WE?RE happy to hear that Star Cinema is planning to make two feature film on Cory and Ninoy Aquino. The Aquinos fully deserve inspired and inspiring depiction on the big screen, to do justice to their heroism and all-important contributions to democracy in the Philippines.

We hear that Vilma Santos is being tapped to play Cory, and we think she?s a very good choice, because she looks quite like Cory and has the deep dramatic resources and acting experience to come up with a truly memorable portrayal of the country?s beloved former president.

However, we are less taken with the reported choice of Piolo Pascual as the young Ninoy Aquino. Yes, Piolo is a good and experienced actor, but he doesn?t look like Ninoy and, more importantly, he?s quite different from the late hero in temperament. Ninoy was full of life, brilliance and vigor, while Piolo is better known for his moody, introspective romantic and dramatic-lead characterizations.

Even when he?s being more consciously ardent and physical, he?s still basically soft and low-key, and that?s a far cry from Ninoy?s dynamic and even ?combustible? temperament.

As for the dissimilarity in looks, that can?t be adequately compensated for on the big screen with the use of character make-up, costuming and prosthetics, so physical believability is a problem, as well.

In depicting famous people in biographical movies, it?s important that the actor looks like the iconic figure he?s portraying, so that viewers can implicitly believe in the filmic retelling of his life that they?re experiencing, enough to forget that they?re watching a dramatization instead of the actual story unfolding before their very eyes.

The heroic achievements of Cory and Ninoy are so important that nothing should distract from their dynamic retelling and recollection.

We also hear that Cesar Montano is thinking of playing Ninoy in another film bio. Once again, we must point out that Cesar and Ninoy are quite dissimilar in both looks and temperament, so that project is also less than thoroughly convincing.

It?s true that, in this country, less importance is given to physical believability in film bios. Thus, the mestizo Albert Martinez once played Jose Rizal on the big screen, with less than felicitous results. Other less than convincing portrayals include Gloria Romero as Imelda Marcos in ?Iginuhit ng Tadhana,? and any number of action stars as famous heroes or notorious criminals.

Compare that with film bios produced abroad, which do a much better job of suiting the actor to the role in terms of physical and physiological verisimilitude. Some years ago, Will Smith scored an acting knockout as Mohammad Ali, because he not only looked the part but trained hard to make his boxing scenes come off with championship flair. Other standout portrayals include Sean Penn in ?Milk,? Ben Kingsley in ?Ghandi,? and Reese Witherspoon in ?Walk the Line.?

Soon to hit the screen is Clint Eastwood?s latest film, ?Invictus,? which is about Nelson Mandela?s visionary decision to join forces with the captain of South Africa?s rugby team, Francois Pienaas (Matt Damon) to unite their country. The film drama?s believability is greatly enhanced by the fact that actor Morgan Freeman looks almost exactly like Mandela?a felicitous fusion of actor and iconic freedom fighter that should end up as one for the biopic books.

Other recent look-alike screen portrayals include Meryl Streep as Julia Child, Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf and Hilary Swank as Amelia Earhart.

Decades ago, Robert de Niro also did a biopic that film buffs are still talking about: To play former heavyweight boxing champion Jack La Mottal in ?Raging Bull,? the consummate actor completely changed his appearance and put on 60 pounds?which he had a difficult time getting rid of after the film was shot!

Why do foreign productions work so hard to make their iconic characterizations believable? Because it?s important. Actors have to look like the people they?re playing, especially if they?re well-known, because it?s a key part of the craft and art of acting, which should be rooted, not in ?stellar? portrayals, but in believable characterizations. All else is play-acting and distracting stellar antics.