Arzen Rose Dulzura

Eric Nicolas shares the fun and challenges of working with drama icons in “Lavender Fields”

Article (news)

Liezel Dela Cruz

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1732496143730Eric-Nicolas-on-working-with-drama-icons-in-Lavender-Fields-.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div>Did you know that Eric Nicolas is the grandson of National Artist for Painting Vicente Manansala? It&#x27;s no wonder his creative versatility shines, with his talent transcending mediums, from the visual arts to the stage and the screen.He’s currently seen in the hit Kapamilya teleserye &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/lavenderfields" target="_blank">Lavender Fields</a>.&quot; In a conversation with his co-star Maricel Soriano on the latter&#x27;s vlog channel, Eric shares that while the show delivers intense drama on cam, the atmosphere behind the scenes is full of laughter and camaraderie.<div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="703" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9OyDCQYqIv8" title="NAGSIMULA PALA SIYA SA WOWOWEE! I Maricel Soriano" width="1250"></iframe></div>Joining the cast of &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/lavenderfields" target="_blank">Lavender Fields</a>&quot; meant he had to move from his comfort zone, comedy, to the intense world of drama. He admits it&#x27;s been a big adjustment for him, especially taking on heavy and serious scenes alongside some of the country’s best actors. “Mahirap, pero kailangan gawin,” he says. “Siyempre, ang gagaling ng mga direktor, ang gagaling ng mga aktor. Kailangan sumabay ka. Kailangan gawin mo kung ano ’yung gusto nila.”Acting alongside a stellar cast—Edu Manzano, Albert Martinez, Janine Gutierrez, Jericho Rosales, and lead actress Jodi Sta. Maria—has fueled his drive to step up his performance. “Kung ano man ’yung expectations nila, kung kaya kong higitan, hihigitan ko pa,” he shares, adding that sharing the screen with Maricel is a real test as well. He even jokes about how stunning Maricel looks on TV, which makes him extra conscious about finding the perfect angles for his own facial expressions. Kidding aside, Eric says joining the Diamond Star, and the rest of the cast ensemble, certainly pushes him to give his best.He also learned that no matter what demands the role has, the results will naturally turn out well when one is happy with what they&#x27;re doing. This reflects in his portrayal of the humble barrio man, Mang Berting, in the story.<div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABQsHcjqnuX4bPuJ&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script></div>Eric&#x27;s versatility is rooted in his family background. With a creative bloodline, he began his career as an animator, creating cartoons for TV, drawing, and even painting back in the day.His journey from visual arts to comedy, however, is a story of pure serendipity. While working as an animator, his colleagues would often unwind by visiting comedy bars after long work hours, but he couldn&#x27;t join them at first due to his work commitments. That is, until one night when he finally made it to their group&#x27;s hangout in a comedy bar. There, the host called him up on stage and they bantered well. The bar owner was impressed by his wit, so he offered Eric a spot as a host, starting with just a couple of days a week on top of his full-time job as an animator. Eventually, Eric made the bold choice to leave animation behind and dive headfirst into comedy hosting full-time.A big part of his humor comes from the people he interacts with, like the neighbors who would hang out at a &#x27;bilyaran&#x27; in their place. It was there that he first became a &#x27;comedian,&#x27; making the players laugh.As more people has started hearing his jokes—first in the comedy bar, then on TV, and now on social media—he inevitably faces his share of criticism. In today&#x27;s world, where comedians are often scrutinized for not resonating with everyone or if their punchlines don&#x27;t land as expected, bashing has become a common response. When asked about it, Eric acknowledges that netizens are free to express their opinions, but he also points out that negative comments can hurt artists like him. Rather than spreading negativity, he encourages people to offer constructive criticism, something he welcomes with open arms as a way to grow and refine his craft.Eric&#x27;s career evolved from hosting noontime shows to starring in sitcoms and TV series. One of his most unforgettable projects was the comedy show &quot;Home Sweetie Home,&quot; topbilled by John Lloyd Cruz, whom he admires for his incredible talent as an actor and his easygoing nature as a friend. Adding to that, the show was directed by Bobot Mortiz, making the experience even more special for him, as he got to feel the fatherly love that Direk Bobot showed to his actors.When it comes to teleseryes, one of his biggest past projects was &quot;The Killer Bride,&quot; where he worked alongside younger generation of superstars—Joshua Garcia, Janella Salvador, and Maja Salvador. He also expressed his admiration for Coco Martin, whom he got to share the screen with in &quot;FPJ&#x27;s Ang Probinsyano.&quot; Eric acknowledges these actors as the future of Philippine entertainment, as he puts it, continuing the legacy of veteran stars like Maricel.Another memorable highlight in his career was his time on &quot;Your Face Sounds Familiar,&quot; where he had the chance to show off his skill for impersonating icons.Over the years, Eric has grown even more passionate about the industry he chose, thus, he never gets tired of doing everything he can, all for the love of his craft and the audience he always wants to make happy.Though it may seem like he has done it all, he still has goals he hopes to achieve. One of them is to become a solo  talk show host. As for teleseryes, he thinks it&#x27;d be exciting to experience an intense death scene, though he jestingly says that he hopes it&#x27;s not in &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/lavenderfields" target="_blank">Lavender Fields</a>.&quot;

Eric Nicolas faces his biggest acting challenge yet in "Lavender Fields."