Attached to that pint-sized body is a head containing brain cells that operate in a manner that would baffle even some of today’s greatest scientists.
As Philippine cinema’s latest enfant terrible, Darryl Yap had successfully come up with ideas and concepts – no matter how ludicrous – that arouse the curiosity of Filipinos looking for entertainment. His Paglaki Ko, Gusto Kong Maging Pornstar was what made Vivamax an instant success as a streaming service.
And after 40 years in the movies, who would have thought that Sharon Cuneta was capable of cussing and swearing onscreen? But cast her inhibitions aside she did in Revirginized. It was a bravura performance that was applauded even by film critics. It had to take a Darryl Yap to flush the megastar out of her prim and proper mold.
Of course, there was his Maid in Malacañang that, undeniably, was last year’s most controversial movie. And now comes his follow-up to Maid in Malacanang – Martyr or Murderer?
Last Thursday, Viva Entertainment launched Martyr or Murderer in a grand affair held at the Podium Hall in Ortigas Center. Among the cast members who attended were Cesar Montano (as Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.), Ruffa Gutierrez (as Imelda Marcos), Cindy Miranda (as the young Imelda), Cristine Reyes (as Imee Marcos) and Beverly Salviejo (as Manang Biday – a helper at the Palace during the time of the elder Marcos).
During media conferences, the director of any film is usually presented to the press just as a token gesture – often ignored by reporters during the open forum. It is the actors and actresses mediamen want. But in spite of the presence of major stars like Cesar Montano and Ruffa Gutierrez last Thursday, the questions were fielded mostly in Darryl’s direction.
After the Q & A, members of media continued to hound Darryl for more interviews. Everyone wanted a piece of him. This is Showbiz, this site’s online talk show, was fortunate to have pinned down Darryl for a one-on-one interview.
The purpose of the exclusive conversation with Darryl was to get inside the head of the director to find out how it operates. Before the interview, he complained about not having had a decent amount of sleep since he began working on Martyr or Murderer.
He’s not yet done with the film even if it is already scheduled for exhibition in movie theaters this March 1. He’s currently caught in a minor creative conflict between Senator Imee Marcos and Viva Entertainment, the two forces behind Martyr or Murderer.
Imee wants to add more to the film, while Viva wants less. It’s not a simple mathematical problem that involves addition and subtraction.
He doesn’t seem to be affected by all the pressures involved in the post-production phase of his film, however. Darryl Yap is the type of person who thrives in conflicts and even in stressful situations.
The first time this writer sat down for an interview with him was two years ago. This was when he was starting to make noise with Pornstar. Even then, Darryl already had a lot of bashers.
Celebrities who get bashed on the internet usually take a break from social media. But not Darryl. He confronts his bashers and annoy them even more. It seems like he even delights getting attacked online. Apparently, he considers those defamatory statements thrown his way as part of his success as today’s hottest filmmaker.
Of course, success is relative. In his case, he has become the most sought-after director due to his string of hits, particularly Maid in Malacanang, which earned more than P700-M during its long run in movie theaters last year.
To be fair to Darryl, success doesn’t seem to have gone to his head. Nothing changed in his attitude from the time I first talked to him up to this most recent interview.
If there were changes, it is his way of addressing a crowd. He is now more confident and articulate. He can even be brash with his responses when cornered by the press regarding controversial issues, especially those concerning his detractors.
But during my one-on-one with him, he became subdued – maybe because he didn’t have to play to the gallery anymore. Some of his answers to my questions, however, were still jaw-dropping – like how he cannot be friends with Vincent Tañada, whose anti-Marcos Katips movie was shown simultaneously with Maid in Malacanang.
It also came as a surprise that his mother is a staunch believer in the Aquinos – being Kapampangan – and is one of Kris Aquino’s biggest fans. His father though is Ilocano and therefore a Marcos follower. Never mind if not all Ilocanos are automatically Marcos loyalists. But Darryl’s dad definitely is.
He also volunteers that growing up (in Olongapo), he couldn’t afford to be onion-skinned given the fact that he grew up in a household of hecklers. That should explain the reason why he is jaded to negative comments about him in social media.
Most shocking of all is his revelation about how he was once a Leni Robredo supporter. He also confided in the interview how he lost faith in the late President Noynoy Aquino.
And quite brazenly, he claims that as a filmmaker, his political alliance may change - “depending on the highest bidder.” Or how else did he put it? “The one with the capacity.” To that, all I could do was thank him for his honesty.
I may not agree with everything he says, but that’s Darryl – the new wonder kid of film-making. Oh, he can be quite mischievous. Impish is the more suitable term.
He’s like a naughty little boy one is tempted to spank for misbehavior. But because he can reason his way out of the most tangled of situations, he ends up getting a slap on the wrist instead. That is, if he gets punished at all.
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