WHEN GREAT ACTORS GO

I was shocked when Michael de Mesa has decided to go on showbiz sabbatical starting next year and take a regular job instead in the US as a marketing executive for a reputable company. When asked why he had to go, he said he was simply frustrated with the way local showbiz is being run by people nowadays. There's no more growth for him as an actor since his creativity was being stifled by mediocrity. That was the reason why he had metamorphosed into a theater actor/indie actor who garnered good reviews in different indie/theater offerings among them "Rent", "Tick Tick Boom", "Bigtime", "Ataul for Rent" and many more.

According to him though he got great accolades in that field, the financial benefit was not within reach. So he continued acting in the mainstream (mostly in telenovelas) until he had enough of the showbiz charade.

It's not only Michael de Mesa whom we're going to miss on the big screen. Joaquin Phoenix, the younger brother of deceased heartthrob River Phoenix, has also decided to quit acting in the movies. What made Joaquin quit was the fact that he had fallen in love with music and would rather sing than act. Deja vu? Jericho Rosales had made that statement first, so it's nothing new.

If I recall it right, Jericho released an album with his band called Jeans but their music failed to garner audiences even if Echo had a wide fanbase. The question right now is... will Joaquin Phoenix be able to successfully convince his audience that he can be taken seriously as a musician?

Whatever may be the result of their sabbaticals, may Michael de Mesa and Joaquin Phoenix always remember the age-old saying: "Once an actor always an actor."

If they don't come back there will be other people who can fill in their shoes... and I'm one of them! Ngak!