Television careers come and go—and some go even before they actually come. Today, you have a show; tomorrow, you can be selling pirated DVDs in a street corner somewhere in Barangay Obrero. Arguably, television is a most dynamic, exciting and sensuous world where some names are revered and others, reviled.
In Philippine television, one name is starting to make a dent: Nikko Natividad, who’s seen regularly doing hosting gigs on It’s Showtime and Umagang Kay Ganda. Sig to his close friends and supporters, Nikko Seagal Natividad when he signs contracts—and Nikko Natividad-Valle as my future husband in my delusional, malicious mind.
His smile is real, boyish and naughty, while his stare is deadly. His eyes pierce my heart. His stare hypnotizes me. His presence turns me into a giggling high-school girl. But beneath Nikko’s handsome looks is the tenacity of a heavyweight boxer, the grace of a seasoned matador, and the luck of a cunning world-champion poker player but with so much heart and soul. Nikko has made no bones of the fact that he was not to the manor born. His blue-collar beginnings was wide open to everyone who cared to know more about him. He worked a lot of odd jobs just to survive and help his family—from a service crew in a leading pizza chain to a hairdresser’s assistant, before bagging the grand prize of It’s Showtime’s “Gandang Lalake” contest.
This is why Cineko Films’s decision to cast him as a dutiful closeted gay son to Ai-Ai de las Alas in Bes and the Beshie (opening on October 18) can’t be more apt. In the movie, Nikko’s character is a responsible, good son who does everything to help keep the family afloat and get the approval of his single mom.
This is Nikko’s first major film role and he told me that it was challenging for him. “Mas madali pa nga pag out na gay eh. Lakihan mo lang ang movements mo at lambutin mo boses mo, makukuha na ng audience. Pero eto kasi, closeted ako kaya mas mahirap. Sa mga pitik or nuances ang dapat ma-master mo at dapat consistent ka. Ang challenging, pero natutuwa ako na nakapag-work ako sa movie na ito kasi ang dami kong natutunan,” Nikko said. In Bes and the Beshie, Nikko worked with veteran director Joel Lamangan.
Besides Ai-Ai, the movie also stars Zsa Zsa Padilla and Carmi Martin. The movie, also released by Regal Films, was penned by Ricky Lee.
Besides promoting this movie and his daily hosting gigs and occasional performing rackets (town fiestas, plus mall and provincial shows which Nikko says he truly enjoys because he gets to travel and meet a lot of people), he also has dabbled in the made-to-order business of specialty desserts, like Mango-Graham Cake. He also has various entrepreneurial plans he hopes to realize soon.
Nikko admits that his life is blessed right now. Indeed, he’s a lucky guy who admits to having wanted to enter showbiz for so long, and now he is actually living and breathing it.
Not bad for this ordinary guy who, with his extraordinary faith in himself, was never afraid to work hard and get up each time life dealt him what many would regard as a crippling blow.
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MORE and more Filipinos are saying goodbye to analog television and are now watching Nikko and the rest of their favorite TV stars via digital terrestrial television (DTT), cable or direct-to-home satellite TV based on the latest Kantar Media survey conducted in August.
According to the study, 72 percent of homes in Metro Manila are already “digitally enabled” with only 28 percent still using analog television. A big factor in this ongoing digital shift has been the warm reception of consumers of ABS-CBN TVplus, ABS-CBN’s DTT service that has enabled millions of Filipinos to enjoy clear TV viewing and pay-per-view services at an affordable price.
In Metro Manila alone, 55 percent of noncabled homes or one in two homes have an ABS-CBN TVplus box, according to Kantar Media, which conducted establishment surveys in February, May and August this year to determine the media landscape in the country, particularly how Filipinos are watching television. In Mega Manila 44 percent, or almost half of noncabled homes, are also enjoying the benefits of ABS-CBN TVplus boxes.
As of mid-September, ABS-CBN has already sold 3.6 million ABS-CBN TVplus boxes nationwide since 2015. ABS-CBN DTT head Chinky Alcedo said they’re on track to hit their target of selling a cumulative 4 million boxes this year.