Actor/director David Chua gamely took on the challenge of cosplaying one of his favorite characters, and with the scenic Escolta district as his backdrop, recreated some of his favorite scenes from the iconic DC Comics movies which starred Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix.
With his longish hair and lean, muscular physique, David was a natural shoo-in for the part, his menacing smile and ghostly clown face in stark contrast to his wildly flamboyant wardrobe aesthetic. It's a look that definitely made him a clear standout as he and his glam team turned the idyllic Manila district into a Gotham City of sorts. Good thing no one turned on the Bat Signal.
So, what made him choose the Joker for his Halloween look?
He says, "The Joker has always fascinated me. He's a good soul, a victim—not really the bad guy. He's like a lunatic, destructive clown with no filters on the outside, but still a child deep inside."
Who did better justice to their silver screen portrayals: Heath Ledger or Joaquin Phoenix?
David muses, "Ledger's interpretation isn't as multi-dimensional, probably because of the script, but for telling the Joker's story as a human-being-gone-wrong, it's Joaquin Phoenix 100%."
What was the inspiration behind the out-of-the-box location for the photoshoot?
David explains, "I'm a true-blue Batang Maynila. I think the city is beautiful despite its imperfections. It has so many stories to tell. Here, you can still find the restaurant where Andres Bonifacio and his wife went to eat in. It's still open."
"The history of Escolta, in itself, reminds us of who we were and who we can again be. There is a parallelism between Manila and The Joker. It's either you survive or you don't," he intones seriously.
Asked to pick his most scenic Manila spots, David singles out Intramuros (for its Jose Rizal references), Jones Bridge (for its European vibe), the baywalk area (for its picturesque sunset), and Chinatown, for its food and culture. "Mainly the areas with the old, elegant architecture," he points out.
Despite Manila's gradual decadence over the past decades, David feels lucky to see a drastic makeover, thanks in large part to the efforts of incumbent Manila mayor Isko Moreno.
Referencing his Joker character once more, he quips, "In the same way that Gotham City needed a hero, Manila needs a hero as well, and I think Isko is doing a pretty good job at it. If he can do that for the city, I'm pretty confident that he can do it for the country. He definitely has my vote."
For his part, David has been doing his share in contributing to the welfare of the cityfolk, particularly during the lingering pandemic. Among his humble efforts are his food relief operations in some slum areas.
Although not too keen on running for public office, David feels that he can do a lot more on his own. He points out, "Given a chance, I'd like to support the development of cultural and artists' hubs in the city. Before the Covid crisis, Manila was already transforming into a cultural hub with coffee shops and art expos left and right."
With his humble but noble vision for his city, seems like there's more to David than the anti-hero cosplay character that he picked for his Halloween inspiration. Who knows, he might end up being a superhero of sorts in his own right?
As the local showbiz scene slowly returns to normalcy, David is also thankful for the big breaks coming his way. He has recently auditioned for a major role in a TV reboot of a popular and long-running movie series.
For his Joker photo shoot, David credits his team which includes renowned fashion photographer Doc Marlon Pecjo, stylist Gee Jocson, hair and make-up artist Gabby Laxamana ("who seems the BFF of my wild head of hair") and his trusty handler Ethan Leyson from ALV Talent Circuit ("if you want efficiency, that's Ethan!").
