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Manny Castañeda. Image: IMDb
Manny CastanedaThe renowned actor and film director was mourned by close friends and colleagues in the entertainment industry after his death.
Castañeda's passing was confirmed on Monday, July 1, by his close friend and Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) president and CEO Jose Javier “Joey” Reyes, who thanked the veteran filmmaker for six decades of friendship.
Castañeda was 69 years old and had been diagnosed with pneumonia a month prior, Reyes said. As of this writing, the cause of death is unknown.
In the comments section of Reyes' post, celebrities such as Franco Laurel, Agot Isidro, Mel Kimura and Vicky Rushton paid tribute to Castañeda, saying his life and work will be remembered.
Image: Screenshot from Facebook/Joey Reyes
Entertainment publicist Noelle Ferrer also shared some of her memories on her Facebook page, recalling the many “mishaps” she and Castañeda had over the years.
“And thanks to your best friend Joey Javier Reyes, we have grown even closer and participated in special gatherings. And yes, you have been the center of our lives. [every] “Manny, we may have had different political beliefs but we remained friends,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, singer Richard Reynoso reminisced about Castañeda's time as a writer for “The Sharon Cuneta Show,” saying he always enjoyed “the little chats” with the actor-director backstage.
“I remember Manny Catanida was a writer on 'The Sharon Cuneta Show' at the time when I was fortunate enough to be invited to sing in promotions for movies and record albums. I enjoyed their little quips, which made my guest appearances even more enjoyable,” he said.
“Manny was a man full of life. His lively personality and entertaining anecdotes could easily add to his charm. It was a true privilege to have known Direk Manuel Castaneda. May he now rest in peace in the loving arms of God,” he further added.
Renowned photographer Nicolò Cosme recalled on Facebook that Castañeda was like a “moving fairy grandma” behind the scenes, and that whenever the two met they would always engage in light-hearted conversation.
“He played a huge role in my formative years as a young gay man. I have this observation as a young man, going by the name Baggetts at the time, witnessing the birth of the internet, as a gay person active in society,” he said. “I was so lucky to have him in my life. As a young gay man, I was born of our fairy godmother, born of Manny.”
Castañeda began his showbiz career as a cast member on “Aliw” in 1979. Since then, he has appeared in several TV series and movies over the years.
