Get to Know Christian Bables, Barbs in “Die Beautiful” and How He Got the Role

He’s probably in cloud nine right now for the recognition he’s been getting from the public for his portrayal in the Metro Manila Film Festival 2016’s official entry Die Beautiful. Meet Christian Bables aka Barbs, the best friend of Trisha played by Paolo Ballesteros in the internationally acclaimed film.

The 24 year-old actor grew up in Bacoor, Cavite a graduate of Mass Communication at the De La Salle University Dasmarinas in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

He entered show business because of his passion for acting, not just for film, but also in TV or even in theater plays because it is the food for his soul as he defines it.

Since 2011, he’s been doing workshops with Star Magic under director Rahyan Carlos, mastering the Ivana Chubbuck technique which gave him enough experiences to be prepared for each character given to him, and he made sure that he can parallel the pain of his character to his while acting.

He immersed himself, researched, talked to his gay friends about being gay, their strengths, weaknesses, vulnerability and everything he needs to know to get the character Barbs right. The role was very challenging, every scene needs a certain amount of attention, time to prepare that made the whole experience of being Barbs fulfilling as it feeds his quench, his thirst for acting.

What Bables learned the most about playing Barbs is that the transgenders, the LGBT community should be loved because of their big heart and their ability to love unconditionally.

Everyone’s been congratulating and commending him for his portrayal of Barbs, but he made sure that these compliments will not get into his head and he prayed for guidance because the feedback is too overwhelming. But he’s mostly thankful that he has done what he was asked to do, he has done his job as an actor. And he’s thankful for the opportunity, for all the messages, for the people who appreciated not just his character Barbs but also their film Die Beautiful.

After working with Die Beautiful in which he had the chance to act with three of his idols, Joel Torre, Gladys Reyes and Eugene Domingo, he wishes to work with Ms. Maricel Soriano, Eddie Garcia, Jericho Rosales, Gina Pareno, Alessandra de Rossi, Judy Ann Santos and Claudine Barretto. Deceased filmmaker Mario O’ Hara and King of Comedy Dolphy was also in his wish list but unfortunately he did not had the chance to work with the two.

Internationally, his favourite artists are Michael Sheen, Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Jared Leto, which is also a student of Ivanna Chubbuck and Viola Davis’ co-actor in Fences Denzel Washington.

Peque Gallaga’s Oro Plata Mata and Lino Brocka’s Insiang are among his favourite local movies.

If he had a chance to choose his next role, he would want to portray a suicide bomber. It’s his dream role inspired from the character of Michael Sheen in the 2012 Welsh drama film The Gospel of Us.

HOW HE GOT THE ROLE OF BARBS

In a Facebook post by producer/director Perci Intalan, he tells how the surprise discovery Christian Bables got the role of Barbs in their hit film Die Beautiful:

“Meet Christian Bables aka BARBS, ang trending na BFF ni Trisha sa #DIEBEAUTIFUL. People are saying he is the surprise discovery of the MMFF. This is how he came to be Barbs:

We were looking for a best friend for Kiray in Regal Films’ I LOVE YOU TO DEATH. Ruby Ruby recommended this guy who just finished a soap in ABS-CBN. He auditioned but we werent so convinced, so he left. But for some reason Direk Miko Livelo, Direk Manny Valera, Direk Jun Lana, Roselle Monteverde and I had a change of heart and we quickly called him back. Pasakay na siya ng taxi. Second time’s a charm and he got the role. And when we saw the finished film, we were so impressed that Jun and I decided he should be cast in another film somehow.

In DIE BEAUTIFUL, he was not supposed to be Barbs at first. But one thing led to another and we wound up without a definite Barbs until we were doing our line readings. That is when Direk Jun saw how good Christian was in the role. He was the perfect foil to Paolo Ballesteros because he was so natural and instinctive. He knew when to throw his lines and how to ride along with Paolo’s ad lib. Even his body language complimented Paolo. You felt the friendship was real. And now, people see the magic onscreen and love him so much that he is even trending on Twitter.

We are so happy for Christian. It has been quite a journey and he has worked so hard for this. This is his big break! Excited to see what the future holds for him!”

See full post here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154230945003946&set=a.10151446700293946.1073741825.601213945&type=3&theater

Starring Paolo Ballesteros, with Christian Bables, Joel Torre, Gladys Reyes, “Die Beautiful” is now showing in cinemas nationwide from The IdeaFirst Company and OctoberTrain Films, distributed by Regal Entertainment, Inc. Rated R-13 by th MTRCB.