rguably one of the busiest young actors today, Dennis Trillo found himself swamped with work last year. During the months of September and October, he was working on two films, Blue Moon and Mulawin: The Movie, plus two television shows, Darna and Now and Forever: Agos.

The hectic schedule made it impossible for the 25-year-old star of Majika to go home to San Mateo , Rizal, where his family is based. Dennis often had to sleep in the condominium of his manager, Popoy Caritativo, in Mandaluyong.

Popoyy could see that Dennis needed a place of his own in the city. “We discussed the possibility of makakuha man lang siya ng halfway house, isang condo,” Popoy says. “Kunwari, kailangan lang niyang maligo, mag-rest ng two to three hours .Hindi na niya kailangang mag-travel all the way to San Mateo , Rizal.”

Dennis decided to buy the 70-square-meter condominium unit in Mandaluyong that he's now staying in. “Pagpasok pa lang namin dito, sabi niya agad, ‘Eto na, gusto ko na ‘to,” Popoy recalls. “He immediately fell in love, e. No'ng nakita niya ‘to, diniscard na niya ‘yong iba.”

But before Dennis settled in, Popoy wanted to make sure that the place was already livable.

“We repainted all the walls and all the ceilings. Lahat ng electrical and light fixtures, ‘pinaayos din namin. “Tapos, pina-revarnish namin ‘yong floors. Basta lahat ng interior, kailangan ayos bago lumipat. Kasi hassle na nandito na si Dennis, tapos may ginagawa pa. Parang istorbo.”

Because Dennis was too busy to buy stuff for his pad, Popoy helped out in buying the furniture and appliances.

“He gave me a budget to work on, and then nag-ikot ako. I took pictures of stuff with my cellphone. Sasabihin ko sa kanya, ‘O, hanap ako ng kama ngayon, punta ako sa ganito, sa gano'n.' So hanap ako ng kama . Kukunan ko ng pictures sa cellphone and then ise-send ko sa kanya through MMS. “Tapos, siya ‘yong mamimili. Kumbaga, may presentation, di ba?”

Dennis moved into the condo in November of last year. The halfway house soon became home sweet home.

Says Popoy: “Minsan ang ginagawa na lang niya, h e goes home to San Mateo and visits his family, but he doesn't sleep there anymore. Kasi, ang sinasabi niya sa akin, mas at home na siya dito. Kasi parang nandito na lahat ng gusto niya, e. Di ba, andito ‘yong entertainment niya, andito ‘yong playground niya, may gym equipment siya, ‘yong stereo system niya, lahat-lahat. Basta andito na lahat, kaya ayaw niyang umalis. Dio na siya. Dito na ‘yong home niya.”

During the shoot, Dennis plays video games through Xbox, a video-game computer created by Micorsoft. “'Yang Xbox, wireless ‘yan,” says Popoy. “Kahit saan ka dito, kahit nasa banyo ka, malalaro mo.”

Hanging above the kitchen countertop is a set of three pinlights. Dennis once tried using only one of the lights. “Tinanggal niya ‘yong dalawa para daw tipid sa kuryente,” Popoy recalls. “Siyempre, ang panget pala pag pink lang. Tinanggal niya ‘yong pink. Mas lalong panget. Pag green lang, mukhang mga zombie ‘yong mga tao. Tinanggal niya ‘yong green, ‘kinabit niya ‘yong blue. Mas lalong panget, mukhang ospital. So pag pinagsama-sama mo pala ‘yong tatlo, ‘yong pink, green, at blue, maganda ‘yong effect.”

Dennis Trillo's condominium offers a stunning view of Mandaluyong. Says his manager Popoy Caritativo, who lives in the same city: “He wanted to stay near me, kasi mas convenient, e. Kunwari may script na kailangan ipasa or ibigay, or location map, a costume requirement or something – mas madali, kasi magkakalapit kami ng lugar. At saka Mandaluyong kasi is in the middle of everywhere – Manila, Quezon City, Alabang. Minsan nagba-Batangas siya, nagla-Laguna, di ba? ‘Tapos nagbu-Bulacan dati. So nasa gitna ka.”

Below Dennis bought this exciting sculptural piece in Hong Kong Disneyland, a souvenir item inspired by the Tim Burton film A Nightmare before Christmas. “Hinand-carry ko,” says Dennis. “Ang bigat-bigat.”

Left Dennis is a film buff, with a DVD collection that ranges from Mike de Leon's Batch '81 to David Lynch's Blue Velvet. He even has a copy of Oro, Plata, Mata, given to him personally by the film's director, Peque Gallaga. The collection also includes classics by film icons Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas, Oliver Stone, Tim Burton, and Sam Peckinpah, as well as cult films by little-known directors such as Jonas Akerland, Darren Aronofsky, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

“Kahit puyat na puyat na talaga ako pagdating ko,” Dennis says, “nanonood muna ako. Hindi na buong pelikula. Kadalasan, mga paborito ko na lang eksena sa mga DVD. Kasi hindi ko na kaya manood ng isang buo, e. Nakakatulugan ko din.”

One of the most interesting accents in Dennis's home is this wall clock that his manager bought. “Hindi ko n alam kung saan ko binili ‘yan, e,” Popoy says. “Pero Italian wall clock ‘yan.”

A black leather divan, a black beanbag, and a black recliner dominate Dennis Trillo's living room. Underneath the coffee table's glass top is a mixed fare: Jack Russell Terries: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual, The New York Times Guide to the Best Movies Ever Made, and Men's Devotional Bible.

“Gusto ko lang ‘yong mga nakalagay dito, magiging interesado ‘yong mga taong basahin siya,” Dennis says of the interesting collection. “Kasi ‘yong iba, makikita lang, ‘Ano ba yong libro na ‘yan?' So ‘yon lang. Hindi na sila makyu-curious tingnan.”

Two of Dennis's frequent visitors are the Fernandez boys Raphael and Renz, who became his buddies after their stint together in the now-defunct Extra Challenge.

Right A dark-wood table overflows with Dennis's acting trophies. Says Popoy: “No'ng binili ko ‘yong table na ‘yan, ‘tapos no'ng ‘nilagay namin dito at ‘nilagay namin ‘yong trophies, sabi ko, ‘Naku, patay! Pag mananalo pa ito ng isang award, kailangan na ng ibang table.' Kasi nagsiksikan, e. Hindi ko naman ine-expect na magsisiksikan. Akala ko, okey na ‘yong mesa. Mahal mahal pa naman niyan.”

Below Dennis's laminated wenge closet contains mostly shirts from Molecules, a T-shirt brand he endorses. Dennis says he usually asks for his manager's help when he buys clothes: “Kasi ako, medyo ano ako, e – hindi ako masyadong fashionable. Hindi ako magaling pumili ng mga damit, so nagpapatulong ako.”

He added: “Mahilig ako sa mga T-shirt na itim. ‘Yong iba, hindi ko lang madala dito, kasi sobrang dami. Nasa bahay lang sila sa San Mateo. Nagdadala lang ako ng ilang favorites ko.”

This skull was a gift from one of Dennis's friends. “Alam niya mga gusto ko, e,” Dennis quips. The watches are from No Curfew, a watch store that Dennis endorses.

Dennis's bedroom, with its bench bed and wenge (dark-brown wood) closet, is painted olive-green. That's the way Dennis wanted it, Popoy says: “Naghanap ako ng iba't ibang shades ng green. Olive-green kasi is the best, e, kasi medyo malamig. Ang mint-green, medyo mainit sa mata. Parang hindi ka makakatulog. Ang olive-green is very calming.”

To make decorating the house easier, Popoy and Dennis decided that most furniture pieces should be made of dark wood. “Basta nagkaro'n kami ng usapan kung ano ang theme,” Popoy recalls. “O, ang theme mo is dark wood. So mas madali, di ba? Lilimitahan mo na lang ang hahanapin mo? Kunwari sa mga kama – ‘wag mo nang titingnan ‘yong light wood, ‘wag mo nang titingnan ‘yong mga brass bed, ang hahanapin mo na lang dark wood Puro dark wood talaga.”

Dennis owns a JP Taylor guitar. He can also play the drums, though he doesn't have a drum kit in his condo. He's a big fan of rock music. Even during the shoot, rock songs were blaring from the stereo. Dennis says he was already listening to the likes of Queen and Led Zeppelin when he was still in grade Two: “Rock talaga, ‘yon na ang musical preference ko.”

Left Dennis initially wanted a green-colored artwork for his room. He changed his mind after hanging one such artwork on the wall, because it blended with the rest of the room. But heliked these two paintings by Norlito Meimban (Art Central, 3 rd level Glorietta 4) when he saw them on his wall.

“No'ng ‘kinabit ‘tong dalawa, gustong-gusto niya,” Popoy recalls, “pero hindi na siya makapamili kung alin ang bibilhin sa dalawa. Since malaki ‘yong wall, sabi niya dalawa na lang. Kuniha niya pareho.”

Popoy adds: “Ayaw naming ng nude naa nakaharap. Masyadong vulgar. Nude na nga, e. Dapat, medyo naka-sideways o nakatalikod, gano'n.”

Most of Dennis's shoes are from Mario D'boro and Converse, shoe brands he endorses.

Dennis doesn't have a stay-in maid, but Popoy's maid comes in once a week to clean up. Popoy says Dennis is OC, or obsessive-compulsive: “He's very malinis. Hini lapuwedeng magpasok ng sapatos. Ayaw niya ‘yong may dumi-dumi na maliliit.”

Above The kitchen is well-stocked, although Dennis doesn't cook and usually has food delivered. At one end of the countertop are bottles of Generoso brandy, still another product that Dennis endorses.

Left The condo's bathroom comes with an enclosure, something that Dennis has always wanted. Dennis's instruction from the very beginning was: “Poy, hanap mo ako ng bathroom enclosure. ‘Yong sliding.”

Dennis has no plans at the moment of buying a real house, according to Popoy: “Kasi, pag sinabi mong gusto mong bumili ng bahay, parang gustomo nang mag-asawa, e. Wala pa ‘yon sa immediate plans niya. He's enjoying his bachelorhood.”

The unit's veranda has been converted into a mini-gym for Dennis, who boxes and lifts weights to stay fit. “Konting dumbbells lang,” he says. “Pag feel ko lang mag-exercise. Pero madalas kasi tinatamad ako, e.”

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