Marco in the thick of things

The plot thickens as the top-rating ABS-CBN primetime soap, It Might Be You, plods on with its interesting twists and turns – all of which revolve around the brewing love triangle between lead stars Bea Alonzo (Cielo), John Lloyd Cruz (Lawrence) and Marco Alcaraz (Axel).

In the thick of a recent upheaval brought about by the recent elections, the feuding families come to grips with their own respective triumphs and defeats, and continue plotting their sinister schemes to cope with the changing political scenario.

Even then, the more pressing question remains: Who will win Cielo’s heart?

Despite her admission that she has renewed her commitment to long-time beau Lawrence, persistent suitor Axel isn’t about to give up his quest to win her heart – especially now that he has everything at his disposal to do so.

As the newly-elected president’s son, Axel will do everything to win Cielo’s heart – even if it means wielding his power to cut Lawrence and his family down to size.

"It’s getting more and more interesting," admits Marco, who has so far earned his own massive following since the start of the series. "Now, there’s an even greater chance for Cielo to fall for me, especially since her dad died and she’s blaming Lawrence’s mom (Maritoni Fernandez) for his death."

But the show’s fans are forever wondering if there’s something brewing between Axel and Cielo even beyond the set. After all, how could anyone not be smitten by the eligible young actress’ charms and sweet disposition?

Marco nonchalantly hints, "Yes, of course, I do like her. She’s very sweet and cariñosa. She’s mature for her age and I admire her responsibility looking after her family’s needs since she’s the breadwinner. We talk in between takes, we text each other, but I do wish we could spend more time together since she’s always busy with other showbiz commitments."

Of his newfound "star" status, he retorts, "It’s still hard to believe I’ve come this far. I’m grateful to the show’s producers, who took the risk with a newcomer like me and to fans who continue to believe in my talent."

With his impressive performance so far, Marco has become one of ABS-CBN’s hottest teen stars, and in the process has earned his rightful place in the new Sunday afternoon series, Seasons of Love, where he plays Ian, a seminarian wanna-be. He co-stars with Serena Dalrymple, Shaina Magdayao, Karel Marquez, Iya Villania, Jolo Revilla, Dustin Reyes, AJ Eigenmann and Ketchup Eusebio.

"In Seasons, I play a confused guy torn between his desire to be a seminarian and his attraction for Alex (played by Iya Villania)," Marco explains. "It’s a more casual acting affair – compared to It Might Be You – since we’re playing roles we can identify with already. It’s a breeze, and with all those hyper-active teens around, it’s always fun and wacky on the set."

The tall, ruggedly-handsome moreno actor, who is currently handled by ALV Productions, is also part of Regal Films’ latest batch of teen talents: the Regal Idols, who will have their launching movie before yearend. He is also under contract with ABS-CBN, Star Cinema and Regal Films.

The basketball star-turned-model has also done print ads for San Miguel, Astring-O-Osol, Chowking, Smart, PLDT, Shopwise and modeled for Rustan’s, Springfield, GAS, and Bench. He is currently one of the image models of JAG Jeans.

After a cameo role in Regal Films’ Beautiful Life, Marco is slated to appear in Regal Films’ Metro Filmfest entry, Aishite Imasu, a Japanese period film directed by Joel Lamangan.

Set during the dark years of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during the Second World War, the film finds Marco playing Akihiro, a Japanese soldier who falls in love with a Filipina (Iya Villania). "It must be remembered that such inter-racial relationships were taboo during the time," Marco explains. "So, one can only imagine the extent of the social conflicts there."

Aishite Imasu boasts of a stellar cast headed by Judy Ann Santos, Raymart Santiago, Angelu de Leon, Jay Manalo and others.

So far, Marco has been humbled by the rigid, exacting direk Joel has hurled at him. "If you don’t give him your best, he’ll make sure he squeezes it out of you," he asserts. "He’s such a great motivator."

The movie has also helped him get acquainted with the Japanese language. "We have a lot of lines in Japanese, so we have a translator on the set. It’s a fun learning experience. Now, my Japanese isn’t just limited to tempura, sushi or sashimi," he teases.