NO doubt that two of the better products of GMA’s StarStruck talent search are Rocco Nacino and Steven Silva.
Both were raised very well by their respective families and finished their education before throwing themselves into the showbiz jungle. Interestingly, both Rocco and Steven have experienced living abroad (Rocco in Singapore and Steven in the US), which helped mold them into the mature, independent and decent young men they are now. Rocco is a registered nurse while Steven is a certified chef.
Despite the many successes he has reaped in his relatively young career, Rocco Nacino makes sure that he stays grounded.
“I’ve been advised early on that success, when not handled well, can change people and bring them down faster than how they reached the top. I would like to think that I am the same Rocco who once dreamt of being given that big break, and who continues to survive in this tough business.” When Rocco talks to you in person, he does so in an impeccably polished manner. He keeps his voice low, and he looks straight at you in the eyes, allowing you to feel his sincerity and interest.
We spoke to him recently at the media sortie for his latest prime-time soap Hiram na Alaala, and, like always, he charmed us with his full attention, his warmth still as real as the first time we met him.
We talked about the past and how far he has come in this industry where only three types make it for the long haul: the well-connected, the exceptionally talented and the extremely lucky ones.
“I guess I was lucky to be noticed when I auditioned for StarStruck years ago. I’m still far from achieving the ‘exceptionally talented’ status but I work hard with every role I am assigned with. Unfortunately, I am not well-connected at all,” he said with a big smile.
Aside from his TV work, Rocco also finds time to act in films that fancy him. He stars in Jun Urbano’s modern-day Ibong Adarna, and he has finished filming Soap Opera, an entry to the Cinema One Originals Film Festival. In the film, Rocco is paired with real-life sweetheart Lovi Poe.
To keep himself sane and fit, Rocco works out and does Jujitsu training. On the business front, he is learning the ins and outs of being a boxing promoter.
“I like it when I’m busy. You know what they say, strike while the iron is hot. I’m glad Lovi is there to inspire me and make me happy.”
STEP BY STEP FOR STEVEN
It’s been exactly a year since StarStruck big winner Steven Silva auditioned for The Boston, a spin-off of the highly regarded TV series The Kitchen Musical. He looks back at the year that has just passed with fondness.
“We don’t take notice of how time passes when we are busy, more so if we are preoccupied with something we love,” he said, obviously referring to his wonderful stint in The Boston, where he showcased his brand of acting and singing.
“Working with an international cast and crew certainly opened a lot of learning opportunities for a relatively new actor like me.” From the auditions to the final workday on the set, Steven shared that he was aware that the stint could open bigger doors for him in the field of the performing arts.
Of course, his education and experience as a chef not only helped nail the role for him in the musical, but it also made his work much easier. After he finished his course at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, he thought that being a chef was his calling.
But life unveiled many surprises for Steven, and he came to the Philippines and worked for a hotel in Mindanao before being lured to try out for GMA’s StarStruck talent search. He won the grand prize, which secured him a steady stream of exposure.
Since The Boston started airing on lifestyle cable channels, Steven has been receiving good feedback for his work on the show.
Although not being pushed all that aggressively by his studio with programs that can improve and showcase his acting, Silva is not one to complain.
“Well, everything happens at the perfect time, and I believe that my time to shine will come, too. At the moment, I’m taking it step by step,” he said.
At present, Steven leads the hosts of the lifestyle show Taste Buddies on GMA News TV, while he awaits bigger roles for the many daily dramas that GMA is lining up.
He is also open to good roles in theater, aware that Manila has some good theater production companies. And as GMA readies itself for another batch of showbiz hopefuls when it launches StarStruck 2014, we hope that the network won’t forget Steven Silva, who is not only loaded with promise but also is a professional, pleasant, passionate artist—perfect for many of the roles the network routinely assigns to some of its mediocre contract artists. n