Washington DC [US], February 18: Filipino actor Jericho Rosales is set to star in the lead role of the upcoming historical biopic Quezon, produced by TBA Studios. Rosales will portray Manuel L. Quezon, the renowned Filipino lawyer and soldier who served as the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944.
The film marks Rosales’ long-awaited return to Philippine cinema after a few years’ hiatus. His last appearance on the big screen was in the 2018 romantic drama The Girl in the Orange Dress. Recently, he starred in the hit ABS-CBN drama Lavender Fields.
Quezon is scheduled to begin filming in March 2025. Directed and co-written by Jerrold Tarog, known for his historical biopics Heneral Luna (2015) and Goyo: The Boy General (2018), the film continues TBA Studios’ legacy of bringing powerful, historical narratives to the screen.
Reflecting on his role, Rosales shared his excitement, stating, “I feel so honoured to be with this team. Coming to a script like this which is so potent and so entertaining, I feel so lucky and happy.” He added, “Quezon is such an interesting character to play; there are so many things I can put into the role to build Quezon as a character. That adds to the pressure, but at the same time I am very excited.”
Rosales also emphasized the complexity of the character, saying Quezon would not be portrayed as a traditional hero. “He’s cunning, he is charming, he is intelligent,” he said.
Joining Rosales in Quezon are Mon Confiado and Benjamin Alves, reprising their roles from Heneral Luna and Goyo: The Boy General. Confiado will play Quezon’s political rival, Emilio Aguinaldo, while Alves will portray a younger version of Quezon.
The ensemble cast also includes Karylle Yuzon as Quezon’s wife, Aurora Quezon, Romnick Sarmenta as Sergio Osmena (the first Vice President of the Philippines), JC Santos as Manuel Roxas, and Cris Villanueva as the older Joven Hernando, the only fictional character in the film series. Further casting announcements are expected soon.