Nico Antonio is ecstatic to be in his biggest project to date, “Big Bet,” a 16-episode action series set to premiere on Disney+ on December 21.
The actor stars as Mark Flores, an intelligence officer who will appear starting episode 6 until the last, episode 16, of the series. Nico investigates the murder of Korean citizens in the Philippines. At a recent press conference at Max’s Restaurant in Quezon City last December 8, Nico shared how he landed the role and the experience of working in the international production alongside acclaimed Korean talents such as Choi Min Sik (“Old Boy”), Son Suk-ku (“The Outlaws 2”), Lee Dong-hwi (“The Extreme Job”) Heo Sung-tae and Kim Joo-ryung, both of “Squid Game.” It is under the direction of Kang Yoon-sung, who made the movies “Long Live the King,” “The Outlaws,” and “Last Concert.”
Apart from it being a Korean production, Nico knew little about the project. He learned of the audition in January because of his mom, producer, director and lawyer Joji Alonso. His first day on the set was especially memorable.
“Day 1 ko po, ka-eksena ko agad si Choi Min Sik. Pinigilan ko agad ma-overwhelm kas inga idol ko sya,” he related. “Bihira lang ako ma-stuck up pag kaharap ko ang idol kos a acting so pinigilan ko. Naitawid ko naman ang eksena.”
Most of the actors knew English and so language was not really a problem. And when it comes to professionalism, Nico could not say enough of the cast and crew. He said he was treated the same was as all the stars and had time to bond with the Korean stars when they went “restaurant hopping.”
“The way they work is pareho lang dito. Pero mabilis silang mag pick-pack. Mabilis silang mag set-up at pag tapos na sa location, mabilis silang mag-disassemble. Pag babagal bagal ka, iiwan ka.”
Director Kang Yoon-sung does not raise his voice on the set.
“Sobrang bait, siya ang sinisigawan,” Nico said. “Sabi ko, Mr. Kang, nung sinabay nya ako sa sasakyan nya. ‘Mr. Kang, you’re so nice.’ Sabi nya, ‘Thank you.’”
Atty. Joji said the movie’s budget is 20 billion won, which is equivalent to roughly P1 billion, and for one sequence Nico had to shoot from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
“The series was shot like a film, said the actor. Si Direk Kang is a movie director and ‘yun ang style nya. If you’ve scene his debut movie, ‘The Outlaws,’ it was made in 2017, maiintindihan nyo kung paano.”
