Whizzes! and zings!

I had to blink twice upon seeing a picture of a bearded Pierce Brosnan right smack beside a Max’s Fried Chicken ad. For several seconds, the lone egg at the center of the ad competed with Brosnan’s beard in graduated shades of camel and white for my attention.

The beard won.

Not only did the beard won it for Brosnan. The deeply-etched lines across his forehead (something certainly forbidden for actresses his age – heck, their ages are summarily forbidden as well), the chunks of greys on his crown compose a picture of a man who has certainly closed the chapter on his James Bond days.

That image of Brosnan that greeted me this morning reminds me of career trajectories (not only confined to acting and Hollywood, two separate things for sure) I have grown to follow and take to heart. It is one that involves a careful mix of strategy and throw-caution-to-the-wind craziness, of the middle-of-the-road and the offbeat, of brashness and angled repose – the blueprint is clear. On second glance, it is not even a trajectory; the closest one could come to it is a hastily-scribbled grocery list that was immediately shoved in the pants pocket, only to be conveniently forgotten amidst a sea of supermarket shelves. It is, however, not completely forgotten, for it would be realized later that there was no need for the list in the first place – lists are plans that serve as crutches; eventually, the crutches would have to go.

Upon reading the Inquirer article on Brosnan, I loved the detail shared by the director on how Brosnan was open to every new idea inserted in the middle of production. He set aside his insecurity on his chicken legs and let out a good-soldier attitude when broached with the idea of walking across a hotel lobby in his underwear. The only thing he asked was if he could wear boots as well. Such sartorial whimsy!

What I found most endearing was the overall impression about Brosnan that he is at a point in his career and life where he is at ease and could breathe on his own. Film roles are not solely dictated by profit margins and agent restrictions. He is not afraid to put himself out there, personally and career-wise. He, as with quite a number of actors and actresses these days, thrive on collaboration that does not border on being overbearing and openness that comes through the screen.

From my end, I am truly grateful to those who continue to offer that genuine spirit of collaboration and openness toward my way. It is this haphazardly-imagined group of individuals who continually throw the ball at my direction and it is only my honor to throw it back with a whizz! and a zing!