Ian Veneracion wants more ‘out-of-the-box’ projects after well-received turn in ‘Puti’

Ian Veneracion as art forger Amir in a scene from 'Puti'.

For his performance in Mike Alcazaren’s “Puti” as Amir, an art forger who goes color blind as a result of a freak accident, Ian Veneracion was hailed by critics and audiences alike and was even considered a strong contender for the CineFilipino Best Actor award that eventually went to Karl Medina for “The Guerrilla Is A Poet”.

Even without an official acting trophy, however, the veteran actor has delivered a compelling portrayal that isn’t that far off from what he does in real life. As Ian himself said in a recent interview with Interaksyon, he has been dabbling in painting for pretty much his whole life.

“My father is also a painter and, like him, I’m also very comfortable with the canvas, the paints, the palette, the brush and life. I guess that’s what gave Direk Mike the idea of giving the role to me because he knows I’m already comfortable with the medium,” he admitted.

Alcazaren acknowledged that this painting background was a plus factor in the casting of the actor he calls “the underused Ian Veneracion”.

“Actually, there was one other actor who did a great reading but when Ian came in and read, his delivery, his age, his perspective in life was perfect for the role,” Direk Mike confessed.

Aside from being a painter like Amir, Ian was also able to identify with the character’s background as an art forger. “You know, I’m also doing sort of forgeries for my whole career as an actor. This is actually the first time I’m doing something I really like,” Ian declared.

Now 38, Ian started his career as a child sensation opposite comedian Joey de Leon in the hit sitcom “Joey and Son” in 1982. As he grew older, he became a mainstay of German Moreno’s “That’s Entertainment for 10 years while appearing in films produced by Seiko Films in forgettable teenybopper roles.

He was repackaged as an action star who headlined a string of hit movies for most of the 1990s, like “Alyas Baby Face”, “Zaldong Tisoy”, “Armadong Hudas” and “Parehas ang Laban”. Then Ian took on character roles in later films and seems to be contented with the projects that came his way, including Mark Meily’s “El Presidente” where he played a small role.

Ian with Direk Mike Alcazaren during the gala night of 'Puti' at Resorts World last September 18. (Gary Angeles/InterAksyon)

But that was until “Puti” came along. After reading the screenplay, Ian knew he just had to do Alcazaren’s psychological thriller.

“When I first read the script, I said to myself, ‘Akin ito! Akin itong movie na ito, hindi ko na bibitawan ito’. Visually, ang kulit-kulit ng script. It’s very non-traditional. Hindi mo alam kung saan papunta. And that’s what I like about it,” he exclaimed.

Having enjoyed his experience with “Puti”, Ian now wants to do more “projects that are interesting and out-of-the-box”. Sure, he still accepts and makes the most out of his supporting roles in teleseryes like the recently concluded “Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw” and the ongoing “Got To Believe” for ABS-CBN.

But with the rave reviews he deservedly earned for “Puti”, Ian Veneracion should be getting more of those out-of-the-box projects that he’s suddenly craving for.

For those who missed the CineFilipino run of “Puti”, the award-winning film will have a special screening on October 9, 6PM at the ManilART 2013 Art Fair at SM Aura Convention Center. Just present your Art Fair admission ticket at the screening venue. Admission price is P200 (regular price) and P150 (for students and senior citizens).

Ian Veneracion wants more ‘out-of-the-box’ projects after well-received turn in ‘Puti’

Source: InterAksyon.com (October 09, 2013 at 08:55AM)

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