Ipinakilala sa press ng Philippine Stagers Foundation na pinamamahalaan ng aktor at abogadong si Vince Tañada ang bumubuo sa cast ng bago niyang film project na Ako Si Ninoy na follow-up sa Katips na ipinalabas last year.

Sa naturang cast reveal ay ipinakita rin sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ang trailer ng Ako Si Ninoy na tapos na palang isyuting at nasa post production stage na ngayon.

Ang singer at dating The Voice Kids finalist na si Juan Karlos Labajo ang gaganap bilang Benigno Aquino III o Ninoy. Marami ang pinagpilian sa role pero sa kanya ito ibinigay.

Ano ba ang reaksyon ni JK nang malamang siya ang gaganap na Ninoy Aquino sa pelikula?

“First reaction ko po, actually, it was really weird para sa akin. Kasi, I mean, I’ve always been a musician that acts rather than an actor who sings. But I’ve always had a huge love for film and after such a long time of [not] doing anything like acting. And then they offered me the role and then I felt that parang, ‘Tama ba ‘to?’

“Kasi, I mean, you know we all have our self doubts as an actor, so parang hindi ako naniwala. Sabi ko, ‘Direk, ano ba?’ Tapos I asked why, that was the first question and then Direk Vince felt like it was just the right choice daw. And yon, basta weird nung umpisa. And hopefully, sana na-justify ko yung role kasi medyo malaking role siya.

“And I know there’s like the whole and political aspect to it but at the end the day, we’re all actors playing a role, so ayun,” paliwanag ni JK sa PUSH.

BASAHIN: Juan Karlos shares advice for those who want to succeed in the music industry: ‘Just keep creating’

Itinuturing namang “role of a lifetime” ni JK na gampanan ang karakter ni Ninoy.

“Yes, of course,” wika pa niya.

When asked kung ano ba ang impression niya kay Ninoy Aquino personally, ayon sa akor, wala siyang puwedeng sabihin dahil hindi naman niya ito naabutan.

“Of course my initial impresson of Sir Ninoy was the ₱500 peso bill guy. A lot of people know him for that, right?” pag-amin niya.

Dugtong ng singer-actor, “Not a lot of people know him for his cause and what he stood for, and what he did and what happened to him.

“So I also can’t speak about it because I didn’t… I was born 2001, so that’s the thing because everyone always has a different story and everyone have a different perspective on everything, and now we’re at the point where everyone has a different perspective on history. So I think it’s unfair for me to answer that since everyone has an opinion.”

Base naman daw sa naging pag-aaral niya at pagre-research bilang paghahanda sa kanyang role, “He sacrificed himself for our country and reading and looking into it and doing all the research for the preparation for the role, he became a sort of inspiration kasi he stood his ground and he really stood by his beliefs and values as a person.

“So I guess he’s a hero because he sacrificed himself for the betterment of our country,” paglalarawan ng aktor.

BASAHIN: Maureen Wroblewitz on her past relationship: ‘I have lost myself over the past few years’

Kasama rin sa ginawang paghahanda ni JK sa kanyang role ang manood ng mga documentary tungkol kay Ninoy.

Saad niya, “Naubusan po ako ng data sa kakapanood ng mga documentary. Hahaha!”

Pero napakalaking tulong din daw ang guidance ng production team ng PSF at mga historian para magawa niya nang maayos ang kanyang trabaho.

Paano ba napunta ang role sa kanya?

Sagot ni JK, “I think Direk Vince had different choices and I think I was the one that he ended up choosing.”

Ibinahagi rin ni JK ang natutunan at naging realization niya pagkatapos gawin ang pelikula.

“Sobrang lalim at hirap ng pinagdaanan niya. Because he could have easily made a decision to stay in Boston and stay with his family and live there. But he chose to go back home to the country having the idea that he might be killed which he was. He chose his country over his family and at ang bigat no’n.

“And I guess, as an actor who embodied his role ‘tang-***!’ Ang bigat no’n. Yon talaga siya, as in. Grabe yung pinagdaanan ni Sir Ninoy,” pahayag ni JK.

Kasama rin nga pala sa cast ng Ako si Ninoy sina Cassy Legaspi, Marlo Mortel, Sarah Holmes, Joaquin Domagoso, JM Yosures, at marami pang iba. The film is written and directed by Vince Tañada.

The screenplay of ASN is adapted from the multi-awarded stage play of the same title na ipinalabas noong 2009 and 2010.

Wala pang playdate ang pelikula na ire-release naman ng Reality Entertainment.