Crispin “Pen” Medina Sr. was born on August 27, 1950, and is a famous veteran Filipino actor born in Manila, Philippines. He is known for his role as Paciano Rizal in the award winning film José Rizal, which was shown as an entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival in 1998. Pen is married and had three sons named Crispin “Ping” Medina II, John and Alex Medina, also actors in their own right.
Pen Medina is a noted top caliber actor in Philippine entertainment, and he had already worked with various veteran directors such as Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal. In the films “Deathrow,” and ‘Muro-Ami,” he had received a Best Supporting Actor Award for his unsurpassable performance. He had also appeared in “Joaquin Bordado,” over GMA Network, and he also played “Hagorn” in the GMA fantasy series “Encantadia.”
He is also a scriptwriter, and holds acting workshops for those who want to learn and improve his or her talent skills. A veteran movie and TV celebrity, Pen has earned the respect of his colleagues in Philippine entertainment.
He had also appeared in several movies and TV shows such as, “Mrs. Recto,” “Mutya,” “Ilumina” “Layang Bilanggo,” “Ishmael,” “Amigo,” “Noy,” “Pilantik,” “Panday Kids,” “Shake, Rattle and Roll XI,” “Tiagong Akyat,” “Mangatyanan,” “Tatang,” “Ngayon at Kailanman,” “Codename: Asero,” “Obra,” “Tiny Tony,” “I.T.A.L.Y. (I Trust And Love You)” “E.S.P.,” “Mga Mata ni Anghelita,” “Ataul For Rent,” “Mga Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang,” “Ang Cute Ng Ina Mo,” “Fantastic Man,” “Atlantika,” “Imahe Nasyon,” “Noel,” “Mahiwagang Baul,” “Baryoke,” “Bcuz Of U,” “Ebolusyon Ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino,” “Naglalayag,” “Kaytagal kang Hinintay,” “Bertud Ng Putik,” “Till There Was You,” “Ang Agimat, Anting-anting Ni Lolo,” “Pagsubok Sa Paanan Ng Bulkan,” “La Vida Rosa,’ “Iligpit Si Bobby Ortega: Markang Bungo,” “Sa Puso Ko, Iingatan Ka,” ‘Lagarista,” “Tabing-Ilog,” “kahapon May Dalawang Bata,” “Uod Sa Laman,” “Legacy,” “Sa pusod Ng Dagat,” “Sanggano,” ‘Ligaya Ang Itawag Mo Sa Akin,” “Hapdi Ng Tag-Init,” “Siya’s Nagdadalaga,” “Segurista,” “Abot kamay Ang Pangarap,” “Mumbaki, “Utol,” among others. He had write three movies in his name such as “Kamera Obscura,” “Aswang” and “Adventures of Gary Leon and Kuting.”
Pen Medina is also an acting coach aside from being an acclaimed actor, he always each his students to be “always truthful and sincere to their audience.” But he is also honest to admit that he does not always practice what he preaches, when he conducted his first acting workshop entitled “Re-Introduction: A Different Approach to Film and TV Acting,” in 2009. He himself revealed that even though he is a learned man in terms of acting skills, he still needs to relearn his acting talents one more time. Pen is also advising his sons who are also gradually making it in the showbiz industry to be very careful in choosing the roles they are being asked to perform. His three sons are also making their own names and have their own style in portraying the characters. Pen Medina, a great actor in his time never lost his humility even though he had been seasoned in his acting career. He still continues to share his gift of acting to the Filipino audience, and is very generous to share what he had learned in decades of being an actor.
