‘The Delivery Rider’ isn’t just another action movie for Baron Geisler. It’s a personal one.
The actor, who plays Santo – a high-functioning person on the autism spectrum – said his biggest inspiration was none other than his daughter, Talitha.
‘I studied my daughter,’ Baron said at the media launch, where he also read aloud a heartfelt letter he wrote to her and to everyone living on the spectrum. ‘This film is really for them. It’s very personal.’
The Netflix movie, which streams globally on Oct. 23, follows Santo, a man who unwittingly gets caught in the middle of a criminal operation after a mistaken delivery order leads him to a den of bad guys. ‘I do bad things to bad people,’ Baron said with a grin. ‘It’s action-packed, heartwarming, and full of lessons.’
But beyond the adrenaline and punches, Lester Pimentel Ong’s ‘The Delivery Rider’ carries an emotional weight shared by its creative team. ‘Lahat kami may connect dito,’ Baron explained. ‘Direk Lester has a son who is under the spectrum. I have Talitha, my pride and joy. Euwenn Mikaell, who plays Miro, has an older sister who is also under the spectrum. From the start, we knew this film was special, and we made it with respect, care, and love. It’s not a caricature or stereotype – it’s grounded and it’s a gift.’
For Baron, it was also about finding kindness in strength. ‘Ang natutunan ko kay Santo, kahit punong puno ng galit sa mundo, you can still choose to be kind – and that for me is his real strength.’
The actor credits director Lester for guiding him through the emotional and physical demands of the film. The two have since developed a strong bond that extends beyond the set. ‘Direk Lester became my mentor,’ Baron said. ‘He checks in on me every now and then. I’m very grateful to him.’
During workshops, Baron recalled how meticulous Lester was in helping him shape Santo’s mannerisms, voice and body language. ‘He told me, ‘Let’s make him kinder and more lovable,” Baron shared. ‘We spent hours in my hotel room just finding Santo – his attitude, his OCD habits, even his tone of voice. If it weren’t for Direk’s guidance, I don’t think I would’ve found Santo’s personality on my own.’
Baron, who trained for months with fight choreographers and stunt professionals, said the film pushed him to his limits. ‘I trained with Direk Ace (Pimentel) three to four hours a day for almost a year,’ he said. ‘I learned MMA, judo, grappling – the works. I also learned a new kind of discipline.’
Still, what makes ‘The Delivery Rider’ stand out, Baron said, isn’t just the combat choreography but its compassion. ‘We’re very careful and cautious because it’s a serious subject matter. We want to inspire and give hope. Our message here is: ‘Di porket may kapansanan ka, hanggang doon ka na lang. There’s always hope for you to progress and be highly functional in society.”
Baron hopes audiences will see more than just action when the film premieres. ‘If you enjoyed ‘Dollhouse,’ this one’s like that – but packed with action,’ he said. ‘You’ll root for Santo, you’ll hate Jake Cuenca’s character, and you’ll feel everything in between. It’s pure entertainment with heart.’