Jose Manalo’s show biz advice to his son Nicco

Nicco Manalo

When he was a child, Nicco Manalo dreamed of being famous.

“I want to be there. I want to be known,” he once told his father, comedian Jose Manalo, who had to remind him that it was better to start from the bottom.

That piece of advice didn’t sink in right away—not until now that he has grown to become a proficient actor in film, theater and television.

“You get to a certain point where you realize that what he had said makes sense… They say that it’s better to have things you worked hard for. And you get more out of it,” he told the Inquirer in an e-mail interview.

“I learn more as I stay longer in the industry. And I still want to continue learning,” said the actor, who attributes his foundation in acting to his work in theater. “I have done lots of television and movie projects the past years and I got to work with different kinds of people. I take that as a challenge.”

Nicco is part of TBA Studio’s upcoming romantic-drama film “Tayo, Sa Huling Buwan ng Taon”—a followup to Nestor Abrogena’s 2015 film “Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa.” “Tayo” follows former lovers-turned-friends Sam and Isa (Nicco and Emmanuelle Vera reprise their roles), who try to find themselves and while they navigate their new, respective relationships.

Excerpts from the Inquirer’s interview with Nicco:

Your father and brother Benj are also actors. Do you ask for each other’s opinion or approval when it comes to work? We check on each other’s project. My brother and I started out as dancers and we have been performers for a long time. Sometimes, he would ask me for advice. But I also learn from him.

Many people have been wondering about the possibility of you three working together. What are your thoughts on that?  I hope so. We all act; my father’s been there for a long time.

What was it like revisiting a character you have played years ago?  The thing with the two films is that the characters aren’t fixed; the script doesn’t say that Sam is just this or that.

We know our characters’ traits, but we mostly use ourselves. That makes it one of the most challenging roles I have played.

And that means you will also see more of myself—who Nicco is, four years after “Kwento.” All the learnings we have had since shows in the movie.

How’s working with Emmanuelle again? She was young when we did the first film. Growth is the key word. We both have grown with the material.

What do you look for in a project or script? I used to be focused on creating characters… But now I’m at a point in my life where I want to get to know myself better, not just as an actor, but as a person.

I choose projects that resonate with my voice and principles.

Do you see yourself doing more mainstream projects in the future? Yes, of course. I used to do a lot of indie films because I just wanted the experience. Now that I’m starting to know myself better as an actor, I have a clearer grasp of what I stand to get when I do television work or when I do movies.