Cesar Montano

Cesar Demontaño Manhilot (born August 1, 1962), known professionally as Cesar Montano, is a Filipino actor, film producer, film director and aspiring politician.

Montano started in show business as a commercial model.

He played roles in numerous B movies.

He then played major roles in several action movies and a brief television career playing the lead role in the television sitcom Kaya ni Mister, Kaya ni Misis.

In 1990, he starred in his first two movies Kasalanan ang Buhayin Ka and Machete.

After leaving Seiko in mid-1992, he starred in several films under Viva Films and its subsidiary Neo Films.

Montano is known for his collaboration with the late Toto Natividad, who directed his movies Leonardo Delos Reyes: Alyas Waway (1993), Utol (1996), Biláng na ang Araw mo (1996), Pusakal (1997), Sanggano (1997), Kasangga Kahit Kelan (1998), Warfreak (1998), and Type Kita Walang Kokontra (1999).

Montano's early directions were an episode of Mikee in 1995, in which he starred in, and the 1998 film Warfreak, in which he co-directed with Natividad and starred as the titular character.

One of his best-known roles is his portrayal of the titular patriot José Rizal in the film José Rizal (1998).

He played national hero José Rizal in the historical biopic José Rizal in 1998.

In 1999 film Muro Ami, he played Fredo, the boss of child laborers in the illegal fishing industry.

The film won thirteen awards at the 1999 Metro Manila Film Festival.

In 1999, Montano marked his directorial debut with Bullet, in which he co-wrote and starred as the titular character, an autistic person with a special skill in marksmanship.

Aside from acting, Montano also embarked on a singing career, with the release of his music album Subok lang or Just try in 2000.

He has also ventured into film production as well as directing, with Panaghoy sa Suba as his directorial film debut.

The same goes for the 2001 film Mananabas, where he stars as the leader of a lost command.

Montano produced, directed and starred in the 2004 film Panaghoy sa Suba, which was his entry to the 2004 Metro Manila Film Festival.

It is set during World War II, and the story takes place mostly along the Loboc River in Bohol.

It was filmed mostly in the Visayan language with an almost exclusively Visayan cast.

It was given an "A" rating by the Cinema Evaluation Board or CEB of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, which described the film as "a poetic, sometimes even magical, current of silent struggle and survival".

Panaghoy sa Suba won multiple awards.

He starred in the war film The Great Raid (2005), his first Hollywood film.

Montano has won numerous acting awards in Panaghoy sa Suba ("The Call of the River"), José Rizal, Muro Ami ("Reef Hunters") and Bagong Buwan ("New Moon").

In May 2007, he unsuccessfully ran for Senate under the coalition TEAM Unity (TU).

GMA News reported that he lost about P40 million worth of endorsement for running in public office.

Montano also lost the 2010 Gubernatorial race in his home province of Bohol.

On July 13, 2010, Montano officially became a contract artist of GMA Network after signing a two-year exclusive contract with the said network.

In 2012, he left GMA 7 for TV5's Artista Academy.

In 2016, Montano was running as the 2nd nominee of Aangat Tayo party-list in the 2016 national elections, but subsequently lost.

In the same year, he was appointed by Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo as the Chief Operation Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board.

Montano, known by his nickname Buboy, was born and raised in Santa Ana, Manila, Philippines.

His paternal side traces its roots to the Manhilots of Baclayon, a town in Bohol.

Montano became interested in acting while studying in college.

He acted in stage productions at the University of the Philippines and joined acting workshops in between.

Among his notable plays is Esteromenggoles.

He also worked as a stuntman early in his career.

He auditioned for Ishmael Bernal's Student Body under Regal Films, in which he became among the top 3 leading men.

Unfortunately, the project didn't push through.

He was later discovered by Robbie Tan, who made him a talent of the now-defunct Seiko Films.

He initially bagged supporting roles in action films and leading men roles in drama films.