Mon Confiado lives a fisherman's life for ‘The Fisher’ role

Mon Confiado immersed himself  for a month with fishermen of Ilocos Norte to prepare for his role as Pedro in Paul Soriano’s film, “The Fisher.”

In a recent social media post, the acclaimed actor shared how he lived alongside fishermen and adapted to their way of life to better understand the world his character came from.

“Isang buwan bago ang shooting, iniwan ko muna ang mundong nakasanayan ko upang makibahagi sa mundo ng mga mangingisda sa Norte,” he shared. 

“Namuhay akong kasama nila. Nakibagay sa kanilang pamumuhay. Nagpaitim. Nagpapayat. At higit sa lahat, sinikap kong unawain ang buhay na araw-araw nilang hinaharap — ang dagat, ang hanapbuhay, ang pagod, at ang pakikipagbuno sa buhay.”

Confiado, 58, explained that bringing Pedro to life required more than simply wearing his character’s clothes. “Kailangan kong maramdaman, hangga’t kaya ko, ang mundong humubog sa pagkatao niya.” 

For Confiado, portraying Pedro also meant understanding the experiences and perspectives that shaped his character.

“Ito ay isang proseso ng pag-unawa, pakikinig, at unti-unting pagpasok sa kamalayan ng isang taong ibang-iba sa sarili mo,” he shared.

“Bago ko siya ganapan, kailangan ko munang kilalanin ang mundo niya. Isang buwan ng paghahanda. Isang karakter na buong-puso kong niyakap.”

“Ako si Mon Confiado. At ito ang naging paglalakbay ko patungo kay Pedro sa THE FISHER,” he concluded.

“The Fisher” is a thriller directed by Paul Soriano, husband of actress and host Toni Gonzaga. Soriano has directed several feature films, including “Kid Kulafu,” “Siargao,” and “My Teacher,” and produced films such as “The Exorsis,” “Outside,” “Arisaka,” and the Hollywood film “Diamond.”

Confiado is known for portraying historical figures and complex characters, with notable film appearances in “Heneral Luna,” “Nanahimik ang Gabi,” and “Quezon.” He previously worked with Soriano on the 2021 action-thriller “Arisaka,” in which the director served as a producer.

“The Fisher” is scheduled to open exclusively in Philippine cinemas on October 21.