Throughout his 30-plus year career, Rudy Fernandez has parlayed his smoldering good looks in anti-hero action movies like Bitayin si Baby Ama and Asiong Salonga and biopics of larger-than-life characters like current Manila mayor Alfredo Lim.

These days, Rudy faces his biggest role yet – that of a real-life cancer patient battling Stage IV periamplullary cancer, one of the rarest in the world. While Rudy remains in equal measure positive (“ayoko ng iyak-iyak”), fatalistic (“if you gotta go, you gotta go”) and fearless (“wala nang fear, matagal na”), wife Lorna Tolentino believes Rudy gets his strength from his family – including sons Rap, 23 and Renz, 22. “So hindi ako pwedeng ma-depress,” he confesses.

Rudy’s eldest son, Mark Anthony, 28, with actress Alma Moreno also calls his dad everyday.

So what do they talk about?

“ Nangungumusta lang,” Rudy says, adding that Mark often consults him on things because “marami ring insecurities yon.”

He is happy his son’s career is on the upswing and admits that “magaling na artista” si Mark.

Mark’s daughter, nine-year-old Chelsea, also visits his Lolo Rudy in his home in White Plains where he spends most of his days.

“ Pagnagki-chemotherapy ka, bawal sa crowded places,” he explains.

But Rudy is not lacking in company even if he isolates himself in his home. Best friends Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla and Phillip Salvador are frequent visitors. And proof that he intends to be around in the foreseeable future, his high school classmates from Aquinas School meets in his home to discuss plans for their 40th reunion scheduled in 2009.