Dingdong Dantes, the Pinoy Cholo

MANILA, Philippines – Dingdong Dantes returns on the GMA primetime block to portray Cholo, the passionate and charming male character in the Filipino adaptation of the compelling Koreanovela Stairway to Heaven.

Dingdong has been chosen by GMA Network to play Cholo because he fits the character to a tee. His first-rate acting skills and well-built physique make the primetime actor well-suited for the role just like the Korean model-turned-actor Kwon Sang Woo, who played Cholo in the Korean series in 2003.

Stairway to Heaven, which also featured Korean superstar Choi Ji Woo as Jodi, became one of GMA Telebabad’s top-rating programs in 2005 because of the moving love story of childhood lovers Cholo and Jodi. The story will evolve on how Cholo relentlessly pursues his childhood love Jodi, whom he almost lost when she loses her childhood memory due to a fatal accident.

Before his new project as Cholo, Dingdong already starred in various top-rating GMA 7 programs such as Dyesebel, Marimar, Ang Babaeng Hinugot Sa Aking Tadyang, Atlantika, the Encantadia saga, Wag Kukurap, Magic Kamison, Love to Love, Twin Hearts, Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga, Kakabakaba Adventures, Anna Karenina and T.G.I.S.

Last year, Dingdong bagged the third spot in the 25 Sexiest Men in the World, a roster put together by Hollywood’s E! Entertainment Television. He is the only Asian to make it to the list that includes Johnny Depp, Enrique Iglesias, Eric Bana and David Beckham. In 2007, Dingdong was also named the No. 1 Bachelor of 2007 by Cosmopolitan.

He also won the fourth USTv Student’s Choice Awards Most Popular Actor in a Drama/Mini-series and First Annual Fil-Am Visionary Awards Favorite Television Actor awards, both for MariMar. Dingdong is also known as a good host. He was one of the hosts of S.O.P. and StarStruck where he won the 21st PMPC Star Awards for TV Best Talent Show Program Host.

Dingdong is also a director whose directorial job began via suspense-thriller Wag Kukurap. His first movie as a director via Angels earned him a nomination in the Movie Director of the Year category in the 24th PMPC Star Awards for Movies in 2008.