It was never in the plan of Daniel Padilla to be an actor. Band, barkada, basketball — and, of course, studying, he cheekily adds — were all that was in 12-year-old DJ’s mind, though he was no stranger to show business. As a kid, he saw how the limelight had a chokehold on his parents, singer-actress Karla Estrada, who was a fixture of comedic films and variety TV shows like That’s Entertainment, and actor-politician Rommel Padilla, who came from a long line of entertainers.
The late entertainment journalist Ricky Lo once wrote, “Daniel Padilla has inherited the Padilla charisma handed down through two generations, kicked off by the late Jose Padilla Jr., who was Philippine movies’ original ladies’ man.”
To no one’s surprise, when his star turn came in the 2010 remake of the Lauren Dyogi-directed ‘90s teen-oriented show, Gimik, Padilla was a natural. And he can sing, too. Teenage girls fell to their knees whenever he sang the Himig Handog Pinoy Pop Love Songs finalist “Nasa Iyo Na Ang Lahat” in his light baritone, slightly husky, boyish voice that was all the rage during the peak of One Direction and Justin Bieber.
His long-time manager, Capt. Luz Bagalacsa, would be the first person to tell anyone who dares link Padilla’s success to his surname that this was not a nepo baby thing. Bagalacsa would go on about how the young actor would audition for roles in films and TV shows. Padilla, himself, insists, “Hindi naman tayo privileged na, ‘Sige, mag-a-artista na ako tapos okay na. Hindi naman ganoon kadali lahat ng bagay ‘no?”
One of his close friends in the industry, photographer Mark Nicdao, too, attests to the actor’s brilliance. “I don’t think magiging bright ‘yong star mo kung hindi ka naman talented,” he reassures Deej, as he calls him, during the Rolling Stone Philippines’ cover shoot at his modish apartment filled with mid-century modern furniture, collectible figures, and neo-expressionist art.
The two instantly hit it off when they first met at a shoot back in 2013. Since then, Nicdao has become Padilla’s go-to photographer, confidante, and ally; a fixed object on the horizon to look at amid the dizzying journey to celebrity stardom.
And it’s easy to see why this is, as they breeze through each layout as if they were the only two people in the room full of each of their crews. They get each other’s kind of crazy. Nicdao, with his rambunctious laughter, casually throws around a line from a Quentin Tarantino film or sings a random song on cue to communicate what he wants from the actor. Padilla, ever a gentleman, obliges, telling our art director, “Ma’am kung mayroon po kayong request na gawin ko, sabihin niyo lang.”
“We’re the type of people na hindi man tayo araw-araw nagkikita, hindi man tayo araw-araw nag-te-text, pero every time nagkikita tayo, parang kahapon lang,” Nicdao says about their friendship.
Despite only landing a day before from a Holy Week long weekend touring islands around Negros Oriental with some of his Incognito castmates, Padilla gamely poses with his three cats (Sakura, BMO, and Denji) barefoot on an Eames lounge chair, bites on a dried rose a friend previously gifted Nicdao, and submerges himself in a jacuzzi pool — fully clothed.
In this interview, the two talk about the toll and triumphs of being a celebrity and Padilla’s dream of making documentaries, all while fanboying over the late Nora Aunor, remembering an encounter with the extraterrestrial, and not arguing over what music was or is good.
Mark Nicdao: So, Deej, ‘musta?
Daniel Padilla: Swabe naman. Cool lang. Ikaw?
Nicdao: Pagkapunta ko dito sa bahay mo, sabi ko parang… Paano ko ba i-de-describe?
Padilla: ‘Yong ano? Bahay?
Nicdao: Oo. First time ko pumunta dito e.
Padilla: Oo, first time mo pumunta dito all these years. Kahit sa Quezon City hindi ka nakapunta, ‘di ba?
Nicdao: Hindi, nakapunta ako sa bahay niyo sa QC. Nagsu-shoot tayo ‘di ba? Pero dito, first time tayo. Rolling Stone, baby!
Padilla: My guy, we made it.
Nicdao: Chineck ko doon sa compilation ko ng hard drives. Kasi ever since noong nag- start ako, nakalista lahat ‘yon e. So, chine- check ko kung kailan tayo first nag-meet. And nag-meet tayo sa shoot, ‘di ba? March 6, 2013. Ewan ko kung naaalala mo. Ilan taon ka noon?
Padilla: Noong una tayong nagkita? 17. Anong shinoot natin noon? For ABS-CBN?
Nicdao: For ABS-CBN ‘yon. Parang publicity photos mo for your album, I think. Tapos dalawang shoot tayo noon. Kinakabahan ako noon kasi sabi ko, “Anong ipe-play kong music kasi, ano to e, may banda to.” Siyempre nakaka-intimidate ‘yon, ‘di ba? Hindi naman tayo masyadong exchange ng kwentuhan e.
Padilla: Hindi, with the music lang.
“Kapag may mabigat na eksena, kailangan kong trabahuhin nang mag-isa, kailangan kong gapangin ‘yong emosyon ko. Pero doon mo naman makikita ‘yong sarili mo na kaya mo rin. Kaya mo pala.”
Nicdao: Kahit hindi naman tayo nakapagkwentuhan noon, ‘yong shoot sobra akong nag-enjoy. Even without actually trying to strike up a friendship, organic siya nag-start.
Padilla: Kasi mahirap din, bro, lalo na dito sa trabaho natin. Siyempre, ‘di ba? Pictorial. Kahit sabihin mong trabaho siya, sobrang personal e.
Nicdao: Hindi lang ‘yon. Imagine, hindi ko alam kung saan ka galing before the shoot, ‘di ba tapos ginagawa mo ‘yon araw-araw. May teleserye, may PR, may tour, may concert, so hindi ko alam kung paano mo mina-manage lahat.
Well, of course, everybody knows ‘yong DNA mo talaga for show business, ‘di ba? Acting. Nakatatak sa’yo ‘yon e. So, is it the same when you’re growing up? Parang noon bata ka ba [naisip mo,] “Wow, parang kaya ko itong gawin. Gano’n na ba ‘yong naiisip mo noon?”
Padilla: Hindi masyado. Noong una, wala naman sa plano ‘to. Gusto ko lang magbanda saka mag-basketball — siyempre mag-aral.
Nicdao: [Laughs] Ako rin. Lagi nga ako lang sa library noon e. Doon lang kasi may air con. Sarap matulog.
Padilla: Banda, school, barkada, basketball, ‘yon lang. Wala naman sa plano [ang mag- artista]. Kasi nga, growing up nakikita mo ‘yong mga magulang mo na ‘yon na ‘yong trabaho e so, hindi na siya bago. Pero nagkaroon lang ng stage na parang…
Nicdao: Hindi, magaling ka rin kasi e. I don’t think magiging bright ‘yong star mo kung hindi ka naman talented.
Padilla: Isa pa ‘yon. Hindi naman tayo privileged na “Sige, mag-a-artista na ako” tapos okay na. Hindi naman ganoon kadali lahat ng bagay ‘no?
Nicdao: Hindi, parang gift ‘yon.
Padilla: For me, siguro it’s the love of the craft kasi sobra kong minahal ‘yong acting. The art of acting. Talagang sinuyod mo e, pinag-aralan mo. Nakinig ka sa mga mentor, sa mga mahuhusay na direktor, mahuhusay na mga actor. Pare, kailangan mong matutong makinig.
Nicdao: Hindi ko rin ma-imagine. Siyempre, ‘di ba ang nakikita ng mga tao parang ang dali. “Kaya ko rin ‘yan. Kaya kong umacting. I have the face, I have the voice.”
Padilla: May ganoon silang idea lalo na kapag anak ka ng artista. Pero at the end of the day, you have to perform. Hindi siya ibibigay lang sa‘yo na, “Okay, o artista ka, magaling.” Hindi e. Kailangan mong pag-aralan pa.
Nicdao: Feeling ko talaga kahit ano pang workshop gawin mo, kahit na ibabad mo ‘yong sarili mo pag-wo- workshop, ‘pag hindi talaga siya part ng dugo mo, or mindset…
Padilla: Pero pwede rin. Napag- aaralan naman talaga. Pero ‘yon nga, you have to put in the work. Kahit saan naman e. Kahit anong aspeto ng trabaho, kailangan mo ibigay ang trabaho. Walang petiks lang talaga.
Nicdao: Are you the type of actor na super dependent sa director?
Padilla: May ganoon. Ako kasi, at some point, nagkaroon ako ng actor’s director, which is si Direk Cathy [Garcia-Sampana].
Si Direk Cathy kasi, pare, ‘yan ang isa sa, kumbaga ano ngayon sa atin, mother dragon ng pelikula. Direktor ni Idan (John Lloyd Cruz), direktor ko, ni Kathryn [Bernardo], ang dami namin ginawa.
Pero at some point, kailangan mong matutong… hindi ka pwedeng maging depende sa isang tao. Kasi naging comfortable ako, alam ko si Direk Cathy, maaalalayan niya ako lagi.
Pero noong ginawa ko ‘yong pelikulang [Whether the Weather Is Fine] with Ma’am Charo [Santos-Concio], e siyempre ‘yon ang director ay si Carlo [Francisco Manatad], first time kong makatrabaho tsaka iba. Iba-iba lahat ng direktor e. Hindi lahat ibe-baby ka na, “Ganito ang gagawin natin.” Kapag emotional ‘yong eksena, aalalayan ka, bibigyan ka ng mga tools para matulungan. Ito, dito ko [na- realize na] “Shet, pare, kailangan ko ‘tong gawing mag-isa lahat, kailangan kong suyurin ‘to bawat eksena.” Kapag may mabigat na eksena, kailangan kong trabahuhin nang mag-isa, kailangan kong gapangin ‘yong emosyon ko. Pero doon mo naman makikita ‘yong sarili mo na kaya mo rin. Kaya mo pala.
Hindi ko sinasabing ang galing ko doon ha, pero nalagpasan ko siya. ‘Pag nalagpasan mo naman it doesn’t mean na ang galing mo na. Pare, kapag nalagpasan mo ‘yon, marami ka pang lalagpasan. Kahit ako ngayon sa Incognito, alam kong may mga paparating pa akong eksena na mabibigat, pinaghahandaan ko pa rin ‘yon hanggang ngayon. So, ganoon lang. Parang kailangan matuto ka na dalhin ‘yong sarili mo kasi doon mo masasabi na, “Matututunan ko na ‘tong craft na ‘to.”
Nicdao: Are you the type of actor na mayroong switch na on and off? Kasi I’m getting into that. For me a, hindi ko ma-imagine ‘yong, let’s say, ‘yong intensity ng any role na ginagawa mo, na ma-o-off mo lang siya, na pag-uwi mo or sa sobrang lalim, napapanaginipan mo na siya.
Noong nag-start akong mag- painting, ‘yong na-realize ko kasi ‘pag photographer ka, after ng shoot, okay na. “Yes, makaka-relax na ako. Cut off na ako.” Pero ‘pag nag-pa-paint ka, mayroon kang deadline tapos kahit matulog ka, nandoon sa utak mo ‘yon e. Wala kang peace of mind.
Padilla: Hinahabol mo e.
Nicdao: Are you the type na gano’n?
Padilla: Nakakapagod ‘yon. Siyempre.
Nicdao: Kaya iniisip ko, “Hindi ko alam kung paano ito ginagawa nina Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix.” I’m sure may tama ‘yan talaga with your mental health.
Padilla: Sobrang may amats ‘yon, tol. At hindi mo mararamdaman na mayroon pala siya kasi sa tuloy-tuloy mong ginagawa. Kunwari, example ko na lang sarili ko — hindi lang ako, ang daming artista na may teleserye, na may shoot na tumatagal nang ilang oras. Unlike Hollywood, ilan ang kinukunan nilang eksena? Kung may mabigat silang eksena, ilan ang kukunan nila? And then, ‘pag nagawa na nila ‘yon, pack up na muna. Inaalagaan din nila ‘yong emosyon e. Tayo dito kasi, pare, may eksena ako ngayong umaga, pagdating mo pa lang, pag-gising mo, ang eksena mo, imagine, breakdown ka. After your breakdown, ang eksena mo [is about] happenings ng pamilya, may party sa bahay. Sa isang araw ‘yon ha. 15 years na rin ako. Imagine mo, ginagawa mo ‘yon nang tuluy-tuloy. Sapul ka doon e. Minsan may mga araw ka na, “Anong nangyayari sa akin? Bakit ganito ang nararamdaman ko?
Read the rest of the story in the second print issue of Rolling Stone Philippines.
Pre-order a copy on Sari-Sari Shopping, or read the e-magazine now here.
Grooming RYAN KO
Styling RYAN VILORIA assisted by Rowel Tapang
Daniel wears The Real Mccoys Ticking Stripe pajama shirt, Cushman corduroy trousers, Samurai heavyweight T-shirt, Beams jeans, Trophy Clothing Blackie denim standard pants all from The Signet Store
Special thanks to Daniel Padilla’s manager CAPT. LUZ BAGALACSA and STAR MAGIC
