Daniel Matsunaga: Brazilians not out to displace local models

By ALEX VALENTIN BROSAS

April 29, 2010, 2:27pm

Actor-model Daniel Matsunaga defended his Brazilian colleagues over reports that they are displacing local model and even actors as they conquer not only the modeling scene, but television and the movies as well.

For about a week now, model-actor Lemuel Pelayo, Matsunaga’s co-star in the indie film “D’ Survivors,” made quite a sweeping statement that Filipinos are being displaced by the influx of Brapanese models. With this, local models are not given equal opportunities, as fashion show producers prefer foreign models such as Akihiro Sato, Fabio Ide and Matsunaga.

“I know there are a lot of Brazilians here but Brazilians love the country, they love the Filipino culture. Anywhere I have been—I have been modeling for six years—I have different experiences. You have different kind of work,” Matsunaga explained during the presscon for “D’ Survivors.”

He added that they work hard to earn decent living.

“Of course there’s a bit of competition for work but I think when you start something, just like me... when I arrived here in the Philippines, nobody knew me. I was just nothing. I was doing everything I could, working out everyday, doing my best and try to put my name higher. You start at nothing and then you start growing. Filipinos should not be talking like this. Every country is the same and there’s opportunity for everyone.

"All my life I’ve been doing modeling. We just want to be here, living with you guys. The opportunity came and we’re trying our best to be in the Filipino family. There are a lot of foreigners here. We also do auditions, all the testings. We always do our best in our work and if that doesn’t happen we just go to another country. That’s what models do.”

Filipino models, he says, are also all over the globe.

“There’s a lot of Filipino workers in Brazil, Hong Kong and they don’t say anything also. All the countries are open for everyone and everybody has opportunity. It depends on the people,” he said.

The young model forayed into television when he first appeared in GMA-7’s “The Last Prince,” where he played a wolf.

His second crack at acting came via the indie film “D’ Survivors,” directed by Adolf Alix, Jr. More than the experience, he also enjoyed the beautiful sceneries of Caramoan Islands in CamSur where the movie was filmed.

“It’s different for me because it’s my first time to do a movie. Everything was new, everything was exciting. It’s kinda hard but once you get used to it, you’ll really enjoy everything. The island was so beautiful.”

If trapped in an island like his role in the movie, Matsunaga will choose to be with his fellow Brazilian model Giselle Bündchen.

“I would be very happy and I would do everything and I would let my life to be in an island forever with her. I would cook for her,” he said.