Dennis Trillo

Regular

**Abelardo Dennis Florencio Ho** (born May 12, 1981), known professionally as **Dennis Trillo** (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˈtɾiʎo]), is a Filipino actor, model and recording artist. He is currently a contract star of GMA Network. He was known for his role as Eric del Mundo in the first ever gay-themed series on Philippine TV, *My Husband's Lover* aired on GMA Network in 2013.

Trillo received his first acting award in 2004 for his role as a cross-dressing spy in the 2004 war film *Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita*. In May 2016, he appeared in another primetime television series, *Juan Happy Love Story*, opposite his *Dwarfina* leading lady Heart Evangelista.

Now being recognized both locally and internationally, he still continues to work as GMA Network's **Drama King**.

## Personal Life

Dennis Trillo was born as Abelardo Dennis Florencio Ho on May 12, 1981, in Quezon City to Florita Florencio, a Filipino, and Abelardo Leslie Ho, a Chinese Filipino from Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. He finished high school at Jose Abad Santos Memorial School, Quezon City and spent his grade school years (grades 1–7) at the Ateneo De Manila University. He pursued a college education at Miriam College and received a B.A. in International Studies.

He has a son with his ex-girlfriend Carlene Aguilar, born in 2007.

In 2021, he married his longtime girlfriend Jennylyn Mercado. They have a daughter named Dylan who was born on April 25, 2022.

## Early Years

Prior to starting his career in show business, Trillo was once a member of a band called *Moyg*. For a short period, he played the drums for the DIY band in Baguio. His career in entertainment started in ABS-CBN in 2001 when he was introduced as part of ABS-CBN's Star Circle (now known as Star Magic) batch 10 along with Bea Alonzo, Alfred Vargas and TJ Trinidad. He took part in ABS-CBN's hit television soap operas *Pangako Sa 'Yo* as Ruel and *Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan* as Jojo; both were minor characters.

After transferring to GMA Network and becoming a contract star, he landed his first role for the network in the youth-oriented drama *Kahit Kailan* where he played a supporting character named David. He was also cast in several outings like *Twin Hearts* and *Love to Love*.

In 2004, he had his first main character role in the fantasy show *Mulawin*. He played Gabriel, a half-human and half-*Ravena* who became the third wheel in Alwina (Angel Locsin) and Agiluz (Richard Gutierrez) romance. The same year, he had his breakthrough performance when he starred in the Metro Manila Film Festival official entry *Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita* as a transgender woman during World War II. In this film he received his first acting award as Best Supporting Actor in the 30th Metro Manila Film Festival.

Following this recognition, he received five more Best Actor trophies from the Film Academy of the Philippines, the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS), the PMPC Star Awards for Movies, Golden Screen Awards and the Young Critics Circle. He was also included in the third installment of *Mano Po*.

The following year, 2005, Trillo officially became a leading man when he was paired with Angel Locsin in the television adaptation of the iconic superhero *Darna*. He also starred in an afternoon family drama *Now and Forever: Agos* where he received a Best Drama Actor nomination from PMPC Star Awards for TV. That same year, he reprised his role for *Mulawin: The Movie*, and appeared in the film *Blue Moon*.

In 2005, in GMA Network fantasy series *Encantadia*, Trillo was cast as lead character in *Etheria*, where he portrayed the Sapirian prince, Raquim. Midway through the series, GMA Network management announced that Trillo would be pulled out from the said show to once again star in another fantasy-themed television series *Majika*, in the end Trillo was allowed to complete *Etheria*. He also starred in the horror-suspense film *Pamahiin* and was included in the network's noontime show *SOP* as a co-host where he also played drums as part of the show's "Starband".

Trillo released his self-titled debut album in 2007 under IndiMusic. It was in the same year when he made his fourth Lenten drama special for GMA Network under APT Entertainment entitled *Unico Hijo*. On August 21, 2007, he started taping for the fantasy series *Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan* with Aljur Abrenica and Marky Cielo.

On April 27, 2008, five thousand spectators witnessed the *Battle of Mactan* play, with Trillo playing Ferdinand Magellan at the Mactan, Cebu Shrine. The same year, Trillo joined the stellar cast of *Magdusa Ka*, an afternoon soap opera which later earned an International Emmy nomination the following year. Late 2008 when he starred in the comic-based superhero series *Gagambino*, playing as the main character. The following year after *Gagambino*, he starred into two more primetime dramas: *Adik Sa'Yo* and the 2009 remake of *Darna*.

Trillo's hosting roles continued when he replaced Dingdong Dantes as a co-host in the new installment of *StarStruck V* in 2009. In 2010, he also began co-hosting the variety show, *Party Pilipinas*. He appeared in *Sine Novela Presents:* *Gumapang Ka Sa Lusak* opposite Jennylyn Mercado and portrayed Andrew Tantoco in the Philippine adaptation of the hit Korean series *Endless Love*.

## References

[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis\_Trillo