Nico Antonio Gets Acclaim Playing Zsa Zsa Padilla's Gay Son In Acclaimed Drama 'M, My Mother's Maiden Name'

NICO ANTONIO got rave reviews for his performance as the gay wedding host in the 2013 Cinemalaya entry of Jerrold Tarog, “Sana Dati”. He now gets more acclaim playing another gay role in “M, My Mother’s Maiden Name”, which won the Special Jury Prize at the recent Metro Manila Filmfest New Wave section, was acclaimed at the Bogota International Filmfest in Colombia and now got an impressive A rating from the Cinema Evaluation Board. Does he have a peg for his gay portrayal?

“Wala, kung ano lang ang lumabas,” he says. “As Joven, my character, sinunod ko lang kung ano si Direk Zig Dulay. Dati kasi, lalaki siya, tapos na-realize niyang hindi pala. Ganun din yung character ko rito. Nasa closet then lumabas. May love interest ako rito, si Marx Topacio. Mother ko si Zsa Zsa Padilla, a hot shot lawyer na nagkataning ang buhay dahil sa cancer. Hindi kami close, pero dahil nagkasakit siya, naging way yun for us to be able to communicate better. Saludo ako kay Ms. Zsa Zsa. First time ko to work with her at ang bait niya. Kilala siyang the Divine Diva but she didn’t act like that on the set. Very down to earth.”

Off-cam, Nico is the eldest son of lawyer-producer Atty. Josabeth ‘Joji’ Alonso, whose Quantum Films did the award-winning Metro filmfest hit, “English Only, Please”. Nico has finished law at San Sebastian College but he decided not to anymore pursue a career in law. “Kasi, yung dalawang kapatid, Angela at Rafael, parehong lawyers na, so sila na lang ang sumunod sa yapak ng mama namin. Ako, my heart is in films, so I’m planning to take up filmmaking this year para I can work not only in front but also behind the camera. Okay naman sa mama namin dahil ako ang tutulong sa kanya sa film company naming Quantum Films.”

Nico is married and his wife, Angela, and their son, Gelo, were with him at the presscon of “M, My Mother’s Maiden Name” that opens in theatres this coming Wednesday. Aside from “M”, Nico is also in Cinema One’s “Red” with Jericho Rosales and he’s praying it will also get a theatrical release soon.