A happy kid at heart

GMA 7 actor Enzo Pineda is a young man at a crossroads.

He is leaving his teen idol persona, raring to be taken seriously as an actor.

As a first step toward his big dream, he auditioned and won a role in Janice and Denise O’Hara’s “Sundalong Kanin,” an entry in the New Breed section of this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

“I really wanted to be part of Cinemalaya, one of the more prestigious festivals,” he told Living Stars. “For actors, there is freedom  in indie films.”

THIS happy-go-lucky guy looks out for classy, timeless, unique pieces.

Janice said Enzo was a joy to work with. “He was always prepared,” she related. “Very professional.”

Said Jerry O’Hara, screenwriter and producer: “Enzo was determined; he tried out for the role against seasoned theater actors. I wasn’t convinced at first, but when I saw the rushes, I realized he was perfect for the role.”

Back in the mainstream scene, he has a new soap opera in the works (after “Kakambal ni Eliana” and “Dormitoryo”), Enzo said. He is currently part of the weekly variety show “Sunday All Stars.”

Away from the biz, he has one more year to earn a Business Management degree at the Asian Institute of Distance Education. The degree is in preparation for another item on his wish list: “I’d like to own and operate a Japanese-Filipino fusion restaurant. I also hope to study Culinary Arts.”

Sounds like a man with a plan. But Enzo also knows how to have fun. After all, he’s a kid at heart who loves, with equal passion, Iron Man and wakeboarding.

Enzo, a self-confessed mall rat, is often spotted at Shangri-La Plaza Mall. When it comes to sartorial matters, he counsels other young people: “Just be yourself. Your fashion style should fit your personality. If you’re into rock music, your clothes should reflect that. If you’re easygoing, your clothes should be laid-back.”

Clothes

CABINET bursts with clothes and caps.

The cabinets in his bedroom are bursting with clothes. “I hold on to a lot of stuff,” he admitted. “Fashion trends come in cycles. Old styles come back sooner or later.”

He likes round neck and V-neck shirts. “Simple tees in black, grey, dark blue, red,” he specified. “They are good for daily wear.”

Simplicity, he noted, is the strongest fashion statement.

“I’m a happy-go-lucky guy. I usually wear bright colors. You don’t have to be flashy all the time. I like classy, timeless and unique clothes.”

Jeans

A Bench model, he’s partial to the clothing brand’s skinny jeans. “I wear them to rehearsals, or for dance numbers in ‘Sunday All Stars.’”

Flexibility is key. “I have dark and light maong pants and khaki slacks as well.”

Shoes

He has an extensive collection of footwear. He keeps a few suede leather pairs for formal events, but has a slew of sneakers for mall outings and workout sessions.

AMONG his faves are Bench, Topman and Zara shoes.

Bench, New Balance, Zara, Topman and Nike are among the dominant brands on his racks. There are two pairs from the special Manny Pacquiao Nike collection. “I don’t use them too much; I don’t want to wear them out. They’re collectors’ items that I can pass on to my children.”

The shoes are kept in see-through plastic containers, the better to find the right pair easily, “particularly when I am in a rush.”

Scents

His favorite is D&G Light Blue. “I use it every day, with casual or formal wear. It smells sweet and refreshing.”

Other brands on his dresser: Bleu de Chanel, Issey Miyake, Kenzo, DKNY and Polo.

Belts

DIVERSE collection of belts from here and abroad

He always wears a brown-and-black Bench belt. “It’s simple, and goes well with anything.”

But he has a number of designer belts: “Hermes. Armani. I sometimes wear them to red-carpet events.”

Caps, hats

He is into trucker hats. He explained, “Trucker caps have a hard front and soft back,” he explained. “It’s covered by a mesh at the back.”

He also likes military caps, “especially when I go to the beach, or wakeboarding.”

He keeps a few Fedora hats, “But I haven’t worn them lately, except for mall shows.”

Watches

Last year, Enzo signed up with Unisilver, which launched a timepiece named after him. Of course it’s his current fave. “It’s versatile. I can wear it anywhere, anytime.”

The luxury watches in his little stash are gifts from his parents Macy and Eric and former girlfriend Louise de los Reyes.

Bags

He has a backpack for daily use and a small carry-on bag for tapings and shoots. He loves a three-piece set by CK.

WELL-USED bags, including an old CK (right): “Convenience is my top consideration.”

“Convenience is my top consideration. Can it carry all my stuff? I lead a pretty active lifestyle,” he noted.

Apart from wakeboarding, his sports activities include Muay Thai, taekwondo, archery, track and field. “I also lift weights,” he said, “and I’m learning golf.”

Sporting gear

He has boxing gloves for Muay Thai training. He also got his own board. “I go wakeboarding at Nuvali (Laguna) and in Pampanga.”

He finds the adrenaline rush intoxicating. It’s a challenging sport, he said, and has taught him focus and balance.

Cosplay costumes

Last year, he went to a Halloween party as Mega Man.

Louise went as Mega Girl. “Our outfits were expensive, but well worth it.” He was a superhero for a night.

He meant to go as Iron Man, but there was not enough time to have the costume made. In the meantime, he has an Iron Man mask and power band. “All I need now is the costume. Maybe next Halloween.”

Gadgets

MACBOOK for music, Hewlett Packard for games

Enzo is a big kid at heart, Louise once told Living Stars.

He enjoys playing online games. “I have two laptops. The Hewlett Packard is for games; the MacBook, for downloading music.”

Among his favorite video games are League of Legends, Diablo and Dota. “I store music in the Mac, including the songs I perform in mall shows. My photos are all in there, too.”

He picked up photography recently as a hobby—at first to look convincing as a photographer in “Eliana,” but he ended up liking it.

With his trusty Nikon D7100 camera, he snapped photos in Payatas for the GMA News TV show “Follow That Star.”

His striking photos of the children there captured their innocence and resilience in the face of the poverty.

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Photos by Jilson Seckler Tiu