Abelardo Dennis Florencio Ho (born 12 May 1981), known professionally as Dennis Trillo (), is a Filipino actor, model and recording artist. He is currently a contract star of
GMA Network
GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network ( ...
. He was known for his role as Eric del Mundo in the first ever gay-themed series on Philippine TV, ''
My Husband's Lover'' aired on GMA Network in 2013.
Trillo received his first acting award in 2004 for his role as a cross-dressing spy in the 2004 war film ''
Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita''. In May 2016, he appeared in another primetime television series, ''
Juan Happy Love Story'', opposite his ''
Dwarfina'' leading lady
Heart Evangelista.
Now being recognized both locally and internationally, he still continues to work as GMA Network's Drama King.
Personal life
Trillo was born on May 12, 1981, in
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,960,048 people. It was foun ...
to Florita Florencio Ho, a Filipino, and Abelardo Leslie Ho, a
Chinese Filipino from
Dumaguete
Dumaguete, officially the City of Dumaguete ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dumaguete; fil, Lungsod ng Dumaguete), is a 3rd income class component city and the capital of the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has ...
,
Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental ( ceb, Sidlakang Negros; tl, Silangang Negros), officially the Province of Negros Oriental, is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Dumaguete. It occupies the southeas ...
. He finished high school at Jose Abad Santos Memorial School, Quezon City and spent his grade school years (grades 1–7) at the
Ateneo De Manila University
, mottoeng = Light in the Lord
, type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution
, established = December 10, 1859
, religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic (Jesuits)
, academic_aff ...
. He pursued a college education at
Miriam College and received a B.A. in International Studies.
He has a son with his ex-girlfriend
Carlene Aguilar
Carlene Ang Aguilar-Ocampo (; born February 8, 1982) is a Filipino-Chinese actress and former beauty queen, having been crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2001 and Binibining Pilipinas World 2005.
Biography
Carlene Aguilar was born on February 8, ...
, born in 2007.
In 2021, he married his longtime girlfriend
Jennylyn Mercado
Jennylyn Anne Pineda Mercado-Ho (; born May 15, 1987) is a Filipino actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the winner of the StarStruck (season 1), first season of the reality talent competition ''StarStruck (Philippine TV series), StarStruc ...
. They had daughter named Dylan who born on April 25, 2022.
Career
Early years
Prior to starting his career in show business, Trillo was once a member of a band called ''Moyg''. For a short period, he played the drums for the DIY band in
Baguio
Baguio ( ,
), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines ...
. His career in entertainment started in
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under L ...
in 2001 when he was introduced as part of
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under L ...
's Star Circle (now known as
Star Magic) batch 10 along with
Bea Alonzo
Phylbert Angelli Ranollo Fagestrom (born October 17, 1987), professionally known as Bea Alonzo (), is a Filipino actress. Alonzo first gained recognition for the 2002 teleserye ''Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay''. She is best known for her portrayals ...
,
Alfred Vargas and
TJ Trinidad. He took part in
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under L ...
's hit television soap operas ''
Pangako Sa 'Yo'' as Ruel and ''
Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan'' as Jojo; both were minor characters.
2003–2005: Breakthrough as Kapuso
After transferring to
GMA Network
GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network ( ...
and becoming a contract star, he landed his first role for the network in the youth-oriented drama ''
Kahit Kailan'' where he played a supporting character named David. He was also cast in several outings like ''
Twin Hearts'' and ''
Love to Love''.
In 2004, he had his first main character role in the fantasy show ''
Mulawin''. He played Gabriel, a half-human and half-''Ravena'' who became the third wheel in Alwina (
Angel Locsin) and Agiluz (
Richard Gutierrez) romance. The same year, he had his breakthrough performance when he starred in the
Metro Manila Film Festival official entry ''
Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita'' as a
transgender woman
A trans woman or a transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity, may experience gender dysphoria, and may transition; this process commonly includes hormone replacement therapy and some ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. In this film he received his first acting award as Best Supporting Actor in the
30th Metro Manila Film Festival
The 30th Metro Manila Film Festival was held in Manila, Philippines, from December 25, 2004 to January 5, 2005.
Vilma Santos, Christopher de Leon and their movie, '' Mano Po III: My Love'' topped the 2004 Metro Manila Film Festival. Santos an ...
.
Following this recognition, he received five more Best Actor trophies from the Film Academy of the Philippines, the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS), the PMPC Star Awards for Movies, Golden Screen Awards and the Young Critics Circle. He was also included in the third installment of ''Mano Po''.
The following year, 2005, Trillo officially became a leading man when he was paired with
Angel Locsin in the television adaptation of the iconic superhero ''
Darna''. He also starred in an afternoon family drama ''
Now and Forever: Agos'' where he received a Best Drama Actor nomination from PMPC Star Awards for TV. That same year, he reprised his role for ''
Mulawin: The Movie'', and appeared in the film ''
Blue Moon''.
2006–2010: Kapuso leading man and music debut
In 2005, in
GMA Network
GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network ( ...
fantasy series ''
Encantadia'', Trillo was cast as lead character in ''
Etheria'', where he portrayed the Sapirian prince,
Raquim
''Encantadia'' is a Filipino fantasy franchise produced and published by GMA Network. It consists of four television series that have run from 2005 to present and a single film. The first was shown in 2005 carrying the title alone and ended in ...
. Midway through the series,
GMA Network
GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network ( ...
management announced that Trillo would be pulled out from the said show to once again star in another fantasy-themed television series ''
Majika'', in the end Trillo was allowed to complete ''
Etheria''. He also starred in the horror-suspense film ''Pamahiin'' and was included in the network's noontime show ''
SOP'' as a co-host where he also played drums as part of the show's "Starband".
Trillo released his self-titled debut album in 2007 under
IndiMusic. It was in the same year when he made his fourth Lenten drama special for
GMA Network
GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network ( ...
under
APT Entertainment entitled ''Unico Hijo''. On August 21, 2007, he started taping for the fantasy series ''
Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan'' with
Aljur Abrenica and
Marky Cielo.
On April 27, 2008, five thousand spectators witnessed the ''Battle of Mactan'' play, with Trillo playing
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the Eas ...
at the
Mactan,
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and ...
Shrine. The same year, Trillo joined the stellar cast of ''
Magdusa Ka'', an afternoon soap opera which later earned an International Emmy nomination the following year. Late 2008 when he starred in the comic-based superhero series ''
Gagambino'', playing as the main character. The following year after ''Gagambino'', he starred into two more primetime dramas: ''
Adik Sa'Yo'' and the 2009 remake of ''
Darna''.
Trillo's hosting roles continued when he replaced
Dingdong Dantes as a co-host in the new installment of ''
StarStruck V'' in 2009. In 2010, he also began co-hosting the variety show, ''
Party Pilipinas
''Party Pilipinas'' () is a Philippine television variety show broadcast by GMA Network. Hosted by Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Jaya and Janno Gibbs, it premiered on March 28, 2010 replacing ''SOP''. The show concluded on May 19, 2013 with a ...
''. He appeared in ''
Sine Novela Presents:'' ''
Gumapang Ka Sa Lusak
''Gumapang Ka sa Lusak'' is a 1990 Filipino drama film directed by Lino Brocka.
Plot
Living in the slums of Manila, Jonathan, a college student likes to hangout with his wealthy college friends Eric, Dodo and RJ. One night at a bar, he met Rache ...
'' opposite
Jennylyn Mercado
Jennylyn Anne Pineda Mercado-Ho (; born May 15, 1987) is a Filipino actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the winner of the StarStruck (season 1), first season of the reality talent competition ''StarStruck (Philippine TV series), StarStruc ...
and portrayed Andrew Tantoco in the Philippine adaptation of the hit Korean series ''
Endless Love''.
2011–present: GMA's Drama King; ''My Husband's Lover''
In 2011, Trillo appeared in the romantic-fantasy series ''
Dwarfina'' where he teamed-up with
Heart Evangelista. After playing the lead role in the Philippine adaptation of ''
Temptation of Wife'', Trillo lead his most controversial role to date as Eric del Mundo in his second International Emmy nominee drama series ''
My Husband's Lover'' where he received one acting award from two nominations and a commendation from Asian TV Awards.
After the success of the series, the cast of ''
My Husband's Lover'' held a concert at Araneta Coliseum named ''"One More Try: My Husband's Lover The Concert"''. The same year, Trillo and his screen partner
Tom Rodriguez released their album titled ''TomDen,'' which is now a certified Platinum record according to the
PARI with over 15,000 copies sold.
In 2014, he top-billed the Primetime drama series ''
Hiram na Alaala
''Hiram na Alaala'' (International title: ''Memories of Love'' / ) is a Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Dominic Zapata, it stars Dennis Trillo, Kris Bernal, Lauren Young and Rocco Nacino. It premi ...
'' with Kapuso actress
Kris Bernal. He also had a weekly medical drama with
Bela Padilla entitled ''
Sa Puso ni Dok
''Sa Puso ni Dok'' (International title: ''Village Doctor'' / ) is a 2014 Philippine television drama series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Adolf Alix Jr., it stars Dennis Trillo and Bela Padilla. It premiered on August 24, 2014 on netwo ...
'' under GMA News & Public Affairs department. Trillo visited
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under L ...
via his guesting in ''
Kris TV'' to promote his 2015 movie ''You're Still The One'' alongside
Maja Salvador,
Ellen Adarna
Ellen Meriam Go Adarna-Ramsay (born April 2, 1988) is a Filipino actress, model, and former internet celebrity. Her family owns various hotels, condominiums and Queensland, a chain of motels in Cebu, Manila and Davao. They also own a temple ...
and
Richard Yap under
Regal Entertainment Inc. and
Star Cinema. The same year, Trillo launched his first
VIVA Films movie, ''
Felix Manalo'' where he received a Movie Actor of the Year award from PMPC Star Awards for Movies.
After doing several heavy drama soap operas, Trillo starred in 2016 in a light drama series with
Heart Evangelista in ''
Juan Happy Love Story''.
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
* ''Dennis Trillo'' (2007,
IndiMusic)
Collaboration albums
* ''TomDen''
(with Tom Rodriguez) (2013,
GMA Records) (
PARI Certification: Platinum)
Compilation appearances
* ''Seasons of Love'' (2014, GMA Records)
:Track 6: "Tibok ng Puso"
Singles
* "All About Love" (2007)
* "Lumilipad" (2007)
* "Hinahanap-Hanap Kita"
('' Adik Sa'Yo'' theme song) (2009)
* "Forever"
(with Tom Rodriguez) (2014)
* "Kailan Man"
(''A 100-Year Legacy'' theme song) (2014)
* "Tibok ng Puso"
(''Sa Puso ni Dok
''Sa Puso ni Dok'' (International title: ''Village Doctor'' / ) is a 2014 Philippine television drama series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Adolf Alix Jr., it stars Dennis Trillo and Bela Padilla. It premiered on August 24, 2014 on netwo ...
'' theme song) (2014)
* "Sa Iyo na Lang Ako"
(''Hiram na Alaala
''Hiram na Alaala'' (International title: ''Memories of Love'' / ) is a Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Dominic Zapata, it stars Dennis Trillo, Kris Bernal, Lauren Young and Rocco Nacino. It premi ...
'' theme song) (2014)
* "Overdrive"
(''Lakbay 2 Love'' theme song) (with Solenn Heussaff) (2016)
Filmography
Television
Television series
Television shows
Drama anthologies
TV specials
Film
Accolades
References
External links
*
Dennis Trillo - GMA homepage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trillo, Dennis
1981 births
Living people
Filipino male television actors
Filipino male film actors
Ateneo de Manila University alumni
21st-century Filipino male actors
Filipino television personalities
21st-century Filipino male singers
Filipino male models
Filipino television variety show hosts
Filipino male comedians
People from Quezon City
Male actors from Metro Manila
Filipino people of Chinese descent
Miriam College alumni
GMA Network personalities
GMA Music artists
Viva Artists Agency