Actor Jericho Rosales has been cast in the lead role of the historical biopic Quezon, produced by TBA Studios, according to Deadline. Rosales will portray Manuel L. Quezon, the Filipino lawyer and soldier who served as the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944.
This film marks Rosales’ much-anticipated return to Philippine cinema after a few years away, with his last appearance in the 2018 romantic drama The Girl In The Orange Dress. He has recently starred in the popular ABS-CBN drama Lavender Fields on television.
Quezon is set to begin filming in March 2025 and will be directed and co-written by Jerrold Tarog, known for his work on the historical biopics Heneral Luna (2015) and Goyo: The Boy General (2018), both of which were produced by TBA Studios.
Reflecting on joining the project, Jericho expressed his excitement: “I feel so honoured to be with this team. Coming to a script like this which is so potent and so entertaining, I feel so lucky and happy,” said Rosales. “Here, you will see Quezon as a person. He’s not written as a hero. He is cunning, he is charming, he is intelligent.”
“Quezon is such an interesting character to play; there are so many things I can put into the role to build Quezon as a character. That adds to the pressure, but at the same time I am very excited,” he added, as quoted by Deadline.
The film also features Mon Confiado and Benjamin Alves, who reprise their roles from Heneral Luna and Goyo: The Boy General. Confiado will play Quezon’s political rival, Emilio Aguinaldo, while Alves portrays a younger Manuel L. Quezon.
The cast also includes Karylle Yuzon as Quezon’s wife, Aurora Quezon; Romnick Sarmenta as Sergio Osmena, the first Vice President of the Philippines; JC Santos as Manuel Roxas; and Cris Villanueva as the older Joven Hernando, the only fictional character in the film series. Additional casting announcements are expected soon.
