Daniel Padilla Happy To Do A Serious Film Like 'Bonifacio' With His Family. 'Hindi Lang Pa-Cute Ito,' He Says

DANIEL PADILLA says he and his Uncle Robin and Dad Rommel didn’t even talk about his talent fee when he agreed to do “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo” with them. “I’m just so proud to be part of this movie dahil hindi lang ito pa-cute kundi seryosong pelikulang dagdag kaalaman para sa mga kabataan natin,” he says. “Dapat panoorin nila ito para may matutuhan sila tungkol sa ating kasaysayan.”

Robin said that he hopes to make more movies like this about our heroes. “For the next filmfest, plano naming gawin ang buhay ni Gen. Gregorio del Pilar, ang youngest Filipino general noong rebolusyon, at si Daniel ang gaganap nito. Ako naman ang gaganap na Emilio Aguinaldo.”

Isn’t he afraid that costume and historial movies seldom make money? “Hindi money ang main goal namin, pero siempre, gusto rin naming kumita, but we want to make movies para sa kabutihan ng bansa natin. Gusto naming maalog ang utak ng mga tao kapag napapanood nila ang pagpapakasakit ng mga bayani natin para sa ating bayan. Gaya nitong ‘Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo’, itinutuwid nito ang ilang maling paniniwala tungkol kay Bonifacio na naituro sa ating history books. Nang ikuwento sa akin ito ni Direk Enzo Williams, nagulat ako dahil babaguhin nito ang mga nasulat na tungkol kay Bonifacio before.”

Daniel doesn’t play a historical character in the movie. He plays a young student in an orphanage in present times who helps fight for other students oppressed by bullies. Together with Jasmine Curtis Smith and RJ Padilla, they become the bridge in telling the true story of Bonifacio with the help of Eddie Garcia, the curator in the Katipunan Museum in Pinaglabanan, San Juan. Daniel as today’s Teen King will be the attraction for the younger crowd to watch the movie.

Did Daniel have to ask the permission of his home network, ABS-CBN, to do “Bonifacio”? “Hindi naman kailangan, kasi family ko ang katrabaho ko. But out of respect, nagpaalam naman ako sa kanila. I’m very happy doing this movie kasi masaya kami lagi sa set ng family ko.”
He’s now doing a new but yet entitled movie with ka-love team Kathryn Bernardo for Star Cinema. Early next year, they’ll start taping their new teleserye, the remake of “Pangako Sa’Yo”. What can he say about the fans of the Kathniel love team who bash Jasmine Curtis Smith for doing “Bonifacio” with him?

“Sa social media, marami silang nagmamarunong, masyado silang maraming alam. Nalulungkot talaga ako kung bakit ganito ang nangyari. Pati uncle ko at dad ko, dinadamay. Nandito lang kami para magpasaya, bakit gumugulo ng ganito? Sana, enjoyin na lang natin ang pelikulang ito.”

Can’t he tell his fans to stop what they’re doing? “Naku, kung ilang beses ko nang sinabihan. Pero hindi pa rin sila tumitigil.”

What can he say that his dad Rommel announced that he believes Daniel and Kathryn are already on? He turns to Rommel and asks: “Pa, sinabi mo na nga ba?”

“Ang sabi ko lang, parang, hindi ko sinabing for sure,” says Rommel.


“Ako lang ang makakasagot tungkol diyan,” says Daniel. “At ang masasabi ko lang, hindi pa puwede. Let’s wait. Time is money. So hintayin na lang natin.”