Marco Alcaraz

Name: Marco Alcaraz
Profession: Actor
Country: Davao City, Philippines
Height: 6′2
Age: 23
Shoe Size: 13
Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Twenty-year-old actor Marco Alcaraz said that he once questioned God for what was happening to his life.

It all happened after he sustained an ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament). He was then a varsity player for the San Sebastian Stags and he had high hopes of joining the Philippine Basketball Association after college.

“I came all the way from Cebu. My parents knew how much I wanted to be a professional basketball player someday.. That�s why they supported my decision to study in Manila. But then ACL happened. I asked God why, because I worked hard to be in the team. I was devastated. I cried for months!” His injury put him in therapy for almost six months. Without a clue as to what will become of his childhood dream, he was convinced to dabble in modeling. At 6�1, with good looks and a ball player�s physique, he was a shoo-in as a ramp model. It was then through his modeling that he met his manager Arnold Vigafria of ALV Productions. He was asked if he wanted to audition for a role in one of ABS-CBN�s new soap opera last year. For reasons he couldn�t fathom, he risked personal embarrassment to try acting. Acting, he recalled, was something he laughed at when he was in high school. Already a ball player he would find it amusing to see his friends act in school plays.

“I was so depressed then that I decided to audition and probably do acting for while I was recovering. But I wasn�t expecting a role that big. I got in and everything followed. I suddenly was enjoying acting. I was very happy�the irony was that I didn�t like acting before in school and now I�m the one pursuing an acting career,” Marco stated. His audition was a success and last year the name Marco Alcaraz became a byword on prime time television in ABS-CBN�s “It Might Be You.” He was the third angle in the love triangle in the movie with John Lloyd and Bea Alonzo.

Televiewers avidly watched to see who would get the girl in the end. For Marco, “It Might Be You” was a big break for him in showbiz. He never had any experience in acting nor did he know anything about dealing with other actors then. He didn�t even know how popular the tandem of John Lloyd and Bea Alonzo was. In an instant, Marco, the actor, was also becoming a hit like his soap opera.

“For me, the Lord works in mysterious ways. Sometimes things happen that you don�t understand. But you realize everything has a purpose,” Marco shared.

He added that at the moment he has benched his dream to be a professional basketball player. But he still plays the game given the time. In fact, he is scheduled to leave for Bahrain in a month�s time for an exhibition game with past PBA superstars.

As he made a name in “It Might Be You,” he was luckily cast in BAS Films� “Aeshite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita,” an official entry to last year�s Metro Manila Film Festival. He made a mark as the loyal assistant to the Japanese captain who fell in love and impregnated a Filipina. Since then he has done guest appearances in various shows and has hosted events.

“Hanggang ngayon dumarating ang mga blessings. This is why I realized that probably I wasn�t really meant to play ball. I mean I even injured my arm when I was in Cebu a few years back. Maybe He is just leading me into another way, the right way�blessing in disguise yung ACL. Because of it I was included in the love-triangle with John and Bea,” he shared.The good projects that kept pouring into his lap have brought Marco to a seeming ethereal level of happiness. Who wouldn�t? After seeing his childhood dream crumble right in front of him, a bigger door of opportunity opened for him.

The limelight, the popularity that goes with being a pro in basketball would have happened in many years and the probability of it materializing could have been slim. But he got those in a matter of months with his break in “It Might Be You.” He also meant so much for him that he could provide some financial assistance to his family even though they don�t need it. For him, it was his simple way of saying thank you for their wholehearted support in all his endeavors. (Marco is currently in the one month special episode of “Wansapanataym” entitled “D Supers” wherein he plays a super hero with the power of super speed.)

“As of now, I haven�t set any goals in showbiz. I just make it a point that whatever role is given to me, I would do my best to make it come out as effective as possible. I really would do my best to give justice to my roles!” Marco�s latest challenge as an actor is in Ben “M7″ Yalung�s “Birhen ng Manaoag” which is slated for a Holy Week release. In the movie that retells the story of the “Birhen ng Manaoag” on film, he plays a seminarian and a researcher and expert on the story of the miraculous Birhen ng Manaoag. According to the director, he immediately cast Marco because of his good aura which the filmmaker took as a good sign. On the other hand, the screenplay writer Chris Vallez explained that the expressive eyes of the actor caught his attention. He said that Marco had a sad look in his eyes. The reason for such emotional requirement was because of the plight of Marco�s character. In the film, as a seminarian, he suddenly lost faith in God when his mother, played by Alicia Alonzo, died. He couldn�t believe it when this tragic event transpired because he has devoted all his life to serving God. For Marco the biggest challenge for him in the film was his reaction when his screen mother died.

“If you saw the trailer, you�d know that it was hard for me to break the statues of saints. I�m a Catholic and it felt wrong to be throwing those statues on the floor and breaking them. There was really hesitation on my part but then it was a job I had to do.”

He added that at his present stage as an actor, his vulnerability is also one of his challenges. “I often run out of motivation to deliver the needed emotion. I have a happy life but I just know that a happy life is not an excuse not to be able to cry when needed. I really need motivation on that part and I worked hard to be more effective in my characterizations.”

Staying for five days in Manaoag, Pangasinan, Marco was fortunate to be close to the statue of the Birhen ng Manaoag as compared to devotees who adore the Blessed Virgin from a distance. “I was so close that when I pray to her, I can just feel her presence. Just looking at her eyes felt like she was talking to me. My faith really became stronger after doing this film�it was just unfortunate that I wasn�t able to see the miraculous petals,” he intimated.

Joining him in “Birhen ng Manaoag” is Joyce Jimenez, Eddie Garcia, Albert Martinez, Jodi Santamaria, Cherry Pie Picache, Bianca King, Jean Garcia, Ina Feleo, Ella Guevarra, Paolo Paraiso and Matthew Hunt as Jesus Christ.

As of now, Marco has realized that showbiz is not all about glamor and fame. It is also about passion in being an actor.

“I�m already a year old in the business and I thought before that showbiz was an easy thing to do. Then I found out that you have to internalize your roles and you have to read the scripts. You go through sleepless nights; acting is really a very tough job. The competition is stiff and you have to do your best in everything. Whenever an opportunity comes along you just have to grab it and make the most out of it!”

Marco Alcaraz has transformed his passion in basketball to acting and he has been making all his shots! He is one versatile actor ON THE RISE!

Filmography

1. “Love to Love”
… aka Love 2 Love (Philippines: English title: informal title)
- Best Friends (2006) TV Episode …. Gio
2. Batang bangketa, Mga (2006) …. Arnie
3. “Komiks”
- Blusang itim (2006) TV Episode …. Angelo
4. Don’t Give Up on Us (2006)
5. Blue Moon (2006)
6. Shake, Rattle and Roll 2k5 (2005)
7. “Kampanerang Kuba” (2005) TV Series …. Gabriel
… aka Pablo S. Gomez’s Kampanerang Kuba (Philippines: Tagalog title: complete title)
8. Birhen ng Manaoag (2005)
9. Aishite imasu (Mahal kita) 1941 (2004)
10. Beautiful Life (2004) …. Peter
11. “It Might Be You” (2003) TV Series …. Axel

Popularity: 23% [?]

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