Machete and Con Air Actor Danny Trejo is adding another film to his long career, reports Variety, and this time he will be portraying Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan for an upcoming historical epic 1521.
The film charts the pre-colonial era of the Philippines as Magellan led the Spanish expedition that reached the archipelago in March 1521, marking the very first documented presence of Europeans in what is now known as the Philippines. 1521 will depict the Battle of Mactan, otherwise known as the victory of Mactan, a skirmish that Philippine history declares delayed the colonization of the Philippines for over four decades. The US-Philippines production will also explore a “forbidden romance” of the time between the native Mactan princess Diwata, portrayed by Bea Alonzo, and a Spanish soldier.
1521 is being produced by Filipino-American filmmaker Francis B. Lara Ho of Inspire Studios( (Angel Warrior, Palawan: Last Man Out). The U.S.-Philippines production will follow the Magellan’s journey as he became one of the first Europeans to travel to Asia. The script was written by Mary Krell-Oishi. Filming is expected to begin later this month in Palawan.
In addition to Trejo, the movie will star Michael Copon (One Tree Hill) as Datu Lapu-lapu, “an island ruler and leader of the warriors who fended off Magellan’s attempted colonization of the Philippine archipelago.” The movie will also feature Bea Alonzo(Only yours, First love) as the Mactan princess Diwata, Hector David Jr. as Magellan’s translator Enrique, and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan(My Lady Boss) as Ahmani, the sister of Diwata.
