Bagani has become the talk of the town after ABS-CBN released teasers of the upcoming fantasy series.
Recently, lead actress Liza Soberano took to Twitter to defend herself and love team partner Enrique Gil against netizens who are saying that they do not fit their roles in the show, mainly because of their Eurocentric features.
Liza's mother is an American, while Enrique has German and Spanish blood.
Last February 12, Liza quoted a tweet showing Enrique's tanned face in Bagani being compared to a popular vine video named Peanut Butter baby.
The 20-year-old actress wrote in her tweet, "The only resemblance i can see is the cuteness."
The only resemblance i can see is the cuteness. https://t.co/SQQWsSQTDn
— Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) February 12, 2018
Later, Liza responded to a netizen named @deeCrz who claimed that both Liza and Enrique are not Pinoy.
The Kapamilya actress told the netizen, "And who says were not pinoy? My Father is full filipino. I was raised by two filipinos since the age of 4. I looooove sinigang i think thats as pinoy as pinoy can get."
And who says were not pinoy? My Father is full filipino. I was raised by two filipinos since the age of 4. I looooove sinigang i think thats as pinoy as pinoy can get.
— Liza Soberano (@lizasoberano) February 16, 2018
As of this writing, the parent tweet of Liza's response has already been deleted, but other netizens were able to get a screengrab of the tweet.
Hello. Eto po yung sinagot niyang tweet. :) Sino ba namang hindi mao-offend pag sinabihan ka ng kapwa Pilipino mong "di naman pinoy" ???? pic.twitter.com/iwoKcx8mGA
— Hyacinth ???????? (@HE24ForeverOTP) February 18, 2018
Meanwhile, Liza's tweet drew mixed reactions from her followers on Twitter.
Some netizens voiced out their opinions that Liza is not Filipino enough to portray the role of Ganda since they say Bagani is set during pre-colonial times.
The problem here is Filipinos get the representation that even the pre-colonial ones looked like mestizas/os. I hope you realize how vital your role is to the youth especially that we hail mestiza skin. This is a social responsibility & doesn't only depend on you loving Sinigang.
— Bea Sacdalan (@sacdalanbea) February 18, 2018
point is, the role doesn't fit her. it's about Filipino representation sabay kukuha ng actors and actresses na hindi purely Filipino. we're not bashing her nor are we saying na she's not Filipino enough. there are a lot more actors and actresses to fit their roles.
— — (@patriciasuyat) February 18, 2018
gurl we just need more filo rep as in flat noses and dark filo skin represention the media its not that deep we're not against you dont take it personally :>
— ♠ (@janyabriniz) February 18, 2018
Liza, that’s not the point. Bagani looks inspired by pre-colonial Philippines, and that while you might be as fucking Filipino as you say, your eurocentric features don’t represent the average of us. The show could’ve been so much more culturally. empowering.
— kimiko (@navyarmi) February 18, 2018
This isn’t abt who ur dad is/who raised u/how much u luv sinigang. WE ALL LOVE SINIGANG. This is about how YOU need to be more informed & responsible with the roles u accept; how u r propagating a culture that takes away roles from just-as-capable-&-beautiful Morena actors
— ? mandy ? (@pocahontascruz) February 18, 2018
On the other hand, other netizens, including the fans of LizQuen, defended their idols about being cast in the Kapamilya fantasy series.
But being a fantaserye, it means na pwedeng gawin ng writer ang kahit ano through his imaginations ryt? And again hindi naman ito documentary tungkol sa culture ng Pilipinas. Kung sinabing ganon ang Bagani, kahit fan ako ng Lq aba maki-kwestyon ko rin ang cast pero hindi eh :)
— Hyacinth ???????? (@HE24ForeverOTP) February 18, 2018
It’s not about physical attributes, anyways. I know and I strongly believe it’s always in the heart no matter what, you can alter physical appearance but not the willingness to portray some role that requires your full self in it. She is Pinoy, an actress. It ends there. Go Liza!
— bon haróld (@salakharold) February 18, 2018
I just don’t understand why crabs do not give these mestisos a right to portray a Filipino role. It seems you are excluding them to our culture. That’s not Pinoy culture.
— bon haróld (@salakharold) February 18, 2018
being a mom of a filipina-german daughter, nasasaktan talaga ako pag ganito mga sinasabi na kesyo they are not filipino enough ????
— yamie schmidt (@schmidtyamie) February 16, 2018
Come to think of it, the context of Bagani is fictional. It’s not fully rooted in the Philippines even if it IS a show by the Filipinos and for the Filipinos. It’s a fantasy teleserye. I’ll complain about the cast when the show is ingrained in the historical context of the Ph.
— Pipimi (@aerozyne) February 18, 2018
HEADWRITER DEFENDS CASTING. Meanwhile, Bagani creator and headwriter Mark Duane Angos defended his show against netizens who expressed their opinions about the cast members of the fantasy series.
Angos posted a screengrab of a Twitter post of a netizen comparing the cast of Bagani and the American superhero film Black Panther, which is currently being screened in cinemas.
The netizen wrote, "Movies like #BlackPanther pay homage to African culture by innovating without sacrificing authenticity.. While shows like #Bagani slather half-white asians in bronzer to pass them off as precolonial filipinos because kayumangi doesn’t sell."
Angos responded, "Sana like BlackPanther, pinanood mo muna Bagani bago mo hinusgahan. You’ll know it’s not precolonial. Speaking of colonial, do you see the irony of your tweet- na katanggap-tanggap lang ang isang locally produced show kung maihahantulad ito sa gawang banyaga. Very postcolonial."
Sana like BlackPanther, pinanood mo muna Bagani bago mo hinusgahan. You’ll know it’s not precolonial. Speaking of colonial, do you see the irony of your tweet- na katanggap-tanggap lang ang isang locally produced show kung maihahantulad ito sa gawang banyaga. Very postcolonial. pic.twitter.com/vidjFzkpif
— mark duane angos (@markangos) February 16, 2018
In a series of tweets, Angos explained the premise of Bagani and how it is not set in the pre-colonial times of the Philippines.
He wrote, "Bagani is set in a fictional world called Sansinukob- isang alternatibong mundo na may mga elemento ng mitolohiyang Pilipino. It is not PRECOLONIAL. It is not HISTORICAL. Hence it is not a portrayal of sinaunang tao or a particular historical period or event."
Bagani is set in a fictional world called Sansinukob- isang alternatibong mundo na may mga elemento ng mitolohiyang Pilipino. It is not PRECOLONIAL. It is not HISTORICAL. Hence it is not a portrayal of sinaunang tao or a particular historical period or event.
— mark duane angos (@markangos) February 18, 2018
A netizen then asked why Liza and Enrique's skin had to be tanned for the show.
Angos answered, "In the script, the desert people were described 'the dirt or sand sticks to their skin but instead of washing it off, they wear it like a badge forming part of their identity.' Baka that’s the way the make up artist interpreted it."
In the script, the desert people were described “the dirt or sand sticks to their skin but instead of washing it off, they wear it like a badge forming part of their identity.” Baka that’s the way the make up artist interpreted it.
— mark duane angos (@markangos) February 18, 2018
In the end, the Kapamilya writer acknowledged the healthy debate among netizens about the etymology of Bagani. He also rejoiced that Pinoys are talking about a Filipino TV show instead of foreign fantasy shows.
He said, "When Filipinos raised in Europe started playing for Azkals & sparked the renaissance of Philippine football- the criticism was ‘hindi naman mga Pilipino ‘yan. Walang representation ang tunay na mga Pinoy.’ It broke my heart not just as a football fan, but as a Filipino. Deja vu.
"Ang silver lining, pinag-uusapan natin ngayon ang etimolohiya ng Bagani. For once, hindi tayo nagtatalo o nagkukuro-kuro tungkol sa demogorgon o kung Targaryen ba sina Daenerys at Jon Snow. Konseptong Pilipino, likhang Pilipino. Mabuhay ang pantaseryeng Pilipino!"
When Filipinos raised in Europe started playing for Azkals & sparked the renaissance of Philippine football- the criticism was ‘hindi naman mga Pilipino ‘yan. Walang representation ang tunay na mga Pinoy.’ It broke my heart not just as a football fan, but as a Filipino. Deja vu.
— mark duane angos (@markangos) February 18, 2018
Ang silver lining, pinag-uusapan natin ngayon ang etimolohiya ng Bagani. For once, hindi tayo nagtatalo o nagkukuro-kuro tungkol sa demogorgon o kung Targaryen ba sina Daenerys at Jon Snow. Konseptong Pilipino, likhang Pilipino. Mabuhay ang pantaseryeng Pilipino!
— mark duane angos (@markangos) February 19, 2018
ABS-CBN has yet to announce the playdate of Bagani, but it is believed to air this March, replacing the fantasy series La Luna Sangre, which is now down to its last two weeks.