For the first time, the biggest Cinderella Man of local Tinseltown, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, exchanged pleasantries with actors Xian Lim and McCoy de Leon, who give life to him in a biopic movie, a musical billed Yorme, directed by Joven Tan, produced by SaranggolaMedia Production.
Xian essays the role of the politician Domagoso while McCoy is Isko during his early days before and during showbiz.
“I'm honored and grateful to them. Thank you sa kanilang dalawa. I’m excited to see the end of the project,” the Manila mayor said.
“I trust the production… I gave them, at least, the full account, what transpired in my life from basurero to my being a mayor. In these trying times, people are very sad, challenged, and threatened by the health issue of our country and the world. And I hope this project may at least, in one point or another, give hope na pag nagpupursige ka sa buhay, may awa ang Diyos, na makakaraaos ka rin kahit papaano at napagtagumpayan mo pa," he carried on.
The many challenging and colorful aspects of his life are part and parcel of the soon to be shown motion picture, which will not sugarcoat his story.
“My life is an open book, it is chronicled and documented. There were ups and downs, there were challenges. It was made public. I am not ashamed of the things that I did before. Anything that I did as a showbiz personality, I’m happy. It made me happy. I survived. In portraying characters, there are challenging scenes, and I’m happy when I give justice to a particular scene. And sometimes it requires extra ability and guts to do it,” Yorme related.
He is also ecstatic and confident with the actors given the tasks to portray him in the musical biopic.
“It is my first time to do a biopic and the part of his life which is most magnified and scrutinized is what is assigned to me,” said Xian.
“On my part, I did my own research prior to the shoot. Pinag aralan ko rin yung manner of his speaking, may kakaibang accent kasi si Mayor Isko. I am proud to do this role kasi nga I am portraying a good man. No, a great man is more appropriate,” Xian added.
For McCoy, what excites him to do the young Isko is, “We share the same humble beginnings. I was born in Tondo. I hope when he gets to watch it, matuwa si Mayor Isko sa ginawa ko.”
Other important stars in the film are Janno Gibbs who plays German Moreno, Jestoni Alarcon as his manager, Ramon Christopher Gutierrez, and Kristina Paner as his parents. MJ Lastimosa is Diana Lyn Ditan Domagoso.
Yorme is in its final stages, recording all the songs and the shoot is about to wrap. The cinema debut might happen in the December 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival.