clark: the gentle giant

clark merced is a rara avis. 

tall, lean, handsome, with milky white complexion that most dark-to-brown-skinned filipinos would die for (that’s why whitening lotions are a hit in the country), clark does not consider himself as handsome at all, nor does he capitalize on his movie star looks to collect girlfriends as though they’re trophies unlike most young men.

in fact, at twenty-two, clark does not have a girlfriend. and even before that, when he was still in school. that’s because he channeled all his energy, passion and time on his studies. the hard work and sacrifices paid off. he is now a certified nurse who passed the licensure examination recently. 

with a towering height – all of six feet and one inch – the soft-spoken young man from davao city who is every inch a gentleman is known as the gentle giant in the band.

so how did this gentle soul – who loves reading books – end up in the dog-eat-dog world of showbiz?

“my uncle, who works for viva films in the united states, recommended me to the viva talent management. i was hanging around the viva office when the studio manager introduced me to the people behind men of manila. i auditioned and was accepted,” says clark, who can’t believe his luck because he admits singing is not one of his talents, although he loves performing and acting.

talk about being at the right place at the right time.

he maybe a perfect gentleman with flawless manners – opening doors to women, offering seats to old people on the bus, but clark wants to become an action star. yes, you heard it right. rough. tough. daring. dirty. sweaty. 

“i prefer action. i can’t do drama because it’s hard for me to cry. but I love the intensity and the thrill of doing action scenes,” he says. 

his template for his career, by the way, is hollywood superstar tom cruise, who melted all the ladies hearts in the planet in his launching film, the mild action drama for the young, top gun several decades ago. the film made the not-so-tall and not-so-sexy tom a global superstar.

apart from becoming an entertainer and a movie star, clark also wants to someday put up his own business, a hotel. no surprise there because his grandparents are in the hotel business in davao. his grandparents supported him and his other siblings when his father, a mechanical engineer, passed away six years ago.

because he is young, clark wants to try almost everything. he is also into modeling and is one of the hopefuls in this year’s bodyshots, an annual quest for would be models, both men and women, in the country. the same contest that gave us eric quizon, among other famous actors and models. he has also appeared in an ad for healthy options.

world, meet clark. the super(young)man!!

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song for the day: can you read my mind, the theme from superman