In Bar Boys: After School, Rocco Nacino returns to a world that helped define a generation of Filipino viewers. He reflects on revisiting the story, mentoring younger actors, and the kind of legacy he hopes to leave behind.
Watching “Bar Boys: After School” for the first time was a personal moment for Rocco Nacino. He saw the film alongside his wife and family, something he says grounded the experience immediately. His wife, he adds, had long been a fan of the original “Bar Boys,” even before they were officially together, making the screening feel less like a premiere and more like a return.
For Nacino, the film isn’t just about revisiting familiar characters. It’s about seeing how the relationships at the center of “Bar Boys” have grown over time, how friendships, mentorships, and chosen families evolve.
The evolution of a family
“To see the ‘Bar Boys’ grow up as a family,” he says, “that’s really what stays with you.”
That idea of continuity carries into his role in “After School,” where mentorship—both onscreen and off—becomes central. Nacino has long been regarded as a steady presence among younger actors, particularly within Sparkle GMA Artist Center, where he’s often referred to as “Kuya.” It’s a role he doesn’t take lightly.
“Mentoring is always going to be there,” he says. “I’m always open to it.”
He’s careful, however, not to frame his path as a template. While he’s often cited by handlers or managers as an example for younger artists, Nacino stresses that everyone still has to find their own way.
“They have their own paths,” he says. “I’m paving my own career, my own path.”
That balance, guidance without control, also shaped his work with younger cast members in the film, particularly those whose characters carry major emotional weight. Nacino describes his approach as measured, mindful not to overpower scenes that don’t aim to center him.
A maternal presence: working with Odette Khan
There are moments in the film, though, that left a deeper emotional mark. Nacino speaks tenderly about working with veteran actress Odette Khan, describing her as a maternal presence on set. Their scenes together, he says, often lingered even after the cameras stopped rolling.
“I see her as a mommy figure, a grandmother figure,” he says, noting how the cast made an effort to look after her throughout production.
Beyond “Bar Boys,” Nacino remains conscious of the limits of time and energy. While he hasn’t necessarily rejected roles outright, scheduling has meant passing on projects, particularly in independent cinema. Still, he says he’s preparing for a Cinemalaya film, which he describes as more demanding and something he intends to approach carefully.
Legacy, burnout, and longevity
When asked about dream roles, Nacino avoids specifics. What matters more to him, he says, is longevity.
“Any role that will help me leave a legacy,” he says.
That perspective also shapes how he deals with burnout, something he speaks about plainly, without romanticizing it. For Nacino, recovery begins with honesty.
“Have family around you. Have friends around you,” he says. “And be open to saying that you’re already burned out.”
It’s a grounded approach, consistent with how he speaks about his career overall: steady, relational, and aware that no moment lasts forever. In “Bar Boys: After School,” that awareness becomes part of the story itself, less about picking up where things left off and more about understanding what remains worth carrying forward.
“Bar Boys: After School,” directed by Kip Oebanda, also features Kean Cipriano, Carlo Aquino, Enzo Pineda, Will Ashley, Sassa Gurl, Therese Malvar, and Klarisse de Guzman. It is one of eight entries to the 51st Metro Manila Film Festival, which runs from Jan. 7, 2026.
Mentoring is always going to be there. I’m always open to it.
Rocco Nacino
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