Body Talk with Coco Martin

Too young (at 25) to be a king? Not really. With 16 indie films to his credit, Coco Martin is the so-called Indie King (a “title” conferred on him by Noel Ferrer, his former manager).

“All in more than three years,” said Coco whose award-winning indie starrer Jay (with Baron Geisler, directed by Francis Xavier Pasion, graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board) has just opened at SM Cinemas. (His other indies include Condo, Nars, Tambolista, Serbis, Daybreak, OFWs, Batanes and Tirador). “So far, I’ve been nominated several times but I’ve won only once, for Masahista (his acting debut in 2005). I’ve been to several international film festivals, including those in Locarno, Switzerland; Dubai; Russia; Berlin; Cannes; Bangkok; and Hong Kong.”

In Jay, Coco plays Edward, the ex-boyfriend of a murdered gay teacher. He is seduced by a gay producer who happens to have the same name as his gay lover (Jay). Playing the producer is Baron who won Best Actor in the 2008 Cinemalaya.

Contrary to general impression, he has gone “very bold” (read: totally nude in gay love scenes) in only three indies.

“Actually, I didn’t plan to be an actor,” confessed Coco (whose full name is Rodel P. Nacianceno, from Pampanga, named Coco by talent manager Ed Instrella because he looks “totoy na totoy” and Martin because “he looks like Ricky Martin”), “when Masahista (produced and directed by Brillante ‘Dante’ Mendoza) was offered to me, Tito Ferdy (Lapuz, Funfare’s Toronto-based ‘international correspondent’ who has connections with international-filmfest organizers) told me that it would be shown abroad. I got excited because I thought it would be my chance to go abroad and work there as a TNT (Tago Nang Tago). I didn’t ask what my role was; all I had in mind was to go abroad. So when we went to Locarno where Masahista was shown, my companions were laughing at me dahil ang laki-laki ng bag na dala ko.”

He was destined to remain at home.

“The Pinoys there told me that if my stay wasn’t legal, I wouldn’t be able to find a decent job. Wala daw TNT doon,” added Coco who graduated from NCBA (National College of Business and Arts) with an HRM (Hotel & Management) degree. And so...

The “Indie King” has gone mainstream, not in the movies yet but in television. He’s now on his third ABS-CBN soap, Tayong Dalawa (as the half-brother of Gerald Anderson), following last year’s Ligaw na Bulaklak (with Roxanne Guinoo) and Tiny Tony (with John Prats). He’ll start shooting two new indies, Chop-Chop (directed by Dante Mendoza) and Biyaheng Lupa (Soliloquy), the first directorial job of award-winning scriptwriter Armando “Bing” Lao (produced by Joji Alonso).

A Scorpion, Coco stands 5’7”, weighs 138 lbs., has a 31-inch waistline, and wears small-sized shirt and size-8.5 shoes.

How do you prepare for a love scene? Are you a cleanliness freak?

“I am vanidoso by nature, so malayo pa ang shooting pinaghahandaan ko na. During love scenes, I brush my teeth thoroughly and then gurgle with mouthwash. I take a bath at nagba-body-scrub pa ako. I shave para hindi masaktan ang partner ko. Siempre, I expect my partner to be clean, too.”

Regardless whether your kissing partner is a fellow actor or an actress?

“Whatever.”

Do you feel “anything” when doing a love scene with an actor?

“At first, naiilang ako. It took Paolo (Rivero) and I six hours to do our love scenes in Daybreak because everytime our bodies touched, we would break out laughing. But then, once you get tired, parang manhid ka na and you just do it.” `

How do you internalize for such scenes?

“I just imagine that I’m making love to a woman. Otherwise, if you fake it, mahahalata.”

With your erratic showbiz schedule, do you manage to take three square meals a day?

“I try to. But when I have a shoot, I take only a heavy breakfast and nothing more during the day. Heavy ‘yon, consisting of fried rice, eggs, corned beef or hotdogs, dried fish. If I get hungry, I eat Skyflakes as snack or peaches (in cans). Usually, I have a bad habit of taking midnight snacks, pancit canton, etc. It’s a good thing that my metabolism is fast.”

How much water do you take per day?

“As many as 16 glasses. Malakas din ako sa soda and juices.”

What vitamins do you take?

“Stresstabs, Poten-C and Centrum.”

What workout do you do?

“One hundred push-ups every morning.”

What part of your body needs improvement?

“None. I’m happy with my body.”

What part of your body is vulnerable?

“My head.”

And what part is your favorite?

“My lips. Kissable daw, sabi nila.”

What part of a girl’s body do you look at first?

“Her butt.”

How much sleep do you get per night?

“Six hours.”

What’s your favorite sleepwear?

“My briefs. Anyway, I sleep alone.”

Never in the nude?

“Only when I have one drink too many.”

Do you snore?

“Daw. Sabi ng former girlfriend ko.”

Do you talk in your sleep?

“Daw. Sabi ng former girlfriend ko.”

Do you sleepwalk?

“No, I don’t.”

How many pillows do you sleep with?

“Six.”

What’s the last thing that you do before you go to sleep?

“Take a bath. I take a bath three times a day.”

And the first thing that you do when you wake up?

“Take a bath.”

How do you cope with stress?

“I jog, usually around the UP campus. I rarely have a massage. Hindi ako mahilig sa masahe. I also listen to music, mostly old songs.”

Among the cities that you’ve been to, what’s your favorite?

“Sa local, Batanes. Sa abroad, Cannes because there the girls walk around topless.”

How’s your nightlife?

“Tame, compared to before. Now, I just hang out with friends at their homes or at mine.”

Your love life?

“Malungkot. Six months na akong walang girlfriend. The last one was not from showbiz.”

And your sex life?

“Occasionally. Di naman nawawala ‘yon, di ba?”

Who’s your favorite fantasy figure?

“Secret!”

Name three women you think have nice bodies.

“Cristine Reyes. Anne Curtis. Angel Locsin.”

And three men...

“Piolo Pascual. Derek Ramsay. Marc Nelson.”

Using only body language, how would you make a girl know that you admire her?

“When I like a girl, I turn torpe. Otherwise, I’m playful with girls. If I like a girl, kunwari ini-ignore ko siya.”

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