Coming on Strong

 Versatility rules for Rio Dewanto in his choice of offbeat acting roles.

Photo by Ricky YudhistiraWith his brooding handsomeness and collection of tattoos, actor Rio Dewanto might appear the ideal choice as a tough-guy character. But the 24-year-old actor consciously avoids typecasting, with his selection of diverse roles setting him apart from the pack of young actor hopefuls.

The roles came fast and furious last year. He played an embattled Chinese-Indonesian man in Hanung Bramantyo’s controversial and critically acclaimed Tanda Tanya (Question Mark), and a go-getting coach in the soccer flick Garuda Di Dadaku 2 (Garuda in my Heart 2). He also landed his first lead role, in Joko Anwar’s English-language movie Modus Anomali, scheduled for release in April.

He extended himself once again with the character of Octa in Nia Dinata’s Arisan 2. The young gay boyfriend of Nino (Surya Saputra) is a newcomer in the cast of characters from the popular 2003 movie that lifted the diamond-encrusted lid on Jakarta’s socialite scene, and also broke new ground in exploring contemporary gay relationships.

“I wanted it to be as professional and genuine as possible, so people would not look at it as Rio Dewanto playing a part, but that it was truly Octa up there on the screen,” he says of his performance.

Rio says he likes to take time to get into a character. With his girlfriend, the actress-model Atiqah Hasiholan, he rehearsed scenes and filmed them on a video camera, working out the details of Octa’s gestures and delivery.

Although he describes Octa as a “total bott” – using the urban slang for the passive partner in a gay relationship – he did not go for cheap laughs by playing him as the stereotypical sissy.

It was Atiqah, who co-starred with him in the short Payung Merah (Red Umbrella) last year, who gave him the key to nailing the role.

“She told me, ‘Just act like you feel you are the prettiest of all’,” the 24-year-old says.

And so the fey but fabulous Octa holds his own against his arch nemesis, Lita (Rachel Maryam), before eventually realizing that Nino still loves his old flame Sakti (Tora Sudiro). The scene where Octa spies Nino and Sakti dozing together, photographs the pair for posterity and then quietly closes the door behind him is among the most memorable – and poignant – in the movie.

It’s hard to recognize Rio in Octa in the latter’s floppy hats and loud shirts. He is a character without being a caricature. But the actor’s scene-stealing performance also carried risks. Certainly, it proved disquieting for some fans.

“Some of them have tweeted, ‘Ah, why did you want to play a gay character? It’s too realistic.’ I choose not to respond.”

Before the movie started shooting, Nia had asked him if he would be willing to do a bedroom scene with Surya.

“Of course, I had to discuss it with Atiqah, and also inform my parents. They left it up to me to decide what is best.”

The scene never materialized, but his parents did watch the movie. They, too, were surprised by Octa.

“They commented, ‘How could you act like that?”

Taking His Chances

Raised in a comfortable neighborhood of Jakarta, Rio confesses he was a troublesome teenager and dropped out of university. His first love was music, and he made the rounds of cafés and hangouts with his band.

“I like singing, and that is how I started out. It just happens that my acting career has gone better,” says Rio, who sang the title song “Cinta Terlarang” (Forbidden Love) for Arisan 2.

“Hopefully, next year, I will be able to make my own album.”

His big-screen acting break came after director Joko Anwar spotted him in a student’s short film.

“I was impressed that not only was he good looking, but his acting was also convincing,” he says.

Working with producer Lala Timothy, Joko cast Rio in a cameo in the final church confessional scene of 2009’s thriller Pintu Terlarang. His face is obscured for most of the three-minute scene until he emerges with a swagger from the confessional as the credits roll.

He has also appeared in TV films; he says he enjoyed the travel to different areas of the country that the roles involved.

“The production house I worked with wanted to promote Indonesian tourism through shooting at locations like Bromo, Yogya and Bali,” Rio says. “Whatever the quality of the storylines, I like that people can see that traveling to places like Yogya is not as expensive as going out of the country.”

He says modestly that he is still learning the fine art of acting, including from Atiqah, who is five years his senior.

“Basically, I am still studying acting. I have studied with Atiqah’s mother [the actress and activist Ratna Sarumpaet] and also Atiqah. They will tell me that is lacking, you should do this. I do a lot of sharing with my co-stars, like with Tio Pakusadewo when I was making Tanda Tanya.”

Playing the lead in the thriller Modus Anomali, which was named the most outstanding project at the Network of Asian Fantastic Films at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, is a major step up from supporting roles.

Rio pursued a role in the movie despite his misgivings about his English proficiency.

“I said to Joko, ‘Cast me please’. He said, ‘So can you really speak English?’ Well, not very well, I said ... I came anyway, took part in casting, and then did recasting. I didn’t believe I would get the part.”

The film, which reunites Rio with his Arisan 2 co-star Surya, was shot on a tight 10-day schedule in wet and cold conditions in a forest near Bogor.

“It was exciting. It was a lot of work, with a full day’s shoot every day. But Joko always makes things interesting and fun for the whole crew.”

Modest Gains

Both Hanung Bramantyo and Joko Anwar praise Rio for his talent, and also mention his modesty.

“He’s talented. Serious. Responsible and humble,” Hanung says.

He is, Joko declares, “responsible and so humble”, adding that Rio’s constant stream of jokes kept the cast and crew in stitches throughout the Modus filming.

“There’s no diva bones about him. You call him and he is ready for a shoot. And he is so easy to work with. He understands direction and the purpose of a scene instantly. He understands his character and carries it out very well.”

In person, he comes across as easygoing and professional. He manages his own schedule, insists on paying his tab during the interview and does not utter a word of complaint despite a concerted attack from a posse of mosquitoes. He even sends a thank-you SMS after the photo shoot for the magazine.

He offers that he wants to have his own business one day, but also expects that in 10 years’ time he will be continuing to perfect his acting.

Perhaps his description of Mickey Rourke, with whom he appeared in Java Heat last year, as “a really nice guy with no attitude” also neatly applies to him.

And like Rourke, who gave a boxing career a go, he also likes challenges and adventure. He was prepared to test himself by playing Octa and, himself a Javanese Muslim, accepting the role of the harried Chinese restaurant owner in Tanda Tanya. He wants to try sky-diving because it looks thrilling.

Call it edgy if you want, he says, pausing before offering further explanation.

“I’m the kind of person who if you tell me the coffee tastes like this, I will have to try it for myself. Because I have to try something once to know what I think about it.”

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