Emilio takes another bite of the Big Apple

And what a bite it was! Juicy!!!

“I’ll never forget my second time in New York,” Emilio Garcia told Funfare. “It was very memorable.”

Emilio was in The Big Apple a few weeks ago to represent his critically-acclaimed indie film Sagrada Familia, where he plays a father who molests his teen daughter (Lovi Poe) to get back at his estranged wife (Snooky Serna), at the first International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM).

“Now regarded as one of the most respected in his field, Emilio rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s veteran and upcoming filmmakers and actors, as he talked about his work and the resurgence of the Philippine movie industry,” reported Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre.

He also co-presented, along with Fil-Am director Donald Plata (Forgotten Soldiers), the IFFM Best Music Video Award won by director Tim Cruz for Charice’s single Louder.

“It wasn’t hard for Emilio to charm them all because of his good looks, friendliness and modesty,” said Fil-Am actor and filmmaker Luis Pedron, co-founder of IFFM. “Once they found out Emilio was an award-winning actor with an impressive filmography, they got amused because he was always humble.”

Edmund noted that even more interesting is Emilio’s unique ethnicity. His grandfather was an Apache (Native American), while his grandmother was an American. “That probably explains his chiseled features and mestizo looks,” said Edmund. Destiny may have played a big part in Emilio’s longevity in the business, highlighted by substantive roles — both on big screen and television — and a string of awards.

Emilio in Times Square and as co-presentor at the International Film Festival Manhattan with Fil-Am director Donald Plata.

He has so far collected more than half a dozen acting trophies (as well as several nominations) from FAMAS, Urian, Star Awards, Gawad Tanglaw and Cinemalaya for Sagrada Familia, Selda and Walang Kawala. He even bagged an accolade abroad when he tied with his Selda co-star Sid Lucero as Best Actor at the 49th Thessaloniki International Film Festival in Greece a few years back.

In an interview with the Filipino Reporter (of which Edmund is the News/Entertainment Editor), Emilio admitted he never thought he would last long as an actor when he was introduced in the Snooky Serna-starrer Koronang Itim (available on YouTube) in 1994.

“Totoo ‘yon. I thought I wouldn’t last in this business,” stated the former waiter and ramp model who got his first taste of acting via theater. “But thank God, naging matino ang tinakbo ng career ko. I think people in the industry learned how to appreciate my dedication to my work. Also, I never let things go to my head, kung anuman ‘yung konting narating ko. Work lang sa akin ito kaya siguro hindi lumaki ang ulo ko.”

In 1998, Emilio co-starred in the action flick Birador opposite the late Rudy Fernandez who, unknown to many, became one of Emilio’s best buddies and mentors. The movie, which Emilio considers his most memorable, also stars Donita Rose, Victor Neri, Robert Arevalo, Roy Alvarez and Jeorge Estregan (a.k.a. E.R. Ejercito) who is now governor of Laguna and star of Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story, a Metro Filmfest entry rated A by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB).

“Sa Birador ko talagang natutunan ang tunay na kahulugan ng salitang pakikisama sa showbiz,” Emilio confided. “I learned a lot from those I worked with, especially Daboy (Rudy) who became close to me during the shoot,” added Emilio who also counted Ian Veneracion among his closest friends.

Aside from Rudy, he considers Eddie Garcia and Phillip Salvador as two of the acting heavyweights he looks up to.

“Gusto ko ang attitude ni Eddie Garcia sa profession niya,” Emilio told Edmund. “He really loves his work…work siya nang work. Talagang mahal niya ang work niya. At walang hassle sa trabaho pag siya ang kasama. Si Phillip naman, kumpleto ang acting niya eh. Nasa kanya na ang lahat when it comes to acting.”

Among Hollywood thespians, Emilio said he idolized Kevin Costner and Kevin Bacon.

Right: Emilio reading a copy of the Filipino Reporter when he visited the newspaper’s officer at Empire State Building, with (from left) IFFM co-founder Luis Pedron, Filipino Reporter publisher Bert Pelayo and friend Fiona.

 It was Emilio’s second visit to the Big Apple and this time many Pinoys recognized him on the streets, even on subways. Thanks to The Filipino Channel and GMA Pinoy TV for featuring Emilio in popular Kapamilya shows like Reputasyon, Pepeng Agimat, Maalaala Mo Kaya, Bianong Bulag and Wansapanataym; and Kapuso hit shows such as Tween Hearts, Time of My Life, The Last Prince, Dwarfina and Paano Ba Ang Mangarap?

“I will continue acting as long as people want me, and of course, the directors and producers,” Emilio said. “I hope to work with all the best in the industry so I could grow and learn from them. And hopefully mai-share ko rin sa mga baguhan o sa mga nakakabata kung anuman ang nalalaman ko.”

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