Does Diether always get what he wants?

Diether Ocampo has a lot to smile about these days. After starring with Rosanna Roces in La Vida Rosa, he, along with Joyce Jimenez., topbills Regal Films’ latest flick Ano Bang Meron Ka? He continues to lord over the afternoon TV ratings via his soap opera Recuerdo de Amor and along with fellow hunks Jericho Rosales, Carlos Agassi, Piolo Pascual and Bernard Palanca, to make hearts skip a beat everytime he strips his shirt in live shows and when he struts and grinds in ASAP. He is also the endorser of Bench and Pizza Hut. And on the side, if things go well, he, along with some of his friends, is about to stage a big charity concert in February.

About his success, Diether says that he is so blessed that he didn’t expect this. Says the actor, "One thing’s for sure, this is a dream come true. When I was starting in the business, I didn’t ask for anything. I just stayed in the sidelines waiting for my turn. Patience is a virtue."

Diether also thinks he is already comfortable with his career. He’s not affected by talks that a lot of younger actors are coming out and that he might be clobbered. Regarding talks about the "sapawan issue" with his fellow Hunks, he just winks and says, "That’s not true. There’s no reason for that to happen. We have bonded tremendously and kahit papaano, we have already proven something as individual actors before teaming up. When we perform, we don’t think about upstaging each other. We help each other instead."

Diet is a matinee idol. Matinee idols are supposed to belong to the fans. Fans are possessive. But Diet feels he has passed that stage. Regarding his love life, Diether says that he isn’t afraid anymore of facing the consequences when he finally comes out in the open and admits if he has a girlfriend. He thinks his fans have also matured with him.

But right now, he says he doesn’t have any special lady in his heart. "I just go out on dates. My love life isn’t blooming right now."

Diether admits that the last time he was in love was with actress LJ Moreno. He remembers how some people advised him not to court LJ and not to admit that they were going out as it might jeopardize his promising career. But Diether was so smitten with LJ that he pursued her. LJ was understanding enough to have kept their relationship a secret.

Diether remembers the days they were together. "That was the time I was really in love. You know, I would really smile from ear to ear and I would not notice how time flew so fast everytime we were together. I was so in love and it felt good."

But how are he and LJ? "Now, we’re just friends," answer the ABS-CBN Talent Center artist. "We don’t go out anymore but we still talk. LJ knows me very well as a person yung tipong when we talk, she can tell if I’m lying. But there was so much going on. Too bad that we weren’t able to make the most of what we had. But who knows what’s going to happen?"

Diether says that if he is in a relationship, he is a one-woman man. What turns him on are women who are intellectually stimulating. And he thinks girls like his being funny and sensitive. Girls also find him mature for his age.

This "maturity" is a result of what he has been through. He compares his journey in show business to a slippery road where he has to remain focused all the time.

Asked to compare the Diether five years ago to the Diether now, he says, "Five years ago, wala akong direction. Sabak lang ako nang sabak. Now, I’m more responsible. I always think of my future. I’m now conscious that one day, people might not appreciate me anymore. That’s why I’m now thinking of a career behind the cameras. I’m doing research and I’m planning to take up filmmaking soon."

Besides being a filmmaker, what else are Diether’s plans? He turns pensive and quips, "I want to have a big, big family."

Well so far, what Diether wants is what Diether gets!