Dingdong Dantes: ‘I Want My Kids to be Proud of My Body of Work’

Jose Sixto “Dingdong” Gonzales Dantes III is his father’s son. Sixto "Jigg" Dantes, Jr., a Commander in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, helped raise a soft-spoken man with a dignified gentleness and the work ethic of a soldier. Dingdong followed in his father’s footsteps, but like all good sons found his own way of doing so, entering show business at a young age and eventually becoming showbiz royalty and half of one of the country’s most well-loved couples.

He’s a father now himself and as a third of his line expectedly named his son, born four years after his daughter, the fourth. Dingdong navigates new waters now, a host and actor in his prime but also just a few years into being a family man. He talks about how much things have changed and what things have stayed the same looking back at a three-decade career and what he looks forward to next.

Dingdong Dantes: Oh, a lot. Fatherhood really changed my perspective on so many things. Not just on making films but perspective sa buhay. Perspective sa priorities, sa health, sa lahat ng bagay. And I think nagre-reflect din siya sa paggawa ng mga pelikula. Kasi now, whenever I portray roles, parang feeling ko mas may kakaibang understanding na ako ng buhay at ng mundo being a father. Because I know how it is to take care of someone.  

I portray father roles nung wala pa akong anak. Pero ngayon, whenever I do, talagang nae-embrace ko na siya; now, I really understand how it is. I guess it's really more of the depth of understanding each character now that I am a father. Mas na-appreciate ko siya this time.  

DD: Of course, always. Pero parati ko nga sinasabi sa lahat ng ginagawa ko, gusto ko maging proud sila sa body of work ng kanilang mga magulang. Not just for me but also for my wife. And when I say body of work, it's not limited to just one title or one project. So, we have to look at it in its entirety. The whole library of our work; kung ano ba yung choices na ginawa, bakit ito yung ginawa, bakit itong character ang pinortray.  

Because sometimes, we may portray dark characters. May reason din kung bakit. Basta ang mahalaga, maging klaro lang ang redemption ng character arc at maintindihan, ah, kaya pala siya ganon. Pero magandang tingnan ang kabuuan. Kahit mula ng nag-umpisa ako hanggang sa ngayon, gusto ko mas maintindihan nila na, ah, okay, ito pala ang naging architecture ng kanyang career path. And I would like my children to look at it that way instead of just looking at it on a per-project basis.  

But yes, definitely, I would like them to feel proud that their father has this body of work.  

DD: I guess just like with any other partnership, mahalaga ang pagkakaunawaan, na sang-yon kayong mag-partner sa ginagawa ng isa’t isa. Much more in a marriage. So, I think everything should be rooted in trust, in a genuine desire for our respective growths as individuals and as artists. ‘Yung pundasyon ng tiwala, ‘yun talaga ang pinakamahalaga. Magandang alam ng iyong partner kung ano ang gagawin mo or ano ang binabalak mo. It's always good to get their support; it's a two-way thing.  

Ganon din dapat ako towards her. And I just think that what Max (Collins) did (asking Marian for permission), kasi si Max and Marian, they're friends. And I think it's such a sweet gesture. She didn't have to do it. But I think it was a sweet gesture.  

DD: Paborito ko, suspense-drama. Na may konting action.  

DD: Yeah. 

DD: Yes.  

DD: Correct.

Oh, grabe. Kasi actually, four generations na ng Sixto. Mula pa sa lolo ko. Lolo ko talaga ang nagsimula sa military. And then, my father, he's the junior, and I'm the third, and my son is the fourth. So, more than passing on the name, I think it's also the family values that we are passing on through generations. And naging very, very influential siya. Hanggang ngayon, very influential talaga sa akin ang tatay ko dahil siya ang nag-instill din ng mga ganitong disiplina, ng ganitong value sa akin bilang tao.  

Malaking bagay ‘yun dahil growing up, even as a kid, sinisiguro talaga niya na, uy, itong mga bagay na to, kailangan, nagagawa ko nang maayos. Kumbaga, nandun ‘yung disiplina noon pa lang, growing up in a military family. And dala-dala ko siya, especially dito sa aking trabaho.  

And while we carry the same name, we are also allowed to carve our own identity. That's what I also want for my son—for him to shape his own identity and his own narrative, using, of course, the inspiration that has been passed on from generations.  

DD: Ah, grabe. Hindi lang sa The Master Cutter, kundi sa trabaho ko bilang isang aktor, isang artist, at sa pagiging tatay din, e. Sa totoo lang. Sa pagkatao, sa kabuuan, ang laking naitulong sa akin ng military training. Inspired and influenced by my grandfather, my father, and my family, most of whom were from the military.  

Sabi ko, alam n’yo, gusto kong pasukin ito dahil nakita ko sa kanila ang benepisyo. And para sa akin, malinaw that it really strengthened and sharpened the aspect of discipline. Kasi syempre, sa industriya natin, malaking bagay din ang disiplina, showing up on time, making sure that you're always prepared. Alam mo kung ano ‘yung gagawin mo. In every role, it requires a different type of preparation. Talagang kailangan ready ka sa kahit anong challenge na dumating sa ‘yo. It also taught me how to perform under pressure. Ganun din sa military, kapag medyo dumating na ‘yung panahon na nagkakagulo, kailangan, very, very snappy ka pa rin at nade-deliver mo pa rin ang kailangan mong gawin.  

Just like, for example, when you're hosting a live event and something goes wrong, you have to be quick on your feet to really adapt to the situation. And malaking bagay na itinuro sa akin doon ang teamwork. That nothing is built on just one man alone. It takes a team to build something that's beautiful.  

In the The Master Cutter, my current show, I just want to really acknowledge the whole team. While it looks very action-packed…the hard work that has been put in, talaga, is so extreme na hindi lang nanggagaling sa isang tao. Maraming tao talaga nagtatrabaho d’yan. At kapag maganda ang teamwork ng isang proyekto, mas nararamdaman mo siya. Mas nakikita mo ‘yung resulta. So, ‘yung tatlong ‘yun ang pinaka-natututunan ko. At hanggang ngayon, na-apply ko talaga sa lahat ng ginagawa ko.  

DD: I like ‘yung mga disguise elements. I enjoy those episodes. More importantly, I enjoy being with the cast because I am so fortunate to be among such talented people, both young and veterans. Sobrang saya lang namin sa set. Enjoy na enjoy talaga akong gawin ‘yun. 

What I find most difficult is the fact that I am just always away from my kids. Kasi we shoot three times a week.  

DD: Well, I think it's still too early for me to say if they really have any interest in entering the industry. But one thing is for sure, kung ano man ang hiling nila, kung ano man ang gusto nila, we are there to support them, we are there to guide them. ‘We will provide all the options for you. And then later on, feel free to choose.’ For now, our role is to provide them with as many options as we can. At kung ano ang magustuhan nila, ‘yun ang susuportahan namin. At kung dumating man ang pagkakataon na maging interesado sila sa arts, sa industriyang ito, then of course, we will be there to support them 100 percent. We still don't know yet.  

DD: Oo, parang naging practice. Parang hanggang ngayon kasi nagiging successful, eh. Parang ‘yun talaga ang formula, lalo na kapag nag-uumpisa ka. I think may value din talaga d’yan dahil bilang mga Pilipino, mahilig tayo sa romance. I mean, nature talaga ng bawat tao, lalo na kapag nasa teenage years ka, it's an area of interest. ‘Yung crush, ‘yung first love, and I think doon nage-evolve ang kwento ng isang love team. Doon sa early stages of love. I think it's a good entry point. Siyempre, sana maalagaan lang, di ba? But sometimes, not all love teams end up in a good place. 

DD: Siyempre, first love ko ang pag-arte. I always consider myself a work in progress, so I still continue developing the skills. I still want to continue developing the tools sa acting.  

Sa hosting naman, masaya rin siya. Sa totoo lang, both are therapeutic. Pareho ko silang love. Pero first love ko ang acting, siyempre.

DD: Marian with her toys. Tumigil na ako sa pag-kolekta ng kahit ano (laughs).

DD: Oh, very, very interesting. Parang I don't have to avoid it kasi parang feeling ko since I have two children, parang it's easy to navigate that because they really are different people. They're so distinct. Parang iba ‘yung pagkatao ‘nung isa, at iba ang pagkatao rin ‘nung isa. Iba ‘yung appreciation mo sa kanya, at siyempre iba ‘yung way of showing din ‘yung love mo sa kabila kasi we receive love differently also. Iba-iba ‘yung gusto natin makuha na type of love. ‘Yung iba gusto ‘yung malambing, yung iba gusto talagang oras ang binibigay mo. So at this point alam ko na kung ano ‘yung gusto ng bawat isa and I just make sure that I abundantly shower them with what they want emotionally and I just make sure that I provide them with those.

DD: Oh, 40 na ba?  

DD: Oh, siguro I'd like to have perhaps an international film. Not that I am chasing it. It's weird kasi magmula nung dati sabi ko kung darating, darating. Pero parang mukhang magandang panahon ngayon dahil everything is available due to digitalization. May access na tayo sa lahat. So it would be nice to also cross over and maybe also lend our talent overseas.  

DD: Oh, what's next? So we recently set up the Doorbell Collective. It is a platform, it's a company and we plan to just tell more stories. Just watch out for that very, very soon.  

Story: Zach Yonzon

Editor-in-Chief: Paul John Caña

Concept and Creative Direction: Igi Talao

Production: Rhia Grana

Photography: Joseph Pascual

Fashion Styling: Melville Sy, Zia dela Rosa, and Paul Cenizal of Studio 24c Styling

Videography: Jino Del Mundo and Greeko Junio, assisted by Gerry Obieda

Makeup: Juan Sarte

Hair: Manuel Quinto

Location: Southlinks Estate in Las Piñas

Special thanks: GMA Corp Comm's Angel Javier Cruz and Lyka Bendanillo; Dingdong's management team, Perry Lansigan and Paolo Luciano; Autohub Group; and Grab Philippines