Actor Jericho Rosales has landed the role of Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon in the upcoming historical biopic “Quezon,” officially announced by TBA Studios Tuesday, February 18.
Rosales will lead the cast in this highly anticipated film, which is expected to explore the life of Quezon, a Filipino lawyer and soldier who served as the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. The role marks Rosales’ return to Philippine cinema after a several-year hiatus. His last big-screen appearance was in the 2018 romantic drama “The Girl in the Orange Dress,” while he was recently seen on television in the popular ABS-CBN series “Lavender Fields.”
“I feel so honored to be with this team. Coming to a script like this which is so potent and so entertaining, I feel so lucky and happy,” Rosales shared. “Here, you will see Quezon as a person. He’s not written as a hero. He is cunning, he is charming, he is intelligent. Quezon is such an interesting character to play; there are so many things I can put into the role to build Quezon as a character. That adds to the pressure, but at the same time I am very excited.”
TBA Studios President and COO Daphne Chiu spoke highly of the casting choice, saying, “We are honored to welcome Jericho Rosales as he leads the cast of ‘Quezon.’ Jericho’s unbelievable screen presence has made him one of our best actors today, and we’re all looking forward to working with him and seeing how his artistry can give life to one of the country’s most charismatic yet divisive political figures.”
Director and co-writer Jerrold Tarog emphasized that Rosales was chosen for his commanding on-screen presence, similar to the intensity he displayed in his audition for the role of Gen. Antonio Luna in the 2015 historical film “Heneral Luna.”
The film will also feature Mon Confiado and Benjamin Alves, reprising their roles from “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.” Confiado returns as Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon’s political rival, while Alves portrays a younger version of Manuel L. Quezon.
Joining the cast are Karylle Yuzon as Quezon’s wife, Aurora; Romnick Sarmenta as Sergio Osmeña, the first vice president of the Philippines; JC Santos as Manuel Roxas; and Cris Villanueva as the older Joven Hernando, the only fictional character in the film series.
Chiu also teased that more exciting casting announcements for “Quezon” are on the way.
“Quezon” is part of TBA Studios’ “Bayaniverse,” a cinematic universe based on key moments in Philippine history. The series includes the successful films “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.” The biopic is set to be released in cinemas both locally and worldwide later this year.
