Diether Ocampo of the Philippines is our 15th Semi-finalist

He auditioned for ABS-CBN's talent search in 1996. A year and a half later, he became one of the members of Star Circle Batch II. His first movie appearance was in 'Calvento Files (1997)' .He also dabbles in photography and used to take up classical guitar lessons at the Yamaha School of Music. But all those activities have taken a backseat to his steadily rising show biz career.

The biggest trade-off of his career, however, is his education. Diether was a second year physical therapy student at De La Salle University in Dasmarinas, Cavite, when he was bitten by the show biz bug. It was his grandmother, who urged him to take up physical therapy. After all, he comes from a family of doctors. His last name is Pascual.

It was ABS-CBN Talent Center director Johnny Manahan, who advised him to use Ocampo, his mom's maiden name. "I regret that I wasn't able to finish college when I entered show biz," says Diether. "But an opportunity like this comes only once." The eldest child in a brood of three, Diether describes himself as a reluctant actor. He never imagined himself acting before the cameras.

When he was in college, he got interested in music. He formed a garage band with his campus friends and played alternative rock. But it took acting workshops with Peque Gallaga (film director) to hone Diether's talent, before he became an actor. Today, Diether, is happy about the way his career is turning out. "Everything I planned to achieve, I was able to do in less than five years, which was the original timetable," he says. He credits director Johnny Manahan and ABS-CBN for his flourishing career. He has also been handled by resident ABS-CBN directors "They were the ones who motivated me to take up acting seriously," Diether says. His show biz earnings are apparently more than enough for him to maintain a comfortable lifestyle and provide a better life for his family.

To date, he has purchased a townhouse for his mom, who moved from Cavite to Quezon City, Philippines. He is one of Bench top models. He also established several business ventures. From TV, Diether has made a smooth transition to the movies. He has appeared in a number of big screen blockbusters in the Philippines and has won some acting awards. By topping our Group H poll, Diether is officially our 15th semi-finalist for the title Asian Hearttrhob 2006!