After making waves as the antagonist in the highly rated drama Tayong Dalawa and landing his first lead role in Nagsimula sa Puso, Coco Martin continued to make his mark in the drama and romance genres, taking on a string of successful projects that further established him as one of television’s rising leading men.
Award-winning Role
In 2011, Coco Martin further cemented his place as a leading man when he took on the challenging role of twins Alexander and Javier in the hit action-drama series Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin. Paired with Maja Salvador and Andi Eigenmann, Coco showcased his chemistry with both actresses.
His performance also earned him several accolades, including the Gawad Tanglaw Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series, further recognizing his versatility in bringing two characters on opposite sides of the good-and-evil spectrum to life.
CocoJul
A year later, Coco found himself at the center of another major teleserye hit. Walang Hanggan marked his first pairing with Julia Montes. Here the two played star-crossed lovers Daniel and Katerina, with the series becoming one of the biggest television hits of 2012.
These portrayals earned them the Prince and Princess of Television in the 44th Box Office Entertainment Awards.
Directed by Jerry Lopez Sineneng, Trina N. Dayrit, and Jojo A. Saguin, the teleserye boasted a powerhouse ensemble that included Richard Gomez, Dawn Zulueta, Paulo Avelino, Melissa Ricks, Joem Bascon, Helen Gamboa, and the late Susan Roces.
The success of the CocoJul tandem soon extended to the big screen with A Moment in Time in 2013. Directed by Emmanuel Palo and filmed partly in Amsterdam, the romantic drama earned both Coco and Julia nominations for Best Actor and Best Actress at the FAMAS Awards.
Movie Leading Man
While his pairing with Julia became one of his most recognized tandems, Coco continued to explore different on-screen partnerships. He starred opposite singer-actress Angeline Quinto in Born to Love You, followed by Maybe This Time with Sarah Geronimo in 2014. The following year, he teamed up with Toni Gonzaga in Antoinette Jadaone's You're My Boss.
Primetime Royalty
On television, Coco also took on leading roles opposite other actresses, including Erich Gonzales in Juan dela Cruz.
He later starred alongside Kim Chiu in Ikaw Lamang, where he also reunited with Julia Montes and worked with KC Concepcion for the first time. His portrayal of Samuel and Gabriel in the period drama earned him a Best Performance by An Actor award in the 13th Gawad Tanglaw Awards.
But Coco's career was about to enter an entirely different chapter.
The following year, he would take on the role that would not only redefine his image as an action star but also lead him to headline what would become the longest-running teleserye in Philippine television history.
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