Bumuwelta, Atom tinawag na troubled person at kailangan ng tulong ni Direk Mike!

Nag-react na ang journalist-turned-movie-actor na si Atom Araullo sa hindi magagandang sinabi tungkol sa kanya ng direktor niya sa Citizen Jake na si Mike de Leon.

Matatandaang last week ay bigla na lang binira ni direk Mike si Atom at nag-post sa Facebook stating na na-dissapoint siya kay Jake not as an actor but as a person.

Kahapon, sa kanyang FB account din ay sumagot na si Atom at inihayag ang kanyang saloobin.

Sinimulan ni Atom ang kanyang mahabang statement sa pagpapasalamat sa lahat ng sumuporta sa Citizen Jake.

“Sadly, I found myself in the middle of a minor controversy just as Citizen Jake was released to a wider audience last week. I chose to keep quiet while the movie was still in cinemas because I didn’t want to distract from the film, or be accused of cheap gimmickry to promote it. Besides, I figured that those who really mattered know me well and would not be swayed by what they hear in the rumor mill.

“Nevertheless, I feel like I owe it to the supporters of the movie, many of whom are asking, to set the record straight. I intend for this to be the first and last time I write on the matter,” bahagi ng post ni Atom.

He continued, “I was approached to be part of Citizen Jake around September of 2016. Early on, without a script or a clear story, director Mike de Leon wanted me to play the lead in the film. It was a surprise. Mike had no basis to determine whether I could act or not, much less carry an entire film (with what would turn out to be a challenging role). Naturally, my first questions were: Why me? What movie are we crafting to justify my participation as an actor? Mike was adamant that he wanted a journalist and non-actor to play the character because of his unique vision for Citizen Jake. I believed in the director, and like others who admire his work, I wanted to see him make another film after some 17 years of retirement at the time. So, I said yes.”

Ayon pa kay Atom, ang mga hurtful remarks ni Mike about his journalism ay wala raw kinalaman sa participation niya sa pelikula.

“All I can say is that I have never made any claims about the quality of my output or my stature in the media industry. To do so would be futile and obscene. I just aim to do my best like everyone else, always acknowledging that one continues to learn and improve everyday. I’ll leave it to the public to appraise the value of my work, accumulated over a decade of being a journalist,” post pa niya.

Sinabi rin niya na wala siyang balak sirain ang reputasyon ng direktor tulad ng ginawa nito sa kanya at hindi naman daw siya na-shock sa mga tirada nito sa kanya.

“It was only the latest in a string of unprovoked, irrational, almost random tantrums that I had to endure during the making of this film, determined as I was to see it through. It had a profound effect on me, and to be honest, made it that much harder to perform my duties in the movie. Almost everyone who at one point worked on Citizen Jake knows this, and his voluminous texts and emails will bear it out.”

Tinawag din ni Atom na ‘troubled person’ si direk Mike at kailangan ng tulong at ibayong pang-unawa.

“Mike is a deeply troubled person. The kindest thing I can say about him is that he needs help, patience, and understanding as he wrestles with his personal demons. But while he has certainly tested the limits of my endurance, I can rest easy knowing that I worked hard, behaved professionally, and did all to the best of my abilities at the time the film was made.”

Sa huli ay sinabi naman ni Atom na grateful pa rin siya na nakatrabaho niya ang direktor.

“Mike’s contribution to Philippine cinema is unquestionable. I hope he remains productive after Citizen Jake, making more movies that will rouse our consciousness, make us uncomfortable, and spur debate. I am still grateful for the opportunity to have worked on this film, now that I close this chapter of my life,” pagtatapos ni Atom.