Paulo Avelino

Paulo Avelino, born in Baguio City back in '88, kind of exploded onto the Philippine entertainment scene when he was still young and just kept on rolling. People know him mostly for his crazy range—he'll do drama, then a mind-bending indie, and then suddenly he’s this mysterious anti-hero in a primetime teleserye. "Walang Hanggan" in 2012? That one shot him into the mainstream stratosphere, for real. Instantly, everyone’s mom, tita, and neighbor knew his face. He played Nathan, the brooding guy with way too much emotional baggage (classic Pinoy drama), and man, he nailed it. But Paulo’s not just about the mainstream grind. In "Fan Girl" (2020), he went full meta, playing a version of himself that was raw, gritty, and honestly, kinda unlikable—super gutsy move. People were shook, in a good way. He’s not afraid to look ugly or awkward on screen if it means telling a better story. That film grabbed awards left and right, no surprise there. Way back in 2011, "Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa" (which is a mouthful, honestly) had him dancing and acting his heart out in a story about sexuality, art, and, well, being lost in your own skin. Not exactly the standard leading man stuff, but that's his thing—he takes risks. So yeah, Paulo’s built this rep for being unpredictable, always switching gears, and you never know what he’ll do next. That’s half the fun of following his career.