The entertainment industry mourns the passing of Socrates “Soxie” Topacio, actor and director for theater, film and television, who succumbed to lung cancer Friday night.
Initially billed as Soxy Topacio, Direk Soxie started his career as a resident artist for the Philippine Educational Theater Association way back in 1969. He started to make a name for himself in the mid-1970s, initially as a character actor and then later as a gay comedian for several films.
But it wasn’t until he was cast as Neneng in the RPN sitcom “Duplex” starring the late Ading Fernando and Marissa Delgado that Soxie became a household name and appeared in more gay roles, including another RPN sitcom, “It’s a Deal,” starring Alma Moreno and Michael de Mesa.
By that time, Soxie had also become a sought-after television director even as he acted in and/or directed several PETA productions that included “Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio,” “Flores Para Los Muertos,” “Canuplin,” “Halik ng Tarantula,” and “Bona.”
As a filmmaker, Soxie did not direct too many films. One of them, however, became a career milestone and took him all the way to the Oscars.
InterAksyon pays tribute to Soxie Topacio with a look back at some of the more recent phases of his life and career as an artist and entertainer.
