Like a typical 20-year old, Mark Angelo Herras is obsessed with video games, basketball, and action figures. His life, however, is anything but typical.
As the first StarStruck Ultimate Male Survivor, Mark saw his life taking a 360-degree turn when he won GMA-7's talent search cum reality show in 2004. His good looks and great dancing ability made him the new heartthrob in Tinseltown. At the same time, however, his private life became an open book for a gossip-hungry public to scrutinize.
Thanks to his loving extended-family—mom Jasmin, adoptive dad Jun, older brother John James, and uncle Ernie, not to mention his personal assistant Joey Rada—Mark has managed to keep the down-to-earth qualities that endeared him to his fans.
For his family, Mark has now bought a new home in Quezon City. His dad, Jun Herras, says half of the price was paid in advance, but it will still take five years for the house to be paid in full.
At home and in the neighborhood, Mark easily sheds off his showbiz persona. Here, he can be himself, acting his age and being a playful kid again, away from the prying eyes of the press and the idolizing sighs of his fans.
"Masarap dito," Mark says. "Nararamdaman ko ulit ýong privacy ko. Kasi, lahat ng ka-basketball ko, mga katropa ko rin. Tambay lang kami do'n sa may kanto, malapit sa court. Do'n lang kami maghapon at magdamag. "
The Herrases still own the family house in Laguna, but they have decided to move to Metro Manila for practical purposes. From the new QC home, it's easier for Mark to keep his appointments for tapings, shootings, and other showbiz appearances.
Mark's dad, who was financially ruined because of his investment in a pyramid scam, is grateful that his son's entry into showbiz saved the family from impending poverty. "Kung siguro hindi nagtrabaho ýong anak ko," Jun Herras says, groping for words, "siguro... siguro, baka patay na ako."
Concerned with his son's showbiz future, Jun often reminds his son to be patient and to stay humble.
"Konting tiyaga, íka nga—ýan ang sinasabi ko kay Mark. Dapat ýong attitude, maganda palagi... Mabait, mabait si Mark talaga. Hindi nagbago. Ang nagbago lang nga ýong oras ng pagtulog niya na supposed to be dapat maaga. E, siyempre nagtatrabaho, hindi puwede. Ýon lang naman."
Now that Mark Herras is one of the busiest talents of GMA-7—he has starred in various television and movie projects, including Click, Starstruck Playhouse, S.O.P Gigsters, Love to Love, Eternity, Encantadia, I Luv NY, Happy Together, Let the Love Begin, Say that You Love Me, Blue Moon, and most recently, Super Noypi—he considers sleep deprivation a small price to pay for his fame.
"Siyempre, gusto ko, habang meron diyan, habang me trabaho, kuha lang ng kuha. Nakakatulog naman ako sa sasakyan, e. ‘Tsaka, pag me time namang matulog, tulog talaga. Ayoko namang dumating ýong time na ako'ng humihingi ng trabaho sa kanila, na ‘bigyan mo naman ako ng ganito, ipasok mo ako sa ganyan. ‘Di ba?"
Having received so many blessings, Mark is quick to express his appreciation for the industry that has welcomed him with open arms.
"Actually, after StarStruck pa lang, minahal ko na ýong showbiz. Kasi natawa ako, nag-enjoy ako, sobra."
Of course, there are times when he definitely doesn't feel like laughing—for instance, when he has to answer unrelenting questions about his romantic entanglements. Still, he can live with the tittle-tattle.
"Okey ako sa intriga. Kasi ako, kaya kong sakyan lahat, e. Minsan, nakakapagod lang. Paulit-ulit na ‘tinatanong sa ýo, paulit-ulit every week, ýon pa rin ang tinatanong sa ýo."
Trying to tone down his playboy image, Mark vows that he'll focus more on his career from now on.
"Ayaw ko munang pumasok sa isang relationship, kasi baka mabigla na naman ako. Bata pa naman ako. Trabaho muna."