YOUNG actor Daniel Padilla is set to return to the big screen with a film adaptation of National Artist Ricky Lee’s short story Nang Mapagod si Kamatayan.
Star Cinema announced Padilla’s new role, which is quite a departure from his characters in the teenybopper hits that helped fuel his rise to fame in his younger years.
Padilla will play the role of Kamatayan, according to Vanessa Valdez, the film’s creative manager.
While this may sound grim, Valdez said in a press conference that the film will actually be a light-hearted comedy that will also discuss the mysteries of life, love, friendship, and death, said Valdez.
The movie will show the relationship between Kamatayan and Monty, who will be played by Zanjoe Marudo.
This will also be Marudo’s comeback project with Star Cinema after four years.
The inspiration
Nang Mapagod si Kamatayan is one of the four short stories from Ricky Lee’s short story collection Kung Alam N’yo Lang.
The story is about Monty wanting to know why Kamatayan, or Death, likes to take people.
Lee is an award-winning writer who was named National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022.
He has written the screenplays for films such as Himala (1980), Madrasta (1996), Aishite Imasu (Mahal Kita) 1941 (2005), and Sa’yo Lamang (2010).
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Aside from films, he also wrote books such as Pitik-Bulag sa Buwan ng Pebrero (1989), Para Kay B (2008), Kung Alam N’yo Lang (2016), Bahay ni Marta (2018), Si Ampola sa 65 na Kabanata (2021), and Lahat ng B (2022).
He has been recognized by numerous award-winning bodies, including Gawad Urian, FAMAS, Star Awards for Movies, the Metro Manila Film Festival, Cinemanila International Film Festival, and World Premier Film Festivals.
The movie
Lee said he had been wanting to work with Padilla. This was after he saw Padilla’s performance in Kun Maupay Man It Panahon when he was a juror in the 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival.
He said he was happy and excited that Padilla would bring his story to life, as he thinks the actor has depth and range.
He also agreed to do the movie because ABS-CBN, where he used to work, would produce it.
Dan Villegas will direct the film. Villegas was behind movies such as The Breakup Playlist, English Only, Please, and She’s Dating the Gangster, which starred Padilla and his reel and real life partner Kathryn Bernardo.
Carmi Raymundo is set to write the screenplay for the film adaptation, and said the story is one of her favorites from Lee’s book.
Raymundo shared that when she pitched the story, Padilla immediately wanted to accept the project because of its title.
