Keith Duffy Joins Cuba Gooding Jr. in Lotus Cast
keith duffy is set to join Cuba Gooding Jr., Luke Ford and Qymira in the action thriller Lotus, the first production under a five-film slate deal between ACT3 and Blackops Studios Asia. The cast move gives the project immediate international weight before principal photography begins in Manila from September through October.
Cuba Gooding Jr. leads Lotus
Cuba Gooding Jr. headlines the film alongside Ford, Duffy and Qymira, with Pedring Lopez directing from a screenplay he co-wrote with Rex Lopez. Leslie Loh is executive producer for ACT3, and the project was introduced to international buyers and distribution partners at the Cannes Film Market, which signals the companies are already testing the film’s commercial reach before cameras roll.
Gooding said, "'Lotus' marks my first major project shooting in the Philippines and Southeast Asia" and added, "There’s an energy to this project and to Manila that immediately pulled me in. The vision Pedring and the team have for this film is raw, dangerous and global."
Manila to Brazil shoot
Principal photography is scheduled to run from September through October in Manila, followed by additional sequences in Brazil. Noel Teehankee will shoot the film, while Sonny Sison handles stunt and action coordination, giving the production a split-location setup that depends on both local crews and an international cast and stunt team.
Lopez said, "This is a film designed for a global audience but rooted in the energy and chaos of Southeast Asia and Latin America" and added, "We want ‘Lotus’ to feel dangerous, emotional and alive, the kind of film that throws you directly into its world."
Qymira and the five-film slate
Qymira, who previously starred in Lopez's Shadow Transit, joins the cast with Cristian Lavin and Alberto Cowboy. Duffy’s casting extends the lineup beyond its action-film core, and Lopez still has additional Filipino casting ongoing, a reminder that the production is not yet locked before the Manila shoot.
The first-film status gives Lotus more than a single-title launch: it is the opening move in a five-film slate deal, with the partnership’s other cornerstone project, A Thread of Steel, scheduled to shoot in 2028. That makes Lotus the test case for how quickly ACT3 and Blackops Studios Asia can turn a market-facing package into a working production.
