Meet The Four Young Actors Who Play The Embattled Deacons Tempted By The Devil In Erik Matti's 'Seklusyon'

DIRECTOR ERIK MATTI taps four talented young men to play the major roles of four deacons who’ll be tempted by the devil in his horror drama that’s an entry in the Metro Manila Filmfest, “Seklusyon”: Ronnie Alonte, Dominic Roque, JohnVic de Guzman and JR Versales. Among them, it’s only Dominic who has had previous acting experience as he has done films and teleseryes before. This is the first film of Ronnie, JohnVic and JR. They all auditioned with Direk Erik to get their respective roles then had to undergo a series of acting workshops to prepare them before they face the cameras.

Dominic plays Fabian, the deacon who succumbs to the seduction of a woman. He has a nude love scene with another newcomer, Phoebe Walker, who plays the role of a nun who takes care of a little girl, a faith healer played by child star Rhed Bustamante.

“I have butt exposure here pero sa international cut lang daw po ipapakita and not sa local version kasi we want to get a PG rating na puedeng panoorin ng mga bata,” he says. “It’s my first time to do such a scene and I trusted Direk Erik na hindi niya ako pababayaan.”

Ronnie plays Miguel. “Ako po yung pinakamabait sa aming lahat,” he says. “Sinusunod ko lahat ng mga patakaran na itinakda ng simbahan. At dahil ako ang good boy sa lahat sa amin, ako po yung mas dinidimonyo nang husto. Hindi ko matakasan yung nakaraan ko with a woman, si Elora Espano. I play a bigger role here than in my other filmfest entry, ‘Vince & Kath & James’. May eksenang naliligo ako sa dugo at hirap na hirap ako sa scene na takbo ako ng takbo sa gitna ng gubat.”

JohnVic is 23 years old, stands 6’2”, and is a volleyball varsity player of St. Benilde. He is graduating from his course, human resource management, this coming year. He’s from Calamba, Laguna and has always dreamt of trying his luck in showbiz. In “Seklusyon”, he plays Marco, the deacon with many guilt feelings.

What’s his most difficult scene in the movie? “Yung natatakot ako’t naiiyak ako, but I have to express my feelings without saying anything, sa mata lang. Ang hirap nun.” Who is his idol among local actors? “John Lloyd Cruz, kasi napakagaling niya.”

JR Versales is a moreno model from Masbate and Cebu. Most writers at the presscon of “Seklusyon” think he has the most good looking face among the four. “Pangarap ko po talaga ang mag-artista,” he says. “Idol ko si Coco Martin kasi kahit drama o comedy, magaling siya.” He plays Carlo. “Ako po yung pinakamatakaw na deacon.”

How is it doing the movie? “Sobrang saya ko dahil first movie ko pa lang, Erik Matti na ang direktor and I learned so much from him. Noong una, sobrang kaba ko, buti matiyaga siya sa’kin kasi kung minsan, lumalabas yung Visayan accent ko. Para magmukha talagang magkakaibigan kami ng co-stars ko, nag-bonding workshop kami para maging comfortable talaga kami sa company ng isa’t isa.”

How will he invite viewers to watch “Seklusyon”? “Panoorin po nyo dahil magaling na direktor si Erik Matti, sobrang ganda ng pelikula, mangingilabot kayo at tiyak na mapapasigaw kayo sa maraming eksena.”