‘Bayaniverse’ cast reunites for historical film ‘Quezon’ table read
Metro Manila, Philippines - Fans of TBA Studios’ “Bayaniverse” may find some excitement as some cast members teased a table reading for “Quezon.”
Actors Mon Confiado, Benjamin Alves, and Arron Villaflor took to Instagram this week some scenes of the table reading for the biopic film of Manuel L. Quezon, a lawyer and soldier who became the president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944.
It would be the film production and distribution company’s third historical film following “Heneral Luna” in 2015 and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” in 2018.
Confiado, who plays the first Philippine president, shared a copy of the front page of the script written by director Jerrold Tarog and Palanca awardee playwright Rody Vera.
Benjamin Alves, who plays Quezon, also posted on an Instagram story of the poster, placing a caption: "It is my hope, and indeed my expectation..."
The phrase was most associated with Quezon's speech when discussing his decision to open the country to Jewish refugees during World War II.
The complete line was: "It is my hope, and indeed my expectation, that the people of the Philippines will have in the future every reason to be glad that when the time of need came, their country was willing to extend a hand of welcome.”
But Instagram stories of Villaflor, who plays the fictional character Joven Hernando, upped the hype as he purposely concealed a cast member.
TBA Studios recently announced that filming will begin in March with a target theatrical release "later this year."
In a news release, TBA Studios President and COO Daphne Chiu said "Quezon" will be released both locally and worldwide.
"She added that the film will be produced as a stand-alone—a movie that exists within the same cinematic continuity of TBA Studios’ beloved historical films 'Heneral Luna' and 'Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral,' but will be made accessible to moviegoers who have not seen the earlier films," the release read.
The cast is expected to also feature names that "will surprise and excite audiences."
