LEON MIGUEL: Giving human face to a brutal role

LEON MIGUEL: Giving human face to a brutal role

Personally, this writer and Leon became friends not just via Facebook but through this writer's personal circle, quite nice though he is in person despite seeing his role such as an antagonist, to think that at first his appearance and his stint that made him known by others with a familiar role.

However, according to Inquirer, Leon Miguel is quick to describe himself as an “underdog.” But then, despite that description, this unsung actor is much in demand for international films although he isn't been familiar in the local scene, perhaps ordinary people looked at him as an "extra" so to speak, or in a 90s scene, would looked at him as an action star other than an antagonist as everyone thinks of him.

But despite his near anonymity, he is simply doing his craft as an artist, he's even a project engineer according to his Facebook account, while his craft as an artist been enhanced by interacting with the common folk such as a driver, fishball vendor, or perhaps even a bystander that his roles end up with a realistic one, a human face so to speak.

That, according to Leon Miguel himself, his role adds a human face in it, such as in "Graceland" for example, quite different from a mere trigger happy antagonist usually shown in mainstream cinema. Quite nice though to add a human face since not all movies are real, but rather end up scripted just to appease the audience without any criticism.

After all, according to Miguel (Via Inquirer):

“I make sure that even if I play a criminal, I still show the human side, I want the audience to understand why a person turns to crime.”

Anyways, upon watching his latest movie, or even some trailers, his talent meant personifying reality, why on earth realism should be overtly scripted though? Realism should be to educate and to emancipate than to monetize and make popularity isn't it? Quite debatable so to say.

Perhaps, despite all these, Miguel is just doing his craft well no matter he end up being typecasted according to the press. 

FILMOGRAPHY (Via IMDb)

2012
Graceland
Visel

2011
Ang Panday 2
Taumbayan

Amaya (TV series)
Mandirigma ni Rajah Mangubat

Subject: I Love You
Man 1

2010
Special Ops
Tomagan

2009
Panahon na
Lobo

The Barriers (short)

Pedro (short)
Pedro

2008
Concerto
Guerilla/Juan

2002
Lapu-Lapu
Lapu-Lapu's Man

Bakat
Gasoline Boy

2001
Bala ko... bahala sa 'yo
Hostage Taker

2000
Nag-aapoy na laman
Chupon

1999
Still Lives
Goon 2

1998
Legacy
Rebel Leader

1997
Behind Enemy Lines
Gangster Leader