MANILA, Philippines — Empoy Marquez revealed that he and Alessandra de Rossi each received a ₱1 million bonus following the massive box-office success of their 2017 film Kita Kita.
In a recent appearance on the Your Honor vodcast hosted by Chariz Solomon and Buboy Villar, Marquez shared that the bonus came after de Rossi jokingly asked producer Piolo Pascual for additional compensation.
Marquez recalled that shortly after the film’s runaway success, he noticed an unexpected ₱1 million deposit in his bank account, confirming that both lead actors had received the bonus.
Kita Kita, directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo and produced by Spring Films, became one of the most successful independent Filipino films in history.
The romantic drama follows a tour guide in Japan who goes blind after a traumatic experience and later forms an unexpected bond with a fellow Filipino, played by Marquez.
The film was a commercial breakthrough, earning around ₱320 million worldwide against a modest ₱10 million budget, making it one of the highest-grossing Philippine indie films at the time.
Marquez also reflected on his rise in the entertainment industry, saying he never expected to transition from minor roles to becoming a leading man opposite some of the country’s top actresses.