Nico Locco
Italian-Canadian celebrity Nico Locco is well aware of the kind of content Vivamax currently puts out. So should he be offered to do sexy films for the streaming platform, he will have no qualms accepting them. In fact, he’s ready to “embrace” them.
“I already knew that before signing up with them. I’m open to doing sexy scenes and taking on daring roles … I want to work hard and give everything I got as an actor,” he said in a recent online press conference for his contract signing with Viva Artists Agency.
The actor-television host, whose real name is Nicolas Fowler, is no stranger to showing skin. His role in the recent boys’ love series “Love at the End of the World,” for instance, required him to do full-frontal nudity.
“I’m ready to claim it,” he quipped, when teased by a show biz writer that he could be the next king of Vivamax.
“At the beginning, I was more wholesome. I didn’t want to show my body because that wasn’t really my branding. But after ‘Love at the End of the World,’ where I didn’t have clothes 70 percent of the time, I kind of jumped into that bold star category and I’m ready to embrace it now that I’m with Viva.”
Nico won’t have any restrictions when it comes to acting and nudity—as long as “it’s within reason,” he said. This is what he also told Viva’s top executive, Vic del Rosario, during their meeting. “Actually, I told Boss Vic that I’m willing to do everything. If they have a role for me that they feel would be a good fit, then go.”
Nico Locco
On being typecast
“In terms of body exposure, pumping scenes or sex scenes, I’m pretty open to that,” said Nico, who previously landed roles in the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Culion,” and the independent crime thriller “Sabado.” Nico has also appeared in television shows like “Tadhana” and “Wagas: Wait Lang…Is This Love?”
“I haven’t really done a sexy scene. But I did something in ‘Sabado’ that was risqué,” he added.
Asked by the Inquirer if he’s worried about being typecast in such roles, Nico pointed out that, sometimes, having a specific role or niche can work to one’s advantage. “Look at John Arcilla. He often does villain roles, but that’s his diskarte … He has made a name for himself,” he said.
“If Nico Locco, the sexy or bad boy hubadero, is how I will be, then bring it on,” he added. “It’s OK to stick to our pegs if it works onscreen. If I get known for that, then I’m totally OK with that.”
Though he seems to be headed down the sexy route, Nico sees to it that he works hard on his acting skills, so he can take on more demanding projects and roles in the future. He also continues to take up Tagalog lessons to hone his already impressive command of the language. “I treat acting like a sport that you have to practice constantly,” he said.
“I watch Filipino films to study Tagalog and the style of acting here. I have a Filipino movie night where I watch one to two films— both old and new—and study them,” added Nico.
Not part of the plan
Nico’s decision to pursue show biz in the Philippines wasn’t in his plans. He started out as an actor in the United States who did a handful of international projects. In 2016, he flew to Jakarta and stayed there for six months to work on an Indonesian-American production. In his free time, he did various hosting gigs, including a musical event featuring artists from different Asian countries.
The Philippine representative was Nadine Lustre. “We met and became friends. A few months later, she invited me to the Philippines to be part of her music video for her song “St4y Up.” “It was kind of a foot in the door for me. I had no intention of staying here. But opportunities came in, so I kept on extending my stay—one month, six months, one year,” he said.
Now that he sees himself as a more “refined actor,” he believes that it was the right time to join Viva. “I’m happy I got signed now, because I feel ready as an actor. The time is right. I think I have fine-tuned my talent, and I believe I can offer so much more,” Nico said.
Aside from acting, hosting is another strong suit for Nico, who’s a staple in corporate events. He has also done hosting gigs for the Miss Universe pageant, including the recent Miss Universe Philippines gala night and last year’s Top 30 reveal. “Acting is also my forte, and I hope I can work for more international events,” he said.
Also lined up for him is a movie with Jose Javier Reyes and an international reality show that will be shot in the Philippines. “Very excited about what’s coming up in the next few months. The ball is rolling,” he said.