|
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
Sonny O.’s debut as actor in telenovela impresses son
By Karen M. Flores
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
SEN. John “Sonny” Osmeña made his acting debut Sunday night by portraying a lawyer named John Osorio in the new telenovela “May Puso ang Batas” over TV network RPN 9.
Vice Gov. John Gregory “John-john” Osmeña, the senator’s son, watched the premier telecast of the telenovela and commented with a smile, “I think he makes a better senator, but I was impressed with the job he did.”
John-john said his father’s venture into show business “can’t hurt him (Sonny)” and that it may even work to his advantage by “humanizing” him and portraying a “very much softer image” of the senator who is known for his sharp, sometimes even cruel words to political opponents.
Not just a cameo
John-john also said he was surprised that Sonny played a “very central” character in the hour-long show. “I thought it would be a cameo,” he told reporters yesterday.
The picture of the cast showed Sonny in the foreground and actors like Gary Estrada, Ricky Davao and Boots Anson-Roa in the background.
Sonny, a mechanical engineer by profession, played a lawyer to the character of actress Elizabeth Oropesa, who was locked in a legal battle over the custody of her granddaughter.
He was in several scenes, one of which required him to look sympathetic while listening to his crying client and later advising her about making adjustments in her life.
In one of the last scenes, Sonny’s character told Anson-Roa, that while his law firm wants him to stay on, he is also being recruited by a political party as well as nominated by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to the Supreme Court.
Although Sonny’s show may have served a purpose, John-john said it is a “sad comment on the state of the Philippine Senate when it is not enough for a man like my father, a distinguished senator for four terms and who has been in politics for 40 years, to have all the qualifications.”
Basketball, TV
“He also needs a basketball team and a TV show,” John-john noted. The senator also used to sponsor the amateur basketball team John O that played in the Philippine Basketball League.
He noted that his father was never a politician who sang and danced in campaigns.
John-john said that because of this, he is thinking twice about his own “senatorial ambitions.”
He now supports the movement to shift toward federalism and a parliamentary form of government because he believes these reforms will also mean better representation in the legislature.
“Time might come when we will ask who will be left in the Senate who is not an employee of (TV networks) ABS-CBN and GMA,” John-john said.
(October 7, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
