HE'S come a long way from being a Brat. Clint Holton P. Potestas meets an actor who wants to make his mark once again.
If measured by shrieks, handshakes, and stolen shots, Mark Anthony Fernandez - of course, no longer about moving on from the love-hate-love romance with Claudine Barreto - is still a matinee idol. Watching him take his way to the stage from the basement of the Ayala Center Cebu through a private passageway is like watching a Cinderella man wander into a coyote den.
The crowd screamed (like calling a close friend) his name as he takes his seat on a mono block chair, waiting for his cue to perform. The fans remain, well, fans despite the personal turmoil he had before the second showbiz breakthrough: a dwindling career, lost faith, and a struggle over the price of fame and fortune that landed him in a rehabilitation center.
Not all actors, no matter how award-potential they may be,, are blessed with a second chance. For the last four years since he returned via the Kapuso channel, GMA, Mark is no longer recognized under the shadow of his dark past. Let bygones be bygones: His reconciliation with ex-flame Claudine was aired last year on the network’s Sunday celebrity news, Showbiz Central.
What the fans see about him on this particular Saturday afternoon of the Kapuso Mall Show is the actor they truly miss. It could probably be innate for the locals to be so fond of him, not to mention being half-Cebuano himself, born to a Cebuano actress Alma Moreno and the late action star Rudy Fernandez.
“I always look up to my father from whom I felt the strong passion for the craft. He came from a family of actors and film directors, all talented,” he says. “My mom was a different case. She was discovered and introduced to show business. That’s the only difference. But I believe both are very talented when it comes to portraying roles.”
Actors and fans miss the talent. It is worth the wait for both. When he finally decided to go back to the limelight, he didn’t disappoint. In fact, he is currently at his best and most fulfilled part of his life. Everything is going upward once more: a lead role in a primetime show and more challenging roles on the way, among others.
Currently, he plays Chito, a police officer investigating the crime that Tonette (Regine Velasquez) commits, on I Heart You, Pare opposite Dingdong Dantes. While Mark’s appearance has formed a love triangle among the lead characters, he feels sad about Velasquez’s decision to quit the show, which is now assumed by Iza Calzado. At the same time, he is excited for the Songbird.
“Regine is very fascinating. She is very professional, something that upcoming artists should learn from. Certainly, it’s one of the most important factors if one wants to be in entertainment,” he says of his co-star whom he first worked with during his comeback stint on the now-defunct remake of the Korean series, Ako Si Kim Sam Soon.
Now, he is poised for yet another lead role in GMA’s newest primetime drama Ang Munting Heredera where he plays the son of a rich family (with veteran actress Gloria Romero as her mother).
“Right now, I am very happy with television projects,” he beams. “There’s a closer bond between me and the audience. It’s pretty fulfilling. And one more thing, that’s from Monday to Friday - isn’t that close enough to become friends in the business?”