Why Daniel Padilla gave himself a buzzcut
Daniel Padilla can be fussy about his hair.
He’s particular about who cuts it and how it’s cut. He enjoys experimenting with his style and isn’t afraid to try something new. In 2024, he sported a mid-fade with a textured fringe. And while shooting his recently concluded action drama series, “Incognito,” he rocked a modern mullet—inspired by the Igorot fighters of the martial arts group Team Lakay.
But recently, for once, he didn’t want to worry about it. So picked up a razor and gave himself a buzzcut.
“I think this might be my favorite hairstyle yet,” he says. “I don’t have to overthink anything. After I take a bath, I just get dressed and I’m out the door.”
And perhaps it’s the breather his hair and head have needed after years of playing with them. “Nabugbog na rin after years of using all sorts of products,” he points out.
Ending up with a low-maintenance cut wasn’t really his intention though. After months of shooting such an intense and physically demanding project, the actor felt the need for a clean break. And shaving his hair became his way of saying goodbye to his role, the undercover vigilante Andres Malvar.
“I did it after shooting the finale in Marawi (Lanao del Sur)…to help me let go of the character,” he relates.
It was largely a spur of the moment decision—well, maybe except for that minute when Padilla realized he didn’t actually know the shape of his own head. “I checked my baby photos first. Kinalbo ako dati. And it looked fine,” he says, laughing.
All things considered, he actually did a pretty nice job. “Pantay naman,” he says, rubbing his head. But if it had turned out terribly, that’s where his hat collection would have come in. “I have lots of them—I’d just wear them for months!” he tells Lifestyle Inquirer.
A future beyond acting
Speaking of hats, maybe he unwittingly gave himself this cut so his business hat would fit better. Now that he’s 30, Padilla has been thinking more seriously about his future—“what I want, where I want to go, what I’m working hard for.” As much as he loves his craft, he doesn’t see himself working as an actor forever.
“Eventually, I will want to relax and just focus on managing businesses,” he says.
Slowly but surely, Padilla is laying the groundwork for a future beyond acting. In recent years he launched a theme park in Batangas, co-opened a restaurant in Dubai, and invested in a growing coffee chain. His latest move is a partnership with the importation service KPC Express, where we caught up with the actor for his contract signing.
“Along the way, I get to meet new people who share the same passion and ideas,” he says, “and it feels good to work with them.”
Looking back, maybe he should have started sooner, the actor surmises. The prospect of venturing into business definitely crossed his mind when he was younger, but he was much too busy to focus on anything else. “Tapings, guest appearances, shows, movies—all at the same time! And I was very young,” he says.
But regardless of age, the human urge to explore or experience new things never fades. “We can’t be afraid,” he says. And the more he walks the entrepreneurial path, the more curious he grows, and the more inspired he is to create businesses—that not only benefit him, but also make a positive impact on others.
Padilla admits he still has a lot to learn. Fortunately, he has trusted loved ones, friends, and mentors to turn to for financial advice and business guidance. Because who knows what he might end up doing left to his own devices? “Baka baguhin ko ang mundo!” he jokes.
But maybe that bit of daring could prove useful one way or another. “This journey is exciting,” Padilla says.
Taking the driver’s seat
All this talk about life after showbiz, however, doesn’t mean he’s about to leave it any time soon. If anything, his recent win as Outstanding Asian Star—for his performance in “Incognito”—at the 2025 Seoul International Drama Awards only fueled him to continue honing his craft.
“I’m just doing my job. And when I do, I give 100 percent every single time. I also have to thank the fans who put me into this position,” says Padilla, who plans to personally receive his trophy at the official ceremony in Seoul this October. “I feel proud for the chance to represent the Philippines abroad.”
Given the chance, Padilla would love to do another action project—if only to burn off the leftover adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He got so used to doing action scenes and pulling off his own stunts so early in the morning, he jokes he might grow weak if he were to quit cold turkey. “I’ll probably get bored if I do something steadier,” he says.
Like romantic comedies? Not necessarily, he says, though he has already had his share of those. “If there’s a good script, why not? I love that genre. Ang sarap kaya gumawa nun.”
There’s also the prospect of starring in a film written by National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, but it’s still in its early stages. Good projects need slow cooking—and Padilla is willing to wait. Mostly because he now has that luxury.
Make no mistake: the hunger is still there. The difference now is that, as an established actor, he has more agency and the time to sit back and take a good look at what’s actually on his plate.
“I wasn’t one to complain, but back then, everything was already laid out for me,” Padilla says. “Now, I can choose what I want to do. I’m in the driver’s seat.”
