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| DIEGO GUTIERREZ with dad RAMON CHRISTOPHER and mom LOTLOT DE LEON |
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| DIEGO and parents with talent manager LEO DOMINGUEZ |
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| DIEGO WITH DAD MONCHING |
DIEGO GUTIERREZ was born on November 11, 1996. He’s the third of four kids of Ramon Christopher and Lotlot de Leon, and the only boy. “Ako yung pinakamabait na anak nila,” he says, and quickly adds. “Joke!”
He was in grade one when his parents Lotlot and Monching separated.
“I stayed with my dad but we ng sisters ko never felt it kasi they’re both always there for us,” he says. “Pareho naman silang lagi naming nakikita and they’ve remained good friends.”
He stands 6 feet tall and was a varsity basketball player for University of Asia & the Pacific in college. Now that he’s a graduate, he plays as a shooting guard for the Quezon City Defenders team that’s part of the National Basketball League of the Philippines.
Tall, well built and good looking, he has all the makings of a hardcourt heartthrob. And now, he’s about to join showbiz and signed up to be managed by Leo Dominguez.
Initially, he wants to go into singing, hosting and doing endorsements. How come no acting?
“I feel that I’m not ready yet,” he says. “I want to prepare for it muna. Also, hindi ko pa rin iiwan ang basketball.”
His dad Monching says actors now are so different than during his time.
“Kasi noon, kami, ang feeling ko, parang naglalaro lang, e,” he adds. “Basta isinalang na lang kami agad sa harap ng kamera. Now, they’re very serious about their craft. They take workshops muna and I feel it can help Diego not only with his acting but with his total personality development kasi medyo shy pa siya, e.”
Diego agrees. “Kaya nga, huwag muna acting. Later siguro, kapag handa na ako. But sa singing, someone has made me record a song in the U.S. but hindi pa puede i-reveal ang details. I’m just hoping maging okay sana ang pagkanta ko.”
Who’s his favorite singer now?
“Shawn Mendes, a Canadian singer-songwriter known for songs like ‘Senorita’, ‘If I Can’t Have You’ and ‘Stitches’.”
Did he see any movies that his parents made during their heydays as a teen love team?
“Some of them, yes, on TV. Ang most memorable sa’kin was yung ‘Love Boat’. Nakakatuwa silang panoorin.”
Would he like to do a movie with them and his Ate Janine? “Yes, I think that would be exciting.”
Who among today’s actresses would he like to be paired with?
“Actually, I haven’t thought of anyone in particular. Before, si Solenn Heussaff talaga ang crush ko. But now, siguro bahala na sila kung sino ang ipe-pair nila sa akin, but later pa yun dahil I’m not ready to try acting yet.”
He’s very honest in confessing that he already has a girlfriend.
“Her name is Bea, non-showbiz. Three years na kaming on, since college.”
What’s her reaction to his joining showbiz?
“She’s excited. And very supportive, just like my whole family.”
How’s he and her Ate Janine’s special someone, Rayver Cruz?
“We’re okay. Close kami kasi we play a lot of basketball together. We really get along fine.”
He says he cried when his idol, Kobe Bryant, perished in a helicopter crush?
“Naiyak ako kasi idol ko talaga kasi siya, kami ni Papa. We’re both basketball fans and Lakers team talaga kami, e. We really mourned for his passing.”
Since he wants to do endorsements, will he be ready to be an underwear model?
“At this point, parang hindi ko yata kaya. Puede ibang products muna?”
