No small roles for Ricky

I still remember what the late Charito Solis said when I interviewed her during my start-up years as an entertainment writer. She said that as far as she was concerned, the length of exposure a film actor gets is not as important as how an actor gives life to his part.

"There are no small roles, only small-time actors. Ang maaarte na artista, they’re not really actors, they’re just mere stars. Ang magaling na artista, kahit maliit ang papel, magmamarka at magmamarka sa pelikula," were her exact words.

Which brings to mind Ricky Davao, whose two latest films Shhh...She Walks By Night and You and Me Against the World are showing one after the other. These two films are as commercial as "commercial" can get, but a thespian like Davao doesn’t care a bit.

In the first film, although he is technically considered leading man, the story revolves around the character played by Belinda Bright. And on his first shooting day, Davao is ordered to make love with Belinda wearing only a flimsy plaster to cover his manhood. "Sa tagal ko sa showbiz, hindi na ako masyadong nasosorpresa," he says.

For the Padilla-Aquino schlock, Davao plays a cop and had only a few shooting days. This one, he admittedly did for "pakikisama" more than for practical reasons. "You know in this business, it’s not all about money," he explains.

Considered one of the genuinely gifted actors of this generation, Davao shares that he has reached a point in his career where selection of roles to portray is not all about money, nor is it all about recognition. He is still bashful when I tell him that he no longer needs to prove anything as an actor. "You think so?" he asks me back.

He was still a part-time-actor-part-time-Engineering-student at the Mapua when I first met him. It was a time when his career started to move upswing. He had just finished playing important characters in Totoo Ba ang Tsismis (opposite Nora Aunor and Gabby Concepcion) and Schoolgirls (with Maricel Soriano and Snooky Serna).

Davao then was not so much different from the Davao now – very well-mannered, amiable, good-natured, and of course, an intelligent actor. Except perhaps for fatherhood and a few unwanted pounds, Davao has continued to recreate himself, widening his horizons by taking risks while at the same time, choosing roles that will challenge his thespian skills.

As I’m writing this feature on Ricky Davao, he is playing a gay role in Maala-ala Mo Kaya, one which is not entirely new to him since he’s played a few gender-bending characters in the past. In fact, his much-talked about performance in Carlos Siguion-Reyna’s Ang Lalake sa Buhay ni Selya was largely due to the fact that he successfully elevated "playing gay" to a higher level, and this earned him not just accolades but respect.

He recalled an incident at the UP Theater when the film was screened for a special viewing for the student populace. Davao was very late that day and I just sneaked into the theater premises. They were already introducing the members of the cast and the production and when his name was called and they realized that he was in the crowd, the audience didn’t just give him a rousing applause but accorded Davao a standing ovation.

"After years of being in the business, that was the point when I was truly convinced that, yes, I am an actor, and I would have no other job but this!"

Davao is looking forward to the Manila staging of The Full Monty before the year ends. And this time, he is playing the musical’s lead actor. "I’m excited because I know it will be fun. And I make it a point to do theater work at least once every two years."

This early, Davao is well aware that the leads of this surprise hit musical will have to drop their pants in the much talked about go-go-boys sing and dance number – and he has no qualms about doing it. "I think I have a nice butt," he lets off a naughty grin.

That’s Ricky Davao for you, a seasoned actor – no ifs, no buts.