The generation of Khalil Ramos

MANILA, Philippines — At 21, Khalil Ramos carries a certain sensibility so rare for aspiring young stars his age.

He knows he has a lot more to learn and absorb, he knows the competition out there is stiff but for sure, he knows his place in the sun.

“I have come to terms with many things in life,” he confides. “But the choices are there for me to accept or not. I know what will keep me challenged and I know I am cut out for certain roles. It’s just a matter with working with the right project and the right director.”

And true enough, director Erik Matti finds in him the actor with the right attitude for the brand of films he has in mind.

Indeed, he is promising enough to be signed as a contract star for Reality Entertainment of which direk Erik is one of the founders along with producer Dondon Monteverde.

Says the director: “People may find him cute but there is more to him than that. The eyes show a certain kind of guts, which we don’t find in other young actors. For that reason, we are preparing him for roles that are larger than life and beyond the rom-com orientation.”

Khalil says he knows he has a good chance of becoming a good actor with direk Erik overseeing him. He can still remember the first time he saw direk Erik and producer Dondon.

“It was during a fighting workshop for my first project under Reality Entertainment. I was at that time of my life where I was just beginning to seek new opportunities and expand my knowledge as an actor. That same year, direk Erik, Sir Dondon and I worked together in Honor Thy Father. Being part of that film changed my perspective towards my craft. I became certain of my one true passion which is storytelling. I also became aware of the true capability of one’s mind. From then on, I started believing that I am capable of creating my own destiny. I knew that one day, I would be working with them on a much higher level.”

Indeed, he has with other projects, one of which was Petersen Vargas’ 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten where he was nominated for Best Actor in the last Gawad Urian Awards.

The role is a delicate one and he has to figure in a sensitive tale of coming of age which had him coping with signs of early male attraction. His reaction shots while one of the characters of his co-actors was doing a controversial auto-erotic scene was subtle but no less intense. It probably taught him that not everything about growing up is black and white.

For now, he is seen as the DJ who becomes a creature of the night in La Luna Sangre while waiting for the release of his other finished projects.

He concludes: “I believe my generation has a lot to offer although we can learn a lot from the older generation. I think we are the most powerful generation and the most influential due to the onset of social media and high technology. But on my own, I know I can contribute a lot by becoming the actor I want to be. I want to be known as an actor who can be a good storyteller. For that reason, I can do anything to realize that goal.”