WE are always happy to see artists who continue to work hard, remain undaunted and not afraid to spread their wings so they can explore more avenues and discover more about themselves and what they can offer.
We’ve known both Mark Dionisio and Nico Locco for some time now and we are witness to how they have evolved through the years.
Mark was starting to make a name for himself as an actor but fate took a different turn and he had to pack his bags and fly to Bermuda for greener pastures. He was even in some of the movie projects of Brillante Mendoza before the filmmaker shot to fame by becoming the only Filipino director to have won the prestigious Cannes’ Prix de la mise en scène in 2009.
‘I guess life sometimes allows us to take a detour and we just have to heed the call where it takes us. I’ve always been a go-with-the-flow type of a guy and I trust how the universe unfolds for me. Life was not a bed of roses when I was overseas, but I just worked and focused on how to be productive and happy,’ he shared.
It was in Bermuda where Mark strengthened his relationship with his wife Claire, who is a finance and accounting specialist. When the opportunity to fly back to Manila beckoned, the couple left Bermuda with happy memories. And Mark reconnected with the people and the industry he loved so much.
‘I was determined to become an actor again and I was fortunate to connect with people who opened the doors for me, even if I was away for many, many years,’ he shared. Mark was not afraid to start over again and he didn’t mind small roles.
His persistence paid off and production people saw the natural actor in him and his many other gifts, like being a team player, humility and professionalism so they gave him bigger roles because he was a reliable actor and always came to the set prepared.
In recent years, show,s like Batang Quiapo, The Fake Life, Makiling, and Beauty Empire were among the TV shows where he was included in the cast. He is now working on GMA’s Whispers From Heaven, sharing scenes with Bea Alonzo, Sid Lucero, Jake Macapagal and Maricar Reyes. This series will be aired next year, per Mark. He is one of our braver actors, too, and wasn’t difficult to convince appearing on sex-themed projects for VMX. Among his favorite roles were the ones he did for Foursome, Private Tutor and Kikirot-Kirot. He even signed a contract with Viva and we heard that the big bosses adore him and like his work ethics.
Recently, Mark has also tried his hands in line production. ‘I want to learn about film production, that’s why I ventured into this. So far, I am enjoying the adventure and I love learning about the creative, production and finance aspects of producing a movie.’ Mark is playing an important role in the ensemble VMX movie Creampie, which starts streaming by the end of the month.
MAN OF MANY GIFTS
THERE is no doubt that Nico Locco is a gorgeous man of many gifts and talents-actor, host, endorser, model, influencer, and more. We have been following his colorful career since he started in the industry almost 10 years ago. He had a good life in Canada but he wanted to become more independent and do things on his own, so he flew to the Philippines and tried his luck in Manila. ‘I didn’t know a lot of people back then but the modeling industry opened a lot of doors when I was starting, and one thing just led to another, and I found myself competing for jobs and getting them. Of course there were also a lot of rejections but I didn’t mind, and just kept on trying,’ he recalled.
Then show business beckoned and Nico quickly learned the ins and outs of being an actor for movies and television. ‘I had to make sure that I learned to speak Filipino fast because I knew I wouldn’t be getting as much work as I wanted if I were not fluent.’ So he spoke with everyone in Filipino even if he had a twang. ‘That’s how I learned and I was starting to get roles that had Taglish lines and, eventually, I was reading straight Filipino scripts. I also didn’t mind showing some skin.’
Nico is also a sought-after host for corporate events and beauty pageants. ‘I love conversing with people. I can be madaldal and makwento also, and sometimes I have to remind myself to not be so talkative, but I guess that’s just how I am.’
For now, he is busy promoting the Pongs Leonardo-directed movie Booking, where Nico plays a bad-ass character with a heart. He is also about to wrap up work for a Netflix project currently being shot on location in some beautiful spots in Luzon. ‘As long as I like the character I play and I’m given a good, efficient team of passionate and creative people to work with, count me in.’
In the future, Nico sees himself getting to work on all types of movies, and hopefully be involved in international projects, too. ‘If you can dream, why not dream big and work hard to see these dreams come true,’ he told us.