CEBUANO ACTOR Matt Daclan won the Cinema One best actor award 3 years ago for the Visayan film, “Soap Opera”, besting out the likes of JM de Guzman and Jericho Rosales. He then decided to stay in Manila and try his luck here. He has since appeared in several films, both indie and mainstream, like “Walang Forever”, “Swap”, “Hiblang Abo” (where he played four different characters), “Kapatiran”, “Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis”, “Singing in Graveyards” and “Dear Other Self”.
Managed by Atty. Joji Alonso of Quantum Films, his full name is Mark Anthony Comendador Daclan. He has also done teleseryes like “Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin” and the pilot episode of “Promise of Forever”. Now, he plays the role of a transgender prostitute in “Mga Gabing Kasinghaba ng Hair Ko”, an official entry in five major international filmfests with the title “Those Long Haired Nights”.
He looks so pretty in his make up and women’s clothes. Is he gay? “No, I’m straight.” He has a girlfriend, Mariel Lazaro, and they’ve taken the Discovery Weekend marriage preparation retreat.
Didn’t he hesitate to play a crossdresser? “No, I took the audition as I really want to try playing different characters. First time kong mag-mujer and I tried my best to get into the character of a transgender.”
He started his showbiz career in Cebu working behind the camera as floor director for Cebuano films and TV shows, after getting a computer engineering degree from the University of Cebu. “Then I was given the chance to host a travel show, ‘Sugbo TV’, to promote our province. I was already 28 when I tried acting in Director Remton Zuazola’s ‘Soap Opera’ as a father whose son gets sick so he tried swindling a foreigner. I didn’t expect I’d win a best actor award.”Matt also did an anti-piracy informercial where he is known as the “magnanakaw ng pelikula.” He is currently shooting “Heneral Goyo” with Paulo Avelino, directed by Jerrold Tarog.
