Leon Miguel


Noel I. Aparilla, known professionally as Leon Miguel, is a Filipino actor, model, and engineer. He won Best Actor at the Festival Manhattan in 2016 for his performance in the short film Redlights.
Earlier in his career, Miguel portrayed Visel, the primary antagonist in the crime thriller Graceland: A Life for Every Lie, directed by Ron Morales. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival where it was second place in the Audience Choice Award competition, and later won the Audience Award at the Gasparilla Film Festival in Tampa, Florida.
Miguel was recognised for his role in Mang Abe's Ube, directed by Paolo Bitanga, a modern-day folktale about a Filipino ube farmer protecting his magical crop from corporate exploitation. His work includes EJK , a political drama produced by Red Carpet Philippines, which premiered at Greenbelt 1, Cinema 2, Ayala Center, Makati.

Early career

Leon Miguel first gained international exposure through supporting roles in American, Japanese, and Italian movies shot in the Philippines. He appeared in minor roles in films such as In the Name of the Queen, Behind Enemy Lines, and Legacy.

Notable roles

Leon Miguel has appeared in various notable Filipino films, taking on roles such as Kanto boy, siga, syndicate member, school worker, youngster’s hoodlum, snatcher, hitman, rapist, banker, Katipunero, and Hukbalahap.
Miguel portrayed the guerilla Juan in Concerto, a Cinemalaya finalist directed by Paul Alexander Morales. In Sean Lim's films, Panahon Na and Pendong, he played a Lobo and a farmer. He appeared as a gangster in Third World Happy with Sam Milby as the lead actor, of CinemaOne/Brass Knuckles Inc., directed by Edward James Salcedo. Miguel also played a rebel in a CinemaOne Originals film Tsardyer, directed by Sigfried Barros-Sanchez. Additionally, he took on the role of Baloy in Isda, a 2011 Cinemalaya entry directed by Adolfo Alix Jr. He again appeared in a film directed with Alix in July 2012, portraying a guerrilla in Death March.

Television commercials

Leon Miguel was in several television commercials as a Katipunero in KKK , and Isang Bandila for the Philippine Centennial Celebration. He was the lead actor Katipunero in the Duty-Free Centennial Presentation directed by Raymond Red. He also appeared in San Miguel Beer, SMB Vietnam Setting commercial, Metro Bank, Blend 45, SMB Walang Kupas, Oracle and Touch Mobile. He also portrayed a Chavacano fisherman in an intrusion project of GMA Channel 7 and Globe Company, in the music video "Believe" which was used as a Station ID for the Peace and Unity information-dissemination drive.
He was also featured in a Talk & Text commercial, Snitch Choco Bar , Head & Shoulders, Project Building Medicine TVC, and Ayos Dito Rocker TVC.

Filmography

Film

Commercials
YearTitleRole
2014Dynamic Trio Voltplex KQ, Reload Plus & Respigen 15Cock Fighter
2014Ayos DitoRockstar
2014Amtyl 500Farm Owner
2014BDODJ, Music Store Owner
2013EQ DiaperLapu-Lapu, Lead Actor
2010Project Building Medicine TVC - SaridonCarpenter
2010Head And ShouldersBusiness man
2010Snicth Choco BarRockers Dream
2010Talk And TextStore Owner
2008BelieveAbu Sayaff
2006OracleHacker
2005Blend 45Farmer
2004San Miguel BeerFarmer
2004Metro BankBusinessman
1998Isand Bandila Katipunero
1998KKKKatipunero

Television
YearTitleRole
2012Broken VowArtemio
2011AmayaBalong
2011Pueblo SombraFisherman
2010Panday KidsShaman
2010Pidol’s WonderlandHector
2010Barangay AswangCameraman
2010Halimaw sa TuodUnknown
2010Nag-Simula sa PusoBen
2010Daisy Syete – Bebe & MeRoman
2010Hoy!Hoy! SyokoyFisherman
2009TinderellaUnknown
2009ZorroPirate
2009Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa aking TadyangCar Dealer
2009Multo Sa PabrikaShoemaker
2009Nuno sa PunsoConstraction Foreman
2008Daisy Syete – Ulingling Hitman
2007Fantastic ManRobber
2007Fantastic KidsShaman
2007KamandagTadik
2007Maalaala mo kayaManobo Warrior
2006Babangon ako’t dudurugin kitaFredo
2005EncantadiaWarrior
2005NBI FilesMuslin
2004Te AmoBerto
2004Philippine Most WantedGangster
2003Forever in My HeartFisherman
2003KabalikatFisherman
2002GMA True StoriesUnknown
2001Habang Kapiling KaUnknown
2000Mother Studio PresentsNPA
2000DiwaErmano Puli
2000Hiraya ManawariKalikasan
2000Twin HeartsKidnapper
2001KiraraManoah
2000DeltierroLeon
1994Bisperas ng KasaysayanKatipunero

Theater
YearTitleRole
2009SakaySakay
2006Lapu-LapuLapu-Lapu
2005No ExitKamatayan
2003Indio AnakbanuaIndio
2002-2004Noli Me TangereElias
2001SenakuloChrist
1999El FilibusterismoKabesang Tales