“You can be whoever you want to be. I know dreams can happen because it happened to me.”
Those were the iconic words from Arnold Schwarzenegger that spurred 17-year-old Anthony Sayo to become the man he is today.
Award-winning Filipino Hollywood Actor Anthony Sayo from Malolos Bulacan portrayed lead roles in Independent Short Films Kaiketsu (2021), Tears at the Edge of the World (2022) and Daughter (2022). He also starred in multiple independent films and won the “Best Actor” award in the Hollywood Blood Horror Festival in 2021 for the short film “Withered Ghouls Ceremony”.
But the path Anthony took was not a smooth or silent road. His story is about taking bold decisions in spite of uncertainties.
As a child, he was always the type to stand out from the crowd, whereas other 6 or 7-year-olds wanted to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, etc. Anthony wanted to be a storyteller. He’s always dreamed of being in the spotlight and making a name for himself.
Through the influence of his older brother, Anthony showed an interest in professional wrestling entertainment. They would spend hours in the living room watching WWE, and from then, Anthony was introduced to the idea of heroism and got hooked on the art of storytelling.
His love for wrestling prospered when the “attitude era” in wrestling began. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson became more popular. At that time, Anthony was already a teenager, and the bravery of that era shaped his strong personality. He started to have strong convictions in his life and was inspired to pursue his passion no matter what it takes.
And so, despite being groomed to be a lawyer, right after he graduated from the University of the Philippines, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Anthony pursued his acting career at the International Academy of Film and TV in Cebu. In 2019, he bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles to follow his heart’s desires.
Anthony was assertive as he embraced the difficult journey that comes with his dream. “Masarap paghirapan ang bagay na gusto mo,” Anthony said. Yes, he got scared and was anxious about what awaited him 7,307 miles away, but since his heart was already full, he made the decision to pursue his lifelong dream. He enrolled at the Los Angeles Performance Arts Conservatory and, with his talent and determination, he was cast in the comedy film “Smile Or Hug” starred by Hollywood icon Danny Trejo.
Today, Anthony has starred in several minor and major roles in the independent film industry and has worked with award-winning filmmakers in Hollywood. According to him, being part of the film industry is fulfillment for his soul and the collaboration between the people in the industry is a special experience that he calls home.
His upcoming film, Night Owls is an action-comedy short film, written and directed by Jeff Jocoy, which entails the story of two gunmen who deliver a package in the middle of the night. This buddy film has the right mixture of suspense and a good laugh and will officially enter the US Film Festival Circuit in the fall.
Anthony played the role of Ryan, a calm, cautious, and determined gunman who has excellent combative skills. “Jeff wrote the character Ryan, with me in mind. So I used myself. I used myself to portray Ryan. And it’s very nice when you have the opportunity to do something like that, “Anthony said. His freedom in artistic involvement is not only present in Ryan’s character but also in the fight scene that he choreographed.
Being a certified fitness trainer, his physique helped him land roles with physical demands. Admittedly, Anthony took inspiration from classic action movie stars like Sylvester Stallone and Jean Claude Van Damme, and it was one of his dreams to become an action movie star. Most of Anthony’s movies are heavy dramas and action-themed. On the other hand, he also wanted to explore other roles and genres.
Anthony has a list of upcoming projects and is now looking forward to his next film project where he will be working with an award-winning filmmaker, Gareth Taylor, who is best known for his cinematic works on Netflix’s Stranger Things.
“The most powerful thing you can be is yourself” the infamous quote of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson empowered Anthony to take bolder decisions to pursue his dreams. Believing in yourself is indeed the first step to success.
But when asked what Anthony Sayo is made of, he proudly answered,” Anthony Sayo is a man full of heart”.Ronette Tibay/IMT
