- Arjo Atayde earned the admiration of his co-stars in ‘The General’s Daughter’ including Maricel Soriano
- The Diamond Star gave Arjo a ‘Perfect 10’ for his acting
Arjo Atayde was commended by the “Diamond Star,” Maricel Soriano, and show director Many Palo for his performance in the pilot episode of “The General’s Daughter.”
Portraying Elai is another characterization that touched the hearts of many Filipino viewers, as Arjo not just shared his talent but also his heart and soul as well.
Atayde’s name, too, was among the trending topics on social media. Like Soriano, viewers of “The General’s Daughter” found themselves moved by Atayde’s endearing portrayal of Elai in the pilot episode.
“Bihira ako makatrabaho ng napakahusay, ‘yung talagang saludo ako,” Soriano said of Atayde’s performance as Elai on the pilot episode of Dreamscape production’s “The General’s Daughter.”
READ: “The General’s Daughter” TV Review: Diverting, Compelling, and Politically Significant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3WBpQ1i6zg
Arjo, plays the role of Elai, the son of Isabelle, played by Maricel Soriano in “The General’s Daughter,” their first acting project together.
The only child of Isabelle, Elai found the injured Rhian played by Angel Locsin in their coastal village of Sto. Francisco. Smitten with the stranger, who appeared to have no memory even of her identity, Elai settled with calling her “Diyosa,” because of her beauty.
“Sobra akong tinatablan ‘pag umaarte,” she said. “Kasi siya ‘yung anak ko na every time na makita kong umiiyak ang anak ko, he breaks my heart. Totoo. Kaya hindi ko mapigilan ‘yung sarili ko na ‘yung paghanga ko sa kanya, na-bi-verbalize ko talaga.”
Because of his effective acting and soulful performance many viewers were moved by how Arjo portrayed the role. There are scenes that doesn’t require to much dialogue but his emotions can directly strike the heart of the viewers and directly deliver exactly how he felt during those exact moments.
Elai dominated the pilot episode in a way that every second of his performance is tastefully and carefully done; delivering every scene appropriately.
“Kasi ‘yung ibang characters, immersion sa mga kampo, training in terms of handling equipment, protocol,” Palo explained, referring to the military milieu of the series.
“Pero si Arjo, iba. He comes prepared every day. In character na siya. Minsan nalilito ako which is the real Arjo and ‘yung character niya. Siya talaga ‘yung tumawag sa ’kin asking for pegs. We identified some films, and we contacted people who we can talk to. The next time na nakita ko siya, I saw him already in-character,” the filmmaker said.
READ: “The General’s Daughter” pilot wins in NUTAM, Kantar Media TV ratings
A “visual learner,” Atayde said a significant part of his portrayal was drawn from his experience interacting with individuals with autism.
Atayde recalled he had sought Palo’s input on how to mold Elai’s character, leading them to visiting a Quezon City restaurant where “kids who have the same condition as Elai, of the same age, are serving up to a certain time.”
“I observed. I was talking to them. Thankfully the owner was open to the idea,” he told ABS-CBN News.
Also part of his preparation was watching films about behavior associated with autism. “My assignment to myself, ‘yung pampatulog ko every night, I would watch a lot of videos and I would be just studying the character from head to toe if I can,” he recalled.
Even the netizens has a lot to say about how good his performance was on the pilot episode. Below are some of the tweets about his performance.
https://twitter.com/vitalitilit/status/1072538447347376128?s=21
https://twitter.com/chingkerble/status/1087711694447493120?s=21
Hindi maalis sa isipan ko yung lines ni Arjo Atayde sa The Generals Daughter, "bakit kayo galit sa kanya, ano ginawa nya sa inyo." Wowww. No wonder trending ka ang galing ng atake s role akala another boyet lang eh, pero iba pala
— Grace Corciga (@GCorciga) January 21, 2019
I love Arjo Atayde's role on the Generals Daughter. Naaalala ko sa kaniya si Park Shi On ng the Good doctor. Such a wonderful person that makes the world colorful. Salute!
— Kwiinn (@MaryBernaldez) January 21, 2019
ANG GALING NG CHARACTER NI ARJO ATAYDE SA THE GENERALS DAUGHTER WALANG SINABI SI BOYET NG SPECIAL TATAY! 😂
— Inday_AmoyoVeryStrong (@indayatkabayo) January 18, 2019
Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/01/22/19/he-breaks-my-heart-arjo-atayde-earns-raves-for-nuanced-portrayal-of-autism
