Why Rafael Rosell is not voting
As has been Rafael Rosell’s norm since undergoing a spiritual awakening of sorts in 2010, the actor’s press interviews often center on his newfound beliefs – whether it be about the environment, politics, history, veganism or what he thinks is the sorry state of Philippine showbiz. He throws in trivia here and there culled from readings and other means of research, the picture of an excited guy discovering something utterly fascinating.
While his fervor on such subjects often garners him “Ang lalim naman niyan” comments every now and then or a signal from his handler to go easy on the rhetoric, Rafael takes these reactions in stride and with a smile, backing off from the heavy stuff and putting on his actor-promoting-a-TV-show face back on. He’s zealous with his convictions, but he’s not one to impose.
On where his interest on such matters stem from, Rafael says, “From research. I research a lot outside our mainstream media, and I’ve realized a lot of things that the people have a right to know. Right now, sorry to say, but the way we’re living, we live in a shell. We’re so sheltered from the outside world. The news that are coming in are controlled. We don’t even know what’s going on in Syria.”
Despite being opinionated on numerous social issues, don’t count on Rafael showing up on a voting booth this upcoming May elections. “To be honest, I don’t believe in the system. Democracy… are we really part of the system? We’re only part of the decisionmaking once every four years and then they still hocus-pocus our votes.”
Rafael, 33, says one topic he’s been reading up on is Philippine history beyond those fed by Filipino textbooks. “I’ve been researching a lot about Filipino history lately, and I wouldn’t call it beautiful. I would call it ‘astig.’ Ang nangyari sa history natin, ang galing eh, at ang daming hindi nakakaalam nun.”
“Do you know why they invented the Colt 45?” he asks us, and clueless, we shake our head no. “This is fun trivia. They invented that because the normal revolver could not kill the Filipino or the maharlika because they were so strong. That’s cool history, right? Astig. This is small stuff that we’re unaware of. It makes you complete because you know your background.”
Releasing a film that would reveal such cool, unknown Filipino accounts is among the Norway-born-and-bred star’s dreams.
“I want to come out with something maybe psychotic, something that attacks the government, something that reveals the truth, something like ‘Heneral Luna.’ It told us something about our history that made me go ‘Wow, we didn’t know that,’” says Rafael, who was born to a Cebuano dad and Bicolana mom.
“I want to do something similar. I hope to break the mold and show that our history is deeper than most people think. Most of us only know the history we’ve been taught in school and through media.”
Currently starring in the GMA-7 primetime series “Because of You” with Gabby Concepcion and Carla Abellana where he plays a famous photographer who decides to dump his bride right in front of the altar, Rafael laments how Filipino films and TV shows are still stuck in churning out the same old mass-endearing clichés.
“I have my personal projects that I want to release. Either write it myself or produce it myself,” he says.
“Nowadays in our showbiz industry, it’s kind of difficult to come out with a story that is not about romance. Sad to say, it’s basically the same formula surrounding the same theme when it comes to the mainstream. It’s only when we go indie where we see the variety.”