m actually spoiling now, that these people are more than comedy. Nako abangan n’yo! Ang galing nilang umarte silang tatlo.”
Catch Beks Batallion in the movie Ang Manananggal na Nahahati ang Puso coming on October 1, on Vivamax.
