Dennis Trillo gets real about 'Green Bones,' TikTok, fatherhood

Dennis Trillo has been in the spotlight recently for his role as Domingo Zamora, a Person Deprived of Liberty (PDL), in "Green Bones." The performance earned him the Best Actor award at the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.

The film also sparked renewed discussions about his skills as an actor.

For Dennis, playing the role of "Dom" in the film, the most important thing is ensuring that viewers see the character, not the actor.

In his interview with Jessica Soho on KMJS, the Drama King shared: "'Yung pinakaimportante na kailangan makita nila 'yung character na binuo ng artista, hindi 'yung artista 'yung makikita mo. Kailangan huwag kang matakot na magpapangit o dumihan 'yung itsura, o gusutin 'yung mukha mo, siguro 'yun 'yung pinaka-secret."

["The most important thing for me is that viewers see the character the actor has created, not the actor themselves. You shouldn't be afraid to look ugly, dirty, or messy. That's probably the secret."]

Dennis' career beginnings

Born Abelardo Dennis Florencio Ho, the actor is the eldest son of Abelardo Ho, a Filipino-Chinese from Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, and Filipina Florita Florencio.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies, Dennis worked for a telecommunications company.

When he auditioned for a talent search, his showbiz career began.

"Noon po talaga, hindi ko in-expect na dito mapapadpad sa industriya na 'to… talagang mahiyain po talaga ako sa personal. Talagang hindi ko akalain na, alam mo 'yun, kahit paano ay magkakaroon ako ng career sa showbiz," Dennis said.

["In the beginning, I didn't expect to end up in this industry. I've always been a shy person. I really didn't think that I'd manage to build a career in showbiz."]

In 2004, Dennis discovered his passion for acting and won his first award for his role as Igna, a transgender guerilla spy in "Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita," during the Japanese occupation. He was named Best Supporting Actor at the MMFF for the role.

Now called the Kapuso Drama King, Dennis admits that such titles give him pressure.

"Parang hindi ako masyadong komportable dahil 'pag sinabing Drama King, baka drama lang kayang gawin nito," he said. "Mas gusto ko 'yung wala na lang pong title. Mas maganda. 'Pag sinabi 'yung Dennis Trillo, OK, alam na nila."

["I'm not entirely comfortable with it because, when people hear 'Drama King,' they might think that all I can do is drama. I'd prefer not to have a title. It's better that way. When people hear my name, Dennis Trillo, they'll already know."]

The actor prefers scenes where he gets dirty or deglamorized, saying it's more challenging than trying to look polished. He added that he loves these roles because he enjoys watching offbeat films.

Although Dennis has played a variety of roles, his dream is to portray a serial killer. He hopes to bring a full autobiographical film about one to life this year.

And despite being a big name in showbiz, Dennis is still known to be shy and introverted.

Dennis said he also avoids being too confident and wants to remain grounded.

'Green Bones'

Dennis said his MMFF Best Actor win is still sinking in.

"Hanggang ngayon po sobrang surreal pa rin siya," Dennis said. "Araw-araw hindi ako natatapos magbasa ng mga comments, ng mga nagme-mention sa akin na nakakapanood ng sine't nagre-react. Napaka-genuine, napaka-organic kaya ang sarap din po sa pakiramdam talaga."

["Even now, it feels surreal. Every day, I keep reading comments and mentions from people who've watched the movie and reacted to it. The feedback feels so genuine and organic, and it's really heartwarming."]

Dennis portrayed Domingo Zamora, a man notorious for murdering his sister and her daughter, and now up for parole, with a prison guard (played by Ruru Madrid) ensuring he stays behind bars. Most audiences said that they didn't see Dennis, but instead saw him completely transform into Domingo.

Dennis gave credit to the way the story was written and director Zig Dulay's guidance.

"Nakatulong din po 'yung pag-aaral ng sign language. Pinag-aralan din po kung ano talaga 'yung ginagawa ng mga PDLs. Kaya po siguro naramdaman nila na buong-buo 'yung character."

["Learning sign language also helped, as well as studying what PDLs actually do. I think that's why viewers felt the character was so complete."]

Dennis aimed to deliver a strong message despite having minimal dialogue. He explained that with very few lines in the film, every hand gesture and expression had to be meaningful to convey the story.

The film, Dennis said, does not glorify PDLs, but highlights their existence as they are confined in just one place.

Dennis said that everyone deserves a chance to change, as no one is permanently bad, and we all make mistakes. He added that the film serves as a reminder to always show kindness and never forget the power of second chances.

After winning, Dennis donated his P100,000 cash prize from the MMFF to PDLs in Lipa City Jail.

"'Yung kuwento po ng Green Bones para naman po talaga sa kanila. Para po para magamit nila, share mo kung anong meron," he said.

["The story of Green Bones is really for them. It's to share what you have."]

The actor urged PDLs to never lose hope, reminding them that as long as they're alive, there is always hope. He emphasized that hope remains a constant, no matter the circumstances.

'King of TikTok'?

Dennis may be the drama king and an introvert, but he shows a totally different side of himself on TikTok.

At first, Dennis declined to create an account, saying it wasn't his personality. However, after trying to make content last year, he discovered that audiences enjoyed his videos.

"Dahil for more than 20 years, hindi nila nakita 'yung side ko na ganon. And feeling ko, kilala nila ako marunong umarte, ganyan. Pero feeling ko, iniisip nila, 'Ang boring nitong tao na ito.' So parang sabi ko, bakit hindi ko pakita itong side na ito?"

["For over 20 years, they've only seen my serious side. I thought, why not show them this side of me?"]

Dennis often features his wife, Jennylyn Mercado, in his TikTok videos and said that it has brought them closer. He admitted that he was initially shy about sharing his content, but now that wall is gone.

Dennis as a father

Despite being a busy actor, Dennis makes sure to have family time.

"Tina-try ko as much as possible maging hands-on, i-manage 'yung time properly para walang makakalimutan, walang mami-miss na special na okasyon. Gusto ko lang ma-maximize and itaas 'yung quality nu'ng time," he said.

["I try to be hands-on as possible and manage my time properly to ensure I don't miss any special occasions. I want to make the most of our time together."]

The actor calls Jennylyn his number one supporter, describing their relationship as "great." He admires her for all she does, from preparing his things to making sure he's ready before he leaves for work.

Dennis and Jennylyn have a daughter together, Dylan Jade. The couple has teen sons, Calix and Jazz whom they co-parent.

Dennis shared that their family always spends time together when they're not working, enjoying life in the province with fresh air and a home filled with plants.

—JCB, GMA Integrated News