Joel Torre: A multigenerational actor

Joel Torre has ticked off his bucket list by playing an openly gay character in Darryl Yap’s Barumbadings, currently streaming on Vivamax.

The award-winning actor plays the lead character in the comedy-action flick as “Mother Joy,” an established fashion designer and owner of the dress shop, House of Joy, who takes the three young gays under his wing — Izzy (Jeric Raval), Jopay (Mark Anthony Fernandez) and Rochelle (Baron Geisler).

One of the reasons why Joel accepted the challenging role was because of his co-stars — straight men who played gay characters in the film. “There lies the challenge and it’s a novelty again. Mga totoong lalaki ang gumaganap bilang mga bading,” he said in a digital media conference.

“It was a challenge for me,” admitted Joel. “In fact, I had a one-on-one with direk Darryl kung ano ‘yung concept niya about the movie. He explained it to me, I love the idea. Well, secretly, isa sa mga bucket list ko is to play an openly gay, very flamboyant, colorful gay character.”

Joel got his inspiration of playing the gay character from the movie, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, starring Terence Stamp.

He noted how the physicality of the character was a challenge for him like the gestures, the manner of speaking and the wearing of a bra for 24 hours but the characterization was more important to him.

“I’ve done almost everything as an actor. Naniniwala ako na you’re supposed to do anything as an actor or you’re supposed to be capable of doing anything as a challenge,” he furthered.

He had done gay roles before, most of them closeted. This is the first time that he starred as a flamboyant gay character in a movie. Nevertheless, he still gives his best performance in any roles that he portrays. “My approach is whatever type of work it is, I always give my 110 percent, regardless of the role. I give it all. Binibuhos ko talaga kasi trabaho natin ‘to, hanapbuhay natin ‘to, ibigay mo lahat.”

The thing that concerns him the most is giving justice to the LGBTQIA+ character he portrays. “I’m quite nervous kasi alam ko magiging critical ang gay community dito pag napanood nila. Ang pinaka-fear ko talaga is to misrepresent the character.”

Hence he “really worked out for it. I did my preparations na hindi siya magmukhang fake. Magmukha siyang totoo. Hindi siya ‘yung, ‘Yeah, OK na yan, pwede na yan.’ I didn’t want it to be that way. I wanted it to be the core of the character para mai-present ko ng maayos at ‘tsaka kapanipaniwala. I didn’t want to fake through it.”

Moreover, he enjoyed doing the part and felt that he did it right. He also honored some of his gay friends in the entertainment industry through the film. “It was my homage to them. Thankfully, ang feeling ko I gave justice to being a tranny or transvestite gay role.”

Aside from his co-stars in Barumbadings, Joel cited Eddie Garcia, Michael de Mesa, and Ronaldo Valdez as some of the actors he adored who portrayed gay roles in the past.

He furthered thanked direk Darryl for handpicking him to play the lead role and for the trust. “In fact, he really wanted me to be part of the movie. Sabi niya ako ang unang-una niyang naisip para sa pelikula. We talked, I told him, ‘Direk, kinakabahan ako sa pelikulang ito.’ Sabi niya, ‘Naku, Tito Joel, the mere fact na may takot ka na that means I have succeeded already.’”

“Nagpapasalamat ako na he respected my work. Sabi pa niya, ‘I will guide you step by step…’ Nagugulat ako na 90 percent of the shots were take one. Sabi ko, ‘Direk sigurado ka ba? Baka pwede pa nating gawin?’ ‘No, no, no, OK na yan. Tama na,’” shared Joel.

For that, he has “full respect and trust” for the young director. “I’m very open to the new ideas of new directors. There are a lot of great directors na mga baguhan because iba na yung pananaw nila. Iba na vision nila.”

He also finds it “nice” that he was able to work as a “multigenerational” actor. “I used to go to the set ako ang pinakabata, ngayon pag pumupunta na ako sa set, isa na ako sa mga pinakamatanda, ako na yung tito. I’ve crossed generations…I’d still be working on as long as I can.”

“I’ve worked with Vic Silayan, Manuel Conde (and) now I work with Nash Aguas, (and with) these three young kids (Barumbadings co-stars),” he recalled. Overall, the veteran actor is “happy in my career, my body of work.”

Meanwhile, Joel expressed he respects the LGBTQIA+ community, having “a lot of gay friends, I have mutual respect for them…Respect begets respect.” His co-star Baron agreed and took the opportunity during the virtual press conference to apologize to those he had “hurt” before.“This is the best time to make amends to those who I’ve hurt during the times that I was a very bad boy na barumbado. Kunwari may madaanan lang ako na bading, nasasampal ko sa mukha. Siguro wala pa naman sa lagpas lima, siguro mga tatlo,” said Baron.

“Kung sino man kayo sana po mapatawad niyo na ako. Thank you at nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon na makapag-apologize sa kanila,” he added.

With that experience, he learned that “it is not good to hurt anyone — psychologically and physically.”

“It’s really bad. Be kind to everyone and respect begets respect. Respect boundaries as well,” stated Baron and explained that, “’Nung time na yun kasi kasagsagan ko ng alak and drugs. Nung nasa loob ako ng rehab, when I dug deep in my soul, heart and mind, I realized my past mistakes and I said, sobrang mali-mali yung ginawa ko talaga. Hindi ‘yun dapat, hindi ‘yun tama. Sorry from the bottom of my heart.”