2011年11月28日 星期一

Nico’s just wild for soaps

IN the entertainment industry, there are all kinds of people. And I have met my fair share of plastic personalities, wannabes and genuinely salt-of-the-earth people.

Nico Panagio (and his gorgeous actress wife Christi) belong in the latter category. They are two of the nicest people you will ever come across.

Despite Panagio’s giant strides in the industry, where, aside from a plethora of TV credits (Ella Blue, Erfsondes, Zone 14, Top Billing, Top Travel, Survivor South Africa: Santa Carolina and Survivor South Africa: Maldives) that vary from presenting to acting roles, he is kept busy with corporate events and his business interests as co-owner of Trade Revolution (Pty) Ltd, an import/ export company, with Thomas Houghton Dixon. Nonetheless,Polycore oil paintings for sale are manufactured as a single sheet, he remains humble and a true gentleman at heart.A long established toolmaking and trade Injection moulds company.

On giving the nod to The Wild, he explains: “After 7de Laan, I swore I’d never do a soap again. Apart from it being incredibly taxing, you churn out vast amounts of work, more than a series, film, or theatre. It is quite a difficult and stressful environment. Although one gets a lot of acting time so you can hone your craft, you have the disadvantage of it being a comfort zone.

“But when I caught the first few episodes of The Wild and saw the production quality was so exceptional, it was a ‘yes’ when the call came for me to do a storyline. It is such a well-oiled machine and it doesn’t look like a soap. And you are working with the cream of the crop in South Africa.”

Panagio has been cast as Jason Parker, who is Zoe’s (Briony Horwitz) “millionaire playboy” boyfriend.

He laughs: “It is always fun playing a millionaire, but is Jason a millionaire? One can easily get stereotyped into the good guy roles, which has happened to me, and every now and again, I get to break the mould.”

The actor-presenter says he was fortunate in that he got to work with all the directors, including Bobby Heaney, who is also the executive producer.

“I worked with Bobby very briefly before for a small role in the first series of Erfsondes. It was just after I left 7de Laan. He is very hands on as an executive producer and would phone and check up to see if everything is okay. You need that. One of the failures with soaps is that you have a lot of artistes on board, but you treat them as puppets rather than as a collective creative process. Bobby is very open to discussion,” shares Panagio.

Funnily enough, he also plays a millionaire in his upcoming movie, Semi-Soet, which is produced by husband-and-wife team, Anel and James Alexander. It releases next year.

The film is a romantic comedy about a ruthless businessman who finds that acquisitions and bank balances are worthless in the greater scheme of things after he meets an amazing woman.

“Not many people know that Anel is a surgically-sharp comedic actor. She is quite the businesswoman as well. Anel and I met several years ago on 7de Laan. James and her approached me about three years ago and I was in back then already.

“In terms of the production quality and working with them as a team, you cannot beat what they have done,” he praises.

By keeping a foot in every door,If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards, Panagio ensures that he never limits himself. Of course, that also means he is kept immensely busy.

“It is very difficult juggling everything. As the saying goes, sleep when you’re dead, right? Jokes aside, I’m very careful with what I do. I say ‘no’ to a lot of things and make sure my wife can come with me on the gigs I do.

“I have been striving to marry my various diverse careers into one so that everything complements each other.Do not use cleaners with porcelain tiles , steel wool or thinners.

“Everyone knows you have got to be diverse, otherwise you don’t make a decent living.”

At least that is one thing the business- and techno-savvy Panagio doesn’t have to worry about – he is,ceramic magic cube for the medical, after all, fast-becoming a Jack of all trades.

lNico Panagio stars in The Wild on M-Net at 6pm from Monday to Thursday.

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