Michael Paulo Lingbanan Avelino is a Filipino actor, model, singer, and television presenter. He is known for his roles in Walang Hanggan, Honesto, Bridges of Love and .
Early life
Avelino was born on May 13, 1988, in Baguio, Philippines, as Michael Paulo Lingbanan Avelino. He is the son of Roberto Puigcerver Avelino, an influential Spanish-Filipino from Calbayog City, Western Samar, and Jennilyn Lingbanan. He is a grandson of Baltazar Avelino, former governor of Samar, and a great-grandson of former Senate PresidentJose Avelino. He has three siblings, Honey, Gabriel, and Angela. He is the second oldest of his siblings.
Career
2006–10: Early career
Avelino began his career after appearing on the GMA Network reality talent showStarStruck in 2006. After being eliminated from the show, he signed an exclusive contract with GMA and played various supporting roles for the network. He appeared in the Black Jewel in the Palace episode of Magic Kamison in 2007 and had minor roles in two series, Sine Novela and . The StarStruck 4 cast were then given a show titled Boys Nxt Door, an award-winning youth-oriented situation comedy, in which Avelino played Peter. This series premiered in 2007 and ran for 31 episodes. In 2008, he appeared in a supporting role in Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita, a remake of the 1989 movie of the same title redeveloped by Don Michael Perez and produced by GMA Network. He had roles in an afternoon series, Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan, and in a primetime series, Luna Mystika. He also made his debut on film, in Desperadas 2, a Metro Manila Film Festival entry from Regal Films. In 2009, Avelino started a regular stint in GMA's variety showSOP Rules and landed major roles in two series starring Kris Bernal and Aljur Abrenica, fellow Starstruck 4 alumni: Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin? and All My Life. He was also cast as Robert in a GMA Films-VIVA Films project, Patient X and as Pepe in a Filipino action fantasy film, Ang Panday. In 2010, he appeared in a supporting role in a primetime series Ilumina, and replaced JC de Vera for a lead role in the fantasy series Panday Kids. His last performance for GMA Network was a lead role in the afternoon fantasy-drama Alakdana, with Louise delos Reyes and Alden Richards.
In mid-2011, Avelino transferred to ABS-CBN, known as the Kapamilya network. He told ABS-CBN News that he wanted to get out of his comfort zone and, at the same time, reinvent himself as an actor. His first project as a Kapamilya actor was in a lead role alongside Lovi Poe on Regal Films' Aswang. He also participated in Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, an entry to the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival. He appeared for the first time in an ABS-CBN show through a guest role in 100 Days to Heaven, where he took the role of a rich executive named Teddy Ledesma, alongside veteran actor Phillip Salvador. He also appeared in Wansapanataym, Maalaala Mo Kaya and Ikaw Ay Pag-Ibig. Avelino played the role of a bisexual in the 2011 Cinemalaya film Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa alongside Rocco Nacino, winning Best Actor at the Gawad Urian Awards, his first award. He characterized the script of the film as "really different", offering the potential for an interesting role. In 2012, Avelino played Nathan Montenegro in the hit primetime series Walang Hanggan, alongside Coco Martin and Julia Montes. He commented in an interview that he learned a lot from watching Martin act. He co-starred in the "Lost Command" episode of the horror trilogy Shake, Rattle & Roll 14 produced by Regal Films, an entry in the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival. In parallel with his acting career, Avelino began to work on musical projects, beginning with a single, a cover of Restless Heart's "When She Cries". His first album, Paulo Avelino, was released by Universal Records on October 1, 2012. It comprises six covers of OPMclassic hits, plus instrumental versions of each track. Avelino released a music video for his second single, a cover of Alamid's "Your Love".
2013–present: Recent projects
2013: Avelino's drama series roles included the pre-primetime series Kahit Konting Pagtingin, with Angeline Quinto and Sam Milby; two Maalaala Mo Kaya episodes: "Notbook" and "Mask"; and the family drama series Honesto, where he reunited with his Walang Hanggan co-stars Melissa Ricks and Noni Buencamino. His film roles included two independent films for Cinemalaya: Debosyon, directed by Alvin Yapan, and Sana Dati, directed by Jerrold Tarog. He starred with Lovi Poe and Jennylyn Mercado in a highly charged erotic-drama romantic comedy film directed by Joel Lamangan, The Bride and the Lover. He also appeared on a romantic-comedy film directed by Chris Martinez titled ', with Jake Cuenca, Solenn Heussaff, Maja Salvador, and veteran comedian Eugene Domingo. The movie is a remake of the 1979 classic comedy film Salawahan, directed by Ishmael Bernal. In the 2013 Metro Manila Film Festival, Avelino appeared in two entries: a lead role on Star Cinema's horror film Pagpag and a cameo in '. 2014: Avelino starred as part of the main cast of Sana Bukas pa ang Kahapon, with Bea Alonzo and Albert Martinez. 2015: Avelino starred in the soap operaBridges of Love, with Jericho Rosales and Maja Salvador, and was cast as Simon Evangelista in On the Wings of Love, with James Reid and Nadine Lustre. 2017: Avelino starred with ABS-CBN newcomer Ritz Azul in the television series The Promise of Forever. 2018: Avelino starred in an afternoon series, Asintado, as Gael, and in the primetime soap opera The General's Daughter.
