# Darryl Yap

Darryl Ray Spyke B. Yap (born January 7, 1987) is a Filipino film director, screenwriter and producer.

## Biography
### Early life and education

Yap was born in Olongapo, Zambales to his parents who are school teachers. He graduated in Manila's Centro Escolar University with a mass communication degree and later enrolled at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore to pursue a degree in public administration.

### Career

Yap started his directing career with the short film Squatterina that highlighted the similarities between a typical illegal settler in Olongapo and the disciplines of ballet. It was followed by his first full film #Jowable in 2018 which is about a troubled young woman named Elsa (starring Kim Molina) who yearns for a mature and intimate relationship. The film gained mixed reviews from critics.
In May 2020, Yap released a television series entitled Sakristan about two men coming to terms in finding love despite being church servants. He received widespread criticism before the series' release due to the nature of the title and posters. There were online demands to cancel Sakristan due to its disrespectful and offensive content to the Catholic Church. The series was released through YouTube.
In January 2021, Viva Films released Paglaki Ko, Gusto Kong Maging Pornstar, directed and written by Yap. It tells the story of a group of former pornstars gathered to teach an aspiring teen actress on how to be a pornstar, with a cash reward should the actress be launched. The film was prohibited to be shown to the general public by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) due to its sexual and explicit content. A sequel titled Pornstar 2: Pangalawang Putok was released on December 3, 2021, on Vivamax.
In July 2021, Yap released another film entitled Gluta, about an Aeta girl who dreams of winning the Miss Universe pageant but faces discrimination from her own indigenous community. In August 2021, Yap also released an erotic comedy film, Revirginized, about a mother (played by Sharon Cuneta) who never had a proper coming of age experience.
In 2022, Yap wrote and directed the period historical revisionist drama film Maid in Malacañang, and tells the story of the Marcos family's last three days in the Malacañang Palace before they were forced to flee to Hawaii during the People Power Revolution in 1986. The film received numerous negative reviews from critics and audiences due to its controversial portrayal of the Marcos family and of People Power Revolution figurehead Corazon Aquino. A second installment film Martyr or Murderer was released in 2023.
In 2024, Yap released a romantic comedy film, titled Seoulmeyt, about a Filipina fan of Korean dramas meets with the man of her dreams until she discovers his fake personality. Starring Kim Molina and Jerald Napoles, and also shot in South Korea, the film received positive reviews. In October 2024, it was reported that Yap is planning to do an upcoming movie about the late Filipino actress Pepsi Paloma.

## Personal life

A polarizing and controversial figure in the Philippine film industry, Yap is openly gay and Roman Catholic, despite his opposing views on the church's teachings.
Yap was declared persona non grata by the Quezon City Council for an episode of VinCentiments where the Seal of Quezon City was defaced and actress-comedian Ai-Ai delas Alas portrayed as Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte in a negative way.

## Controversies
### Sexual assault and pedophilia claims

In 2020, Yap drew controversy for his film Ayudamn, which was condemned on social media for having an offensive remark to single parents. A social media user posted a thread showing supposed screenshots of grooming him when he was 16 years old. The user also claimed that Yap's videographer Vincent Asis also had relationships with minors.
Yap responded to the claim with a similar thread of screenshots, claiming that during the conversations, the user was allegedly telling him that he was a rape victim. He stated that the user had edited and manipulated the screenshots to maliciously portray him as a child groomer.
A Facebook user also accused Yap of perpetuating pedophilia and child abuse amidst the lockdown put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yap threatened to file legal complaints against the Facebook user for spreading false information, asserting that he is not a pedophile nor has abused children.
Yap also drew backlash for an old tweet in 2017 which he stated "masarap ang bata" (lit. 'Children are delicious'). Among them was former Commission on Elections commissioner Rowena Guanzon, who called on the public to boycott Yap's movies and report him to his films' financiers.

### Maid in Malacañang

Yap's film, Maid in Malacañang, drew controversy due to several controversial scenes. In one scene shown in the film's trailer, Corazon Aquino (played by Giselle Sanchez) was shown telling government forces via telephone to immediately deport the Marcoses from the country while playing mahjong with the Carmelites in Cebu.
The accuracy of the scene was debunked by Corazon Aquino's daughter Kris Aquino for lacking context. Her fan page on Twitter shared an account from former Supreme Court associate justice Cecilia Muñoz-Palma of a phone call between Aquino and United States Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth. During their conversation, Bosworth informed Aquino that Ferdinand Marcos was ready to leave for exile to the United States but requested to stay for a few days in Paoay. The account stated that Aquino felt pity for Marcos and wanted to grant him the two days' stay against the advice of her companions. In the end, Aquino called Bosworth to inform Marcos that his request would not be granted and should just leave the country. Bosworth called Aquino back to inform her that Marcos had left the country. The account stated that after Aquino informed her companions of the departure of the Marcoses, the room was in celebration while Aquino remained silent.

### 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival

In August 2022, Yap was booed by filmmakers at the 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival after his name appeared on-screen in the credits of a Cinemalaya film that he helped create. He stated that he was unable to promote the film due to his work on Maid in Malacañang.

### The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma

On January 8, 2025, Eat Bulaga! host and veteran actor Vic Sotto announced to file complaints against filmmaker Darryl Yap after the movie trailer The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma mentioned his name. According to a news update from TV5, Sotto, assisted by his legal counsel, filed the complaint at the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court on January 9, 2025. Yap is currently facing 19 counts of violation for cyber libel or the Section 4 of Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and a prayer amounting ₱35,000,000 of moral and exemplary damage.
On January 9, 2025, a Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court granted Sotto's petition and issued a writ of habeas data. The prerogative writ ordered the censorship of portions of the promotional teaser trailer and at the same time required respondent Yap to submit an answer. In Cristy FerMinute, lawyer Enrique "Buko" V. Dela Cruz, Jr. revealed that Sotto's daughter Talitha "Tali" Maria Luna was subject of school bullying because of Yap's alleged defamation.On January 24, the Court ordered Yap to delete his 26-second teaser video from all online video platform and social media. It however, permitted his film's production and art release.
On March 18, 2025 Government prosecutors filed two informations for cyberlibel against Darryl Yap before the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court after finding prima facie evidence against the filmmaker in connection with the controversial teaser of his film, “The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma” (TROPP).

## Filmography
### Feature films

Table featuring films directed by Darryl Yap :
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Genre |
| 2019 | #Jowable | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2021 | Paglaki Ko, Gusto Kong Maging Pornstar | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2021 | Tililing | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2021 | Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2021 | Gluta | Yes | Yes | No | Drama |
| 2021 | Revirginized | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2021 | 69+1 | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2021 | Ang Manananggal na Nahahati ang Puso | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2021 | Sarap Mong Patayin | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2021 | Barumbadings | Yes | Yes | No | Action comedy |
| 2021 | Pornstar 2: Pangalawang Putok | Yes | Yes | No | Comedy |
| 2022 | Maid in Malacañang | Yes | Yes | No | Political drama |
| 2023 | Martyr or Murderer | Yes | Yes | No | Political drama |
| 2024 | Seoulmeyt | Yes | Yes | No | Romantic comedy |
| 2025 | The Rapists of Pepsi Paloma | Yes | Yes | Yes | Crime drama |

### Television series

Table featuring television series directed by Darryl Yap :
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Genre |
| 2020 | Sakristan | Yes | Yes | No | BL drama |
| 2021 | Kung Pwede Lang (KPL) | Yes | Yes | No | comedy |