It’s been almost three years since Julia Buencamino, youngest child of award-winning film and theater actors Nonie Buencamino and Shamaine Centenera, died by suicide. Though the journey has been long and arduous, and there are still days when the pain is unbearable, today, the couple is in a much better place, where their personal advocacy is to ensure that parents and caregivers of people with mental health issues keep talking and listening more to those who are under their care.
“We’re the ultimate leading man and woman for this play—we have steamy scenes and you’ll sweat when you see them,” declared Nonie Buencamino, referring to his partnership with fellow multiplatform actor Ana Abad Santos in Red Turnip Theater’s season-opener, “Time Stands Still.”
Roeder Camañag caps his 27th year in the performing arts by playing the titular character in Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas’ ongoing production of “Ang Huling Lagda ni Apolinario Mabini.”
It is not easy being an Asian-American actor in the United States. It is an uphill struggle. Successes are few and far between (think “M. Butterfly” or “The Romance of Magno Rubio”). Many are called (hundreds and hundreds audition) but few are chosen.