" The Thai superstar and new Penshoppe model says that what first attracts him to a girl is the face, eyes and hips. "
Mario Maurer, the Thai superstar who has captured the hearts of Filipinos, was a big, pleasant surprise when we had him on The Buzz last week. He is extremely sensible at 22, intelligent, honest, accommodating and sordidly gorgeous. No
wonder boys, girls and gays swoon over him. Aside from good looks, Mario has got the talent. His acting debut via Love of Siam earned for him a Best Actor trophy from the 10th Cinemanila International Film Festival. He played a gay role in the movie. He was also a sensation inCrazy Little Thing Called Love.
Initially, he was hesitant to play the part of a gay man inLove of Siam. “Because I am a hundred percent man. But I think the role of gay in the movie was good. It was not something that teaches you to be gay.” (Besides, being gay cannot be taught, I wanted to whisper to the delicious ears of Mario).
What made him finally accept the offer was his family. “At first, I didn’t want to do it. When I heard I was being cast in the movie, I locked my door. My manager came to the house and I pretended sick. Then my friend told me that I should think about my family because my mom has been working so hard for a long time. And it’s a good opportunity for me. So I said, I’ll try it.”
Mario said that he has never acted before or has studied acting. “I don’t know what is acting. I just follow what my director told me.”
Mario, who has an older brother named Marco who sings and raps, was inspired to enter showbiz because of his family. His mother has a gas station and he’d run around the gas station doing odd
jobs like filling car tanks with gas, cleaning cars, filling tires with air. When his father died, Mario got the biggest shock of his
life. “My career was picking up and I was into my second movie. Luckily, he got to watch Love of Siam. And he said, it’s very good.”
Mario is the next Penshoppe model. He will also be shooting a movie with Erich Gonzalez as leading lady. It will be shot in Thailand and the Philippines. Asked if it is possible for him to fall in love with a Filipina, Mario said yes. “Filipinas are beautiful. People here are nice to me.” What attracts him to a woman are the face, hair, eyes, legs and hips. “The hips are what make a woman sexy,” he said.
A typical day for Mario in Thailand is going skateboarding and fixing old cars. “I skated when I was a kid. I fix old cars like Volkswagen because it’s my hobby and I do it with friends.”
Growing up in Bangkok, Mario spends his day skateboarding with friends until his father told him one day, “Why don’t you play
tennis or golf, they’ll make you more money. But I said no, it’s not fun, dad.”
And then, one day, a whole
new world called showbiz opened for Mario and the rest, they say, is history. Here are some fast talk questions The Buzz asked Mario and his fast answers.
Favorite movie? Forrest Gump.
Favorite sleepwear? T-shirt and boxers.
First thing you do when you wake up? Brush my teeth.
Last thing you do before you sleep? Take out my contact lens.
Sexiest part of your body? My chest.
Three things you like in a girl? Fun, sweet and clever.
What is love? Love is like air. You cannot see it but you cannot live without it. You think it is not important but you need it all the time.
