2006 Filipinas Magazine Achievement Awards

Entertainment: Mark Dacascos
Sponsored by Anheuser-Busch

?Mark Dacascos is now in Hollywood because he simply was at the right place at the right time. While walking along San Francisco’s Chinatown 21 years ago, he was “discovered” by Chris Lee who was the assistant director for the movie “Dim Sum.” It turned out to be Dacascos’ first acting job. Since then the Hawaii native has racked up numerous roles, appearing in films such as “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” “Cradle 2 the Grave,” “Brotherhood of the Wolf” and “Crying Freeman.” He recently wrapped up “The Cleaner,” a comedy/action flick about a janitor with amnesia who’s made to believe he’s a secret agent. Dacascos stars alongside Cedric the Entertainer, Lucy Liu and Nicollete Sheridan.

Although he has been in the business for two decades, Dacascos still takes acting lessons between film projects and says that if he hadn’t gotten into acting he would’ve been a writer, teacher or monk. “I had seen Jet Li’s movie ‘Shaolin Temple’ and thought that being able to help people spiritually and defending them physically was a wonderful thing,” he says. Dacascos is a 30-year practitioner of martial arts and specializes in kung fu and basic Capoeira, a Brazilian fighting style. Martial arts runs in the Dacascos family; his parents are national champions and his father Al pioneered the Wun Hop Kuen Do (combination fist art) style.

Away from the movies, Dacascos can be seen on “Iron Chef America,” a cooking competition on the Food Network where he is cast as the Chairman. He has been on the show since 2005 and has enjoyed his experience so far. “I’ve had a great time. The people involved with the show are professional and personable. I especially enjoy (host) Alton Brown’s quick wit and antics. His knowledge of food is simply amazing,” he says.

Being of Filipino, Irish, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese descent, Dacascos has had the opportunity to play characters of different ethnicities, but he isn’t blind to the lack of diversity in Hollywood. “Most writers, directors and producers in Hollywood are white. We have to accept the fact that most stories are going to be centered on their culture. If we want more ethnics to be on mainstream shows, we would have better chances if we asserted ourselves and became some of those people with creative control,” he says.

Dacascos knows little about his Filipino heritage as he spent most of his teenage years in Europe. “What I’ve learned about the Filipino culture and the Philippines has been taught to me during my acting career,” he says, “I’ve had the good fortune of making three movies in the Philippines and have been able to establish friendships that have gone on after [production had ended].” Dacascos has acquired rights to When the Elephants Dance, a novel by Filipino American Tess Uriza-Holthe, about Filipinos who make up magical tales to pass the time as they hide from the Japanese during World War II. He’s developing a script for the film and commends the book for continuing his “Filipino education.”

Dacascos relaxes by playing the drums, surfing, reading, writing and spending time with his wife Julie and their two sons.—Maricar Liberato