Sixteen years after leaving the Philippines to build a career in Indonesia, actor and host Leo Consul is coming back home in a bigger way. Now officially signed under ALV Talent Circuit, he's ready to take on new opportunities in showbiz, driven by his parents' wish to see more of him on the local screen.

“My dad is 82 now, and my mom is 72,” Leo revealed. “Every time we speak on the phone, my father would ask, ‘When will you be with us in the Philippines? When will we be able to watch you on local TV?’ I always sent them links to my shows, but they couldn’t understand them because they're in Bahasa. Seeing my parents more is really one of the biggest reasons why I came back.”

Aside from this, he has always considered joining local showbiz his biggest goal after conquering Indonesia as the only Filipino to co-host the Indonesian versions of "Eat Bulaga!" (2012-2013) and "It’s Showtime" (2019) . He has also done three teleseryes and two movies there, one of which is a horror flick, "Kamu Harus Mati" (You Must Die) , which will be shown in 2026.

He also released a single, an Indonesian translation of Yeng Constantino's "Ikaw," titled "Kamu," which topped Indonesian radio charts after its 2018 release. Then, in 2024, Leo starred in "Kisses From Death," his first series in Singapore under Mediacorp.

Although he will still go to Indonesia for projects, Leo says with excitement that "now I think it's the perfect time. I've always considered showbiz in the Philippines as my biggest dream, and it's finally here. With Sir Arnold Vegafria’s wide network and extensive experience in the industry, I look forward to more challenging acting projects, hosting stints, and hopefully get to pursue my other passions, including singing and modeling."

It was in 2023 when Leo got the chance to be part of the eight-episode Prime Video series, "Fit Check: Confessions of an Ukay Queen" (2023), which starred Kim Chiu, Jake Ejercito, Angel Aquino, and his idol, Christopher de Leon, among others.

“It was a dream come true sharing lines and getting complimented by Sir Boyet. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t just dreaming,” said Leo, whose resemblance to another award-winning actor, Piolo Pascual, is getting noticed.

On being a look-alike of Piolo, Leo commented: "I get that a lot. I'd fail in comparison. To be compared to Piolo is a huge compliment. Like wow!"

As someone who cleaned buses as a child because of poverty, Leo's life story has been reenacted in "Magpakailanman," where actor Bruce Roeland played him. Leo never fails to recall those days when he didn't know where the next food would come from, and he just picked up leftover sandwiches left behind by bus passengers. When his life got better, and he received his very first paycheck as a TV host, Leo filled an entire bus with food to make sure hungry children wouldn’t have to dig through trash the way he did.

Leo continues to pay it forward. Last month, he revisited his hometown after 21 years and spoke at the commencement exercises of his alma mater. In his speech, Leo shared his dream to establish a scholarship foundation for underprivileged children in Pangasinan.

He narrated: "I remember when I was a kid, my father always told me: 'Leo, we don't have money. You won't be able to explore the world. But at least read a lot of books. That way, you will have an active imagination, and you know what's happening." Leo recalled telling his father that he would definitely get out of Bolinao, dream big, and make it happen. So he did.

After working hard all his life, Leo recently invested in a property, which he plans to build a house on and give to his parents as a gift. Most importantly, he hopes Filipino viewers will welcome him, not just as an actor, but as someone whose story proves that with faith and resilience, people can rewrite their destiny.