Paolo stands 5’9" and weighs 145 lbs. Born on Nov. 29, 1982, he also paints, which comes as no surprise since he is the great grandson of National Artist Fernando Amorsolo.
"My lola is his daughter," he explains. "And my lola is the sister of Eula Valdez’s mom so Eula is my aunt. She’s also my baptismal godmother. She was the one who introduced me to my manager now, Joji Dingcong."
The youngest and only boy in a brood of three, Paolo grew up in Cabanatuan City. "I was in grade two when the great earthquake of July 1990 happened. I was in school then and we were sent home when the school building beside ours collapsed, killing many people. I finished elementary at the Immaculate Conception College and high at the Cabanatuan City Science High where I was part of the theater guild and the glee club. I starred in plays like Once In This Island, Three Rats and Kutob.
His dad, a painter based in New York, manages the Tutubi Art Gallery in Manhattan. His mom is a dietician who works in a hospital in Cabanatuan with the mother of Leonardo Litton who is a nurse there.
Paolo was taking up masscomm in St. Louis University in Baguio (along with his sister who studies there) when a cousin took him to an ad agency.
"That started my appearance in TV commercials. I then met Joji and he introduced me to producer Malou Fagar of Eat Bulaga. They got me as a host of the U-Bet segment for university students in the show in October last year. By February, they made me a daily host, so I quit my studies and I have since relocated here and live with an uncle in Makati. My dad was against the idea of me quitting school, but when he came home for a vacation and saw what I’m doing, pumayag na rin siya. For some weeks, I also guested in the GMA-7 soap opera, Ikaw lang ang Mamahalin with Angelika de la Cruz and China Hortaleza. I was also cast in the movie Pakisabi Na Lang Mahal Ko Siya as a student of Judy Ann Santos. I am now doing Anghel sa Lupa with Cogie Domingo for Regal Films, directed by Jose Javier Reyes. I play the role of an angel along with Cogie."
He feels lucky that most of the people he has worked with are all nice to him. "Enjoy ako dahil masaya talaga sa showbiz. Even as a child, attracted na ako sa movies. My favorite stars then were Maricel Soriano and Christopher de Leon. In Eat Bulaga, they accepted me as a member of the family. It’s Ruby Rodriguez who is like my nanay-nanayan there dahil naging magka-vibes kami agad. In the other shows, like Kahit Kailan and Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin, I was initially star-struck working with veteran stars. It’s good mabait silang lahat and made me feel at ease. In Sakmo of Eat Bulaga, I was made to join in eating live shrimps, fresh frogs legs and seaweeds that taste like canal water. For that, I won a free trip to Bangkok with the other hosts. So now, I’m doing advanced tapings for the show so we can go to Bangkok for four days. I’m excited because this is my first trip abroad."
He admits having had four girlfriends. "Pero walang nagtagal ng one year kasi madali akong magsawa. And I want to be the one who runs after a girl, hindi ’yung akong hinahabol. I’m not serious yet when it comes to love," he shares.
Does he have a crush now? "Si Mandy Moore," he replies. "I like her after watching Walk to Remember. Sa local, it’s Donita Rose, Aiza Marquez, and Grace Nera, the cute tisay in the Sex Bomb Dancers."
What are his other plans? "In Eat Bulaga, I hope they’ll trust me to host the Laban O Bawi portion, the one who haggles with the contestants. In films, I want to try a dramatic film and be recognized as a good drama actor."