MARK HERRAS used to play lead roles with Jennylyn Mercado in films and on TV after they won as the Male and Female Ultimate Survivors of the very first Starstruck in 2004 when he was 18 years old.
But through the years, Jennylyn’s career prospered while Mark suffered and he was relegated to playing supporting roles in soaps like “The Cure” and “Descendants of the Sun”.
It’s good GMA chose to retain him and renewed his contract as a Kapuso.
And now, he gets to play one of the leads in the new GMA Afternoon Prime teleserye, “Artikulo 247”, where he shares topbilling with Rhian Ramos, Kris Bernal and Benjamin Alves. What’s his role?
“I play Elijah Borromeo, the older brother of Ben Alves,” he says. “Mother namin si Carla Martinez.
"My role here is very different from my roles before na magaslaw ako o maharot. Si Elijah is a serious person, very loving son to our mom and caring brother kay Ben. He’s very protective of his family. This is really a very mature role for me.”
In the story, he falls in love with Kris Bernal as Carmen and offers to marry her.
But when he introduces her to Ben and his girlfriend, Rhian Ramos, Rhian tells him that the real name of Kris is Claire and not Carmen, and also reveals that Claire is the unfaithful wife of Victor Silayan who she stabbed to death.
“Of course, hindi aamin si Kris and she’ll deny to death na siya yung babaeng sinasabi ni Rhian,” adds Mark. “Dahil diyan, magiging magulo and very complicated ang takbo ng story.”
Mark is newly married to his wife Nicole Donesa and they have a baby boy named Corky.
Did he miss them when he went into lock in taping in Batangas for “Artikulo 247”?
“Sobrang na-miss ko sila. For one year dahil sa pandemic, lagi kaming magkakasama ng wife ko and our baby.
"Then I had to go to my first locked in taping and I have to adjust big time. We have no choice, kasi I have to work, kailangang kumayod. We had two legs of locked in taping.
"Noong una, bago mag-Christmas. Then later, from late January to late February.”
All in all, he was away from his family for two tapings of 30 days each.
“Noong una, hirap na hirap akong makatulog kasi naaalala ko sila lagi. Nami-miss ko sila, buti na lang at may internet so we can keep in touch. But it’s worth it kasi this is for them naman, to provide for them. They serve as an inspiration, basta magtiis-tiis lang muna.”
Looks like being a husband and dad really changed him.
“Yes, mas masaya ang pakiramdam ko. Mas nagseryoso ako sa buhay. With my son, iba na ang mindset ko. He’s my inspiration.
"Kami ni Mike Tan, pareho kaming may pamilyang iniwanan so, gusto na naming umuwi, hindi para magpahinga like before, kundi para maalagaan uli ang anak namin. I want to be actively involved in rearing him and for me to be a good example for him.”
