Danilo Barrios dances his way to success

At 17, Danilo Barrios is the youngest member of Streetboys. Now also a contract star of the ABS-CBN Talent Center, he is also the busiest when it comes to acting assignments.

After guesting in such ABS-CBN shows as Maalaala Mo Kaya, Flames, Wansapanataym, Judy Ann Santos Drama Special and ASAP, he is now a mainstay in G-mik, forming a love triangle with Camille Prats and Stefano Mori.

In the new sitcom starring Jolina Magdangal, entitled Ariba, Ariba, he’ll be paired with Camille once more.

On the big screen, he has just completed Regal Entertainment and Roadrunner Network’s co-production venture which is an entry to the Metro-Manila Filmfest, Spirit Warriors. Before November ends, he will start shooting a new movie, Dekada ‘70 for Star Cinema, where he will be playing the youngest of four sons of Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon.

"So many wonderful opportunities are coming my way that, sometimes, I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not only dreaming," he beams.

The eldest of three boys and one girl, Danilo Barrios (that’s his real name), hails from Tarlac, Tarlac. He got his mestizo good looks from his mother, who is half-Spanish. But his Pampango father is also very fair, so it’s not surprising that he was born on Aug. 6, 1983 as a cute baby boy everyone predicted would be a movie star someday.

As a teener in Tarlac National High School, both his classmates and teachers urged him to try his luck in show business. He joined the Mr. Pogi You’re So Kaka. . . contest in Eat Bulaga in 1998 and won first prize in the grand finals. He was then included in the cast of GMA-7’s Anna Karenina and did two TV commercials: Rexona and Humpty Dumpty.

Last year, he heard the Streetboys were looking for new members so he applied. Chito Roño, who’s managing the dance group, saw his potential and hired him. Chito is now co-managing his career with ABS-CBN Talent Center.

"It was direk Chito who taught it best for me to sign an exclusive contract with ABS, so my character in GMA’s Anna Karerina was killed recently," says Danilo. "When I joined the cast of G-mik, I was so nervous because I didn’t know how they’d accept me. But after only a few days of taping, I felt at ease with them because they were all very friendly on the set, lalo na si John Prats. Now that I’m starring with Camille again in Arriba, Arriba, people are pairing us off. Bagay raw kami. I’ve had girlfriends before, but I feel that Camille at 15 is too young for me, although she’s really pretty and napakabait."

He has no lovelife right now.

"Ayaw ni direk Chito. He wants me to concentrate seriously on my craft as an actor so I took the workshop atActors Workshop Foundation. Right now, I share an apartment with two members of Streetboys, Maynard Marcellano and Sherwin, who are included in the cast of Miss Saigon. I go home to my family in Tarlac at least once a month. Direk Chito is very strict. We don’t even have a nightlife. Bahay-trabaho lang."

In Spirit Warriors, he plays Red, a student neglected by his parents who grew up with his lola in an old house where he sees ghosts all the time. He becomes a ghosthunter along with five other members of the Streetboys who play his classmates: Maynard, Rico Morato, Vhong Navarro, Christopher Cruz, and Spencer Reyes.

They go to the Sojotan Caves in Basay, Samar, (where the film was shot on location) and, in the process of searching for ghosts, they wake up same elementals, like the Ulanaya, a malevolent creature who can take many forms.

Regal and Roadrunner spent P45 million for the computer-generated special effects alone.

"I’m really proud to be part of this pioneering project," says Danilo. "The film’s principal photography took only four months to finish. We completed it April this year, but since then, they have been working on the special effects. We shot some scenes where we are talking to non-existent creatures, which will be supplied in the actual print later by digital effects. State-of-the-art technology was used and when we saw the rushes, it’s really amazing!"

Working with Vilma and Boyet in Dekada ‘70 will be a dream come true for Danilo.

"They’re really my idols, along with Lorna Tolentino and Aga Muhlach," he declares. "I play their ill-fated son who’ll later be salvaged by the military. I know I’ll learn a lot working with them."

Danilo admits he is enjoying his stay in show business so much.

"The biggest advantage is that I can now help my parents financially," he says. "But there are times when I miss my old friends in Tarlac, playing basketball with them or walking around in the mall without being recognized. Once my schedule has settled down, I also plan to go back to school. I just graduated from high school when I joined the Streetboys, so I wasn’t able to go to college. But I’m aware of how important having good education is, so I want to take up computer science by next year."