By Carissa Alcantara
Filipino actor Nico Antonio, known for his roles in "Tandem" and "Big Night," has entered the international scene with his upcoming "Big Bet'' series on Disney+.
During an intimate press conference held at Max's Restaurant in Quezon City last Dec. 8, Nico shared his experience auditioning for the role, which includes an impromptu acting piece.
"I got my skit with Mr. John Arcilla kasi yun yung pinaka recent ko sa 'Big Night,' and then he said (Yoon-sung) okay that's great but I need something serious. So naisip kong gawin yung scene ko with JM De Guzman dun sa movie namin na Tandem," Nico said.
Playing the role of Mark Flores in the series, Nico joined the cast with award-winning Korean actors, including Choi Min Shik (Old Boy) and Son Suk- Ku (The Outlaws 2).
Also included in the series are Lee Dong-hwi (The Extreme Job), Heo Sung-Tae (Squid Game), and Kim Joo-Ryung (Squid Games).
‘Big Bet’ tells the story of a man, once dubbed the king of the casino, who lost everything in an unfortunate series of events. He returns to the gambling scene, this time betting his life.
According to Nico, working as Mark on the series has been a challenging yet fulfilling experience.
"You have to be on your toes always. The actors I worked with, lahat sila ready pagdating sa set," he shared.
Working for the first time with a Filipino actor, director Kang Yoon-sung praised everyone, including Nico.
"(Nico) definitely did well. I could imagine who Mark was when Nico first played his role in the shooting. He is an amazing actor," Director Kang Yoon-sung shared in a statement.
"Big Bet" is set to premiere on Disney+ on Dec. 21.