Rocco Nacino: Baring doable, but not a priority

Rocco Nacino

Actor Rocco Nacino has a master’s degree in nursing, which he finished in 2017, graduating cum laude amid a thriving career in show biz.

It makes perfect sense, then, to place him in a medical show, “The Healthy Juan,” a collaboration between the Department of Health and GMA News TV. Hosting such a show, Rocco says, allows him to give input on his spiels, backed by his knowledge as a licensed nurse.

“There are some facts I know as a nurse that I incorporate whenever I talk to doctors, nurses and other medical professionals,” he tells the Inquirer.

But, he insists, the show remains accessible: “I try to speak or do interviews in layman’s terms on behalf of the people watching, since not all viewers are familiar with medical terms.”

Rocco, who previously appeared in the GMA 7 shows “Pamilya Roces” and “Haplos,” doesn’t rule out becoming more active in the medical field eventually. “My original plan was to head on straight to medical school and specialize in surgery or pediatrics,” he discloses. “If ever I were to go back, it would still be that.”

The 31-year-old Kapuso talent is content with staying put, for now: “I am definitely happy with my growth as an actor in GMA. I am taking a break from teleseryes and going back to making movies this year.”

It’s been almost two years since he starred in the indie film “Bar Boys,” a project that, he says, was a pleasant experience.

“I’ve had the most fun with ‘Bar Boys.’ Right now, I am shooting a film for TBA studios, ‘Write About Love,’” says Rocco, who will appear in the film with Miles Ocampo and Yeng Constantino. “I also have another one coming up. The biggest challenge is balancing and maintaining the roles that I’ll be doing for the next two months. Mahirap pagsabayin ang dalawang characters.”

The moreno hunk, whose career in entertainment kicked off after placing Second Prince in the talent tilt “StarStruck” in 2009, remains fit, owing his defined physique to a continuous workout routine: “There are the usual weightlifting training [sessions] to improve my body physically, and I also play basketball. But I concentrate more on jiujitsu since it helps me burn fat faster, and it’s a good workout for the brain, as well, because you have to think as you engage with your opponent.”

Modeling partly nude for an underwear show in 2017, Rocco has no qualms showing off his bod. But how far is he willing to bare it all for a film or photo shoot?

“It depends on what the managers and production decide upon,” he says. “It’s a big step for me but, as an actor, I want to explore different ways to portray characters. Baring it all isn’t a priority, but it’s doable.”