Award-Winning Character Actress Ruby Ruiz Now In Toronto Filmfest Ro Represent 'Ekstra'

AFTER WINNING as best supporting actress in Cinemalaya New Wave Category for her performance as a talent coordinator for extras in “Ekstra, the Bit Player”, character actress Ruby Ruiz will next be seen in two new Joel Lamangan movies, “Burgos” and “Lihis”. She plays a woman whose son is also abducted just like Lorna Tolentino’s son in “Burgos”, but she’s antagonistic to Lorna because Lorna’s missing son, Jonas, is getting more media attention. In “Lihis”, she plays the grieving mother of an activist, Chanel La Torre, who is killed by assassins.

Ruby started as a theatre actress with PETA thirty years ago. She was worked with great directors like Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, both national artists. “Ekstra” is her biggest break and it’s the first time she won an acting award so she’s very thankful to Director Jeffrey Jeturian for casting her in it. She also treasures the experience of being able to work with Gov. Vilma Santos. “Napakabait niya,” she says. “First time ko rin to work with her kaya tuwang-tuwa ako. But in one scene namin, nawala ako nang titigan niya ako. Supposed to be inuutangan niya ako, but I forgot yung lines ko. Na-starstruck ako’t di ko maalala. So sabi ko, Gov, huwag mo naman akong titigan sa mata. Nawawala ako. Tawa nang tawa sa’kin si Direk Jeffrey. Sinabihan ako na huwag akong mahiya sa kanya at basta iarte ko nang tama yung eksena. Inakbayan pa niya ko. Nakakatuwa talaga siyang katrabaho.”

Ruby will be joining Director Jeffrey Jeturian as representatives of “Ekstra” that is an official entry in the Toronto International Filmfest this coming week. They left yesterday. “Nagpapasalamat ako’t isinama nila ako sa delegation natin. First time ko to attend an international filmfest kaya excited ako. Sayang nga hindi puede si Gov. Vi dahil busy siya sa Batangas. Mas maganda sana kung kasama rin siya.”