No, this is not about Prince Wilhelm and Simon, with Edvin Ryding and Omar Rudberg, and their you and me love story versus the Swedish monarchy in Young Royals. It is also not about Lee Min Ho and his portrayal of Lee Gon in the fantastical parallel universe tale of The King Eternal Monarch.
Today, in Arias, we hail the new king of Philippine show business, Coco Martin. Heir to the late, great Queen of Philippine Movies Susan Roces’s brand ambassador of RiteMed. He steps into the shoes of another iconic persona played by the King of Philippine movies, Fernando Poe Jr., in the television reincarnation of Batang Quiapo.
It is a no-brainer why Rodel Nacianceno (Martin’s birth and legal name) became the actor chosen to continue the legacy of Jesusa Purificacion Sonora-Poe in promoting the affordable and quality medicines of the pharmaceutical brand. The two played grandmother and apo in the longest-running action drama series FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano. Their relationship as co-actors performing the lola and the grandchild roles transcended and became real.
Also, it must be pointed out that despite Martin’s tremendous success, he remains humble, with feet firmly on the ground, unassuming, with no airs of entitlement and superiority, the sincerity is not put on, and love for what he does and his public, comes from his heart.
Thus, the majority of the public, adores, loves, respects, and trusts not just the actor, but the man who made his dreams come true, with a lot of blood, sweat, tears, passion, talent, and prayers. Yes, he is one of the people. He is with the people. He is their new king.
During the Ritemed launch, the newest ambassador, explains in the vernacular, the best learning Roces left him: “Siyempre po ‘yung pag-respeto sa sarili. Kasi yun po ang palaging pangaral sa akin ni Tita Susan. Sa sobrang pagkakakilala ko sa Lola ko hinding hindi niya iko-kompromiso o isa-sacrifice ‘yung mahabang pinaghirapan niya para marating kung ano ung pagtingin sa kanila ng mga tao.”
“Kasi, ang pinaka-importante ay ‘yung respeto sa sarili. Meron tayong nagagawa na hindi nagugustuhan ng mga tao o sa mga mata ng tao. Pero para po maprotektahan ang aking sarili, mas pinili ko na lang po sa sarili ko ang mamahimik. Kung mabibigyan po ako ng pagkakataon na makapag-inspire sa mga tao, gagawin ko. Lalabas ako. Pero pag alam ko na hindi ako sigurado at alam ko na maaari ako’ng magkamali, mas pinipili ko na lang po ang manahimik sa aking buhay,” the actor emphasizes.
The modern day hero’s ultimate dream is: “Mas hinahangad ko makapagbigay inspirasyon ako lalung-lalo na sa mga kabataan. Kaya every time po na gumagawa ako ng pelikula at teleserye lagi ko pong iniisip ang mga manonood. Kasi alam ko po na ang laki ng obligasyon namin bilang artista.
The things he misses the most about the movie queen and brand ambassadress of Ritemed, the actors enumerates in Filipino: “Yung pagdala niya ng maraming-maraming pagkain sa amin. Kasi napaka-generous po talaga ni Tita Susan. At sinisigurado niya na hindi lang mga artista kundi lahat ng cast and crew, lahat kami kumakain. Kasi ang buong sasakyan puro laman, puro pagkain. Kaya talagang sobrang nakaka-miss po ‘yung presence niya.”
“Nu’ng nawala po si Tita Susan para po kaming nag-iba,” Martin reveals. “Nasa Ilocos kame, nagshushooting. Lahat po kami natulala. Para kaming natigalgal. Hindi namin alam kung ano ang reaksyon. Kaya ‘pag ka sabi po sa amin noon, naglakad kami, walang usap-usap, nag-uwian po kami ng Maynila para puntahan si Tita Susan. Ayun po.”
He beams with pride, as he talks about his latest TV show that was formerly headlined by The King: “Sobra akong proud, ibang-iba siya sa ‘Probinsyano.’ Ibang-iba ‘yung treatment, ‘yung camera works.”
“Kailangan nating makipagsabayan sa international. Lalo na ngayon, ‘yung mga telenobela natin, kinukuha ng Netflix and kung ano-ano pang streaming service. Ihanda na natin, in case mapansin tayo or magustuhan nila.”
What more can we say except, hail to the heir and the new King, Coco Martin.