Christian Bables on being typecast in LGBTQ roles: ‘Kung walang tatanggap ng mga ganito, sino?’

Christian Bables as Charlie or Bubbles Lacroix in “Drag You and Me.” Image: Instagram/@abscbnpr

Christian Bables recognizes the significance of portraying LGBTQ roles, saying he’s not afraid to be typecast in taking on characters coming from different colors of the community.

Bables, who’s made a name for taking on gay roles in “Die Beautiful, “Panti Sisters,” and “Big Night” — one of which earned him a Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Best Supporting Actor win in 2016 — is one of the headlining stars in the upcoming series “Drag You and Me” as Charlie and drag performer Bubbles Lacroix, who sparks a rivalry with Andrea Brillantes.

During a press conference for the series, the star of “Dirty Linen” said he is not afraid of potential typecasting in LGBTQ roles. He firmly believes that the community deserves an authentic representation in mainstream media.

“Kasi kung walang tatanggap ng mga ganito, sino?” he began. “Iilan lang kaming mayroong tapang mag-accept ng ganitong klaseng mga [roles] kasi ‘yung iba, natatakot ma-typecast. ‘Yung iba naman, natatakot ma-tag as ganito, as ganyan.”

(If no one is going to accept these characters, then who will? Only a few of us are brave enough to accept these roles because some are scared to be typecast. Others are scared to be tagged as a certain thing.)

The actor stressed that he wants to take on characters that speak truth to the voiceless, in hopes of using his platform to empower various communities.

“Ako kasi, for as long as the character being offered to me is a living, breathing character [that is] full of heart and life, gagampanan ko ‘yan. Kahit tutubi pa ‘yan, gagampanan ko basta something na relevant at makakapagbigay ng boses doon sa mga voiceless,” he said.

(For me, as long as the character being offered to me is a living, breathing character that is full of heart and life, I will portray them. Even if that character is a mere dragonfly, I will portray them as long as it’s something that is relevant and it would give a voice to those who are voiceless.)

Bables also shared that he had to unlearn the “totality of myself” in order to give justice to Charlie and Bubbles’ characters, saying that their roles are “far different” from his real-life personality.

“I had to unlearn the totality of myself. Kasi hindi ako ‘yung pino-portray ko (Because the role that I’m portraying is not me). It is someone that is way far different from who I am as a person, and that’s basically just it. I had to learn the totality of myself,” he said.

“Drag You and Me” revolves around Betty, a woman who joined the Manila Queen Supreme drag competition as Valentine Royale, to save her family’s gay comedy bar. However, her competitors are unaware that she is not a real drag queen.

Apart from Bables and Brillantes, the series stars Ice Seguerra, KaladKaren, Romnick Sarmenta, Jon Santos, Cris Villanueva, Brigiding, Viñas Deluxe, Xilhouete, and Precious Paula Nicole. EDV

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