Baron Geisler Is Hitting All the Right Notes in Netflix's Doll House
There was a time when Baron Geisler was one of the guys in Filipino show business. In the early 2000s, he was a teen idol as Fonzi in the beloved teen drama Tabing Ilog. He had been part of a cast of future icons of television and cinema (John Lloyd Cruz, Paolo Contis, Kaye Abad, and Jodi Sta. Maria, to name a few of his contemporaries). He stood out just as much as the rest of them.
Then came middle age. Here, we remember him for his later films like Francis Xavier Pasion's Jay or Mark Meily's Baler in 2008 or the gangster film Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story in 2011. These were the projects that made Geisler one of the definitive character actors of his generation.
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Geisler is a different kind of bad-ass nowadays.
But then there was that other side of Baron, the one we thought we knew but we really don't. It's the one that's embedded in substance, alcohol, and legal troubles. Notoriety has especially plagued him over the past few years. He's quotable, as we've heard. He's memeable, too, as we've seen.
But he's always had talent and, of all things, he's still kicking. Geisler says that from now on, he's going to be looking into more "substantial roles." He's kicked some personal demons and he is doing just fine, in case we're wondering.
So much so that he's landed the starring role in Netflix's Doll House, a film that, even he admits, hits way too close to home.
"Naka-relate naman ako doon sa [story], close to life. But one of the best things that really got to me was the father-daughter love story," he says. "Me reconnecting with my daughter and the realization that I have a lot of unfinished business."
In Doll House, Geisler plays Rustin, a troubled (emphasis on the trouble) musician trying to mend his relationship with his long-lost daughter, Yumi, acted out by wunderkind Althea Rueda. The two embark on a path of reconciliation, self-discovery, and genuine connection. It projects to be an honest film at its core.Â
Geisler's character did a lot of growing up in this film, much like Geisler, the man. The movie is soberingly sentimental, made up of tender moments meant to dissect the fractured family dynamic. There's something to be said about Rustin's torment and self-reflection, too.
The producers had suggested Geisler for the role, as confirmed by Doll House Director Marla Ancheta. Ancheta, the filmmaker behind Finding Agnes and Ikaw, says that it's about relationships (of course, it is). But to have actors like Geisler and Rueda have that kind of chemistry from the onset, it was a dream project. "Maraming makulit scenes 'yung dalawang to e. Marami kaming naging eksena na naging magical," she notes.
Rustin and Yumi messing around with a guitar. Her father is a lead-singer-band-guy type, after all.
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Magical is a good word for the filming location, too. Shot in the Netherlands, the director claims that the area's backdrop really helped her convey the emotion she wanted for the film.
"The location sets the mood of the film. So sa Finding Agnes, nasa Morocco kami. Disyerto siya at magisa ka lang sa kalawakan. The theme is about that about finding yourself. Dito naman sa Netherlands, ang lamig," she tells us. "So 'yung environment, the weather, and 'yung backrop, na very muted, wala kang nakikitang vibrant na kulay. Kaya para sa character ni Baron, blended siya."
Blended is a nice way to put it. Geisler, and his at-times wacky career and the public perception of him, have been blended for quite some time now. In Doll House, we're seeing a gentler, tenderer, more mature version of the guy. It's a departure, one may say, from the zany characters we're used to seeing him play. Rustin is that relatable. "A lot of fathers and parents would identify with him," Geisler stresses. "Even sa acting ko, sabi ni direk, 'o Baron ah, hindi Pinoy teleserye. 'Wag masyadong O.A.'"
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Rueda says that her father was a big fan of Fonzi way back when.
Maturation comes in many forms and it's not always liner. We all have difference spaces to occupy and paces to control. It's the understanding of the natural rhythm of things that defines how well we can navigate through a hard life. We can say this about Geisler, the actor, as well.
"Baron, 10 years ago, very immature and irresponsible," he notes. "Now that I've been living in Cebu, connecting with the right people, a lot has changed," he explains. "I'm taking my family and being a father seriously. I want the best for them. That's why I'm praying that the best din ang projects na dumating in the future."
The production was smooth sailing. That, Geisler owns to his co-stars, director Marla, his friends, and his wife, Jamie. He sees this film as an opportunity for a renaissance of sorts, both personally and professionally. But if it was a conversation about catalysts, it would have to revolve around Geisler's so-called bestfriend, his old Tabing Ilog running mate, Paolo Contis.
"Here's a story. My wife and I were watching Netflix's A Faraway Land. And bestfriend ko si Paolo Contis. Nagustuhan namin 'yung pelikula. Then my wife, nakita kong na-sad siya. She wanted something like that for me," he says.
The actor continues: "Then I said, 'you know what, one day, I'm going to have a film like that, and it's going to be better.'"
Geisler called up Contis to congratulate him on his "Hollywood-esque" movie (Contis was nominated for an Urian for A Faraway Land). He told his buddy, "'I love you. Congratulations.'" There was no hint of jealousy, Geisler makes it known. "Doon ako nagkaroon ng revelation: if you have this authentic appreciation for another actor and film, you want to do the same."
Marla Ancheta, Althea Rueda, and Baron Geisler at the press conference.
He even sees himself working with Contis again in the near future. "I pray to work with Paolo on a Netflix project. Noong nalaman niyang nandito ako, [he said] 'gawa tayo [pelikula]. I want to work with you pero dapat sa Europe 'yan. Kahit mababa talent fee, pumayag ka,'" he quips.
Geisler says that he wants to work with his old friends again, too. He last saw Abad back home in Cebu sometime this year. Meanwhile, Cruz was a dear friend during the pandemic. Contis, on the other hand, is a guy he practically talks to everyday. Geisler also often thinks about doing a love-team thing with Sta. Maria. "Hindi naman selosa wife ko," he jokes.
He's been toying around with the idea of a reunion for a while now. It's going to happen, he says. We just have to wait. In the meantime, there's Doll House. And here, he's not playing around. This is a new Baron Geisler, and what that means, we're going to find out soon enough.
