Anton Vinzon still can’t believe the admiration and positive remarks he has been receiving for his very first television lead role as Dagul in the GMA Prime series Mga Batang Riles.

“I’m really honored and privileged na binigyan ako ng ganu’n. Grabe nga po ang daming nagmamahal sa akin--sa TikTok,sa X, viral kami lagi sa MBR. Hindi ko ini-expect na mangyayari ‘to. At saka blessed po talaga ako sa nangyari ngayon,”he shyly said in his one-one-one interview with GMANetwork.com.

The new actor admitted that the spotlight he is getting right now is both overwhelming and surprising.Add to that the fact that Anton is finding his way in showbiz, still discovering more about himself and the business.

“Bilang Dagul, hindi ko na-realize na marunong pala akong mag-prank, marunong pala akong umiyak,” he said.

With this huge opportunity that has been entrusted to him, Anton is determined to show everyone what he can do more as an actor while staying grounded and enjoying every step of the way.

In case you didn’t know, Anton Vinzon comes from showbiz royalty. The 17-year-old promising actor is the son of the veteran Filipino action star Roi Vinzon and the younger brother of singer and beauty queen Lala Vinzon.

Being an actor has always been Anton’s dream since he was a kid. He was exposed to the industry early on. His father would often bring little Anton to work, letting him see and experience what being a star was like. His visits to his father’s sets piqued his curiosity, which eventually fueled his desire to give showbiz a try. Anton began auditioning at the age of 10 but would be turned down every time because he looked too young for the roles that he would audition for.

But little Anton didn’t mind, for every set production or audition that he would go to was a chance for him to bond with his father. He enjoyed watching his father Roi in action from the sidelines. At times, when the opportunity arose, Anton would be allowed to be an “extra” in certain scenes.

“Super relate ako sa dad ko kasi when I was a kid, sumasama ako sa mga fights niya, sa movies niya, dati nu’ng ginagawa niya. Sobrang bonding namin nu’n ng dad ko kasi shinu-shoot niya ako kahit maliit lang, kahit bartender lang ako, namamalimos ako, nagbubuhat ng sako, kapag naglalakad sa taping, parang guest lang ba,” he recalled with a smile.

Anton is now making his dad proud by not only continuing his family’s legacy in the industry but also establishing his own name as an actor. With his performance in Mga Batang Riles, the young actor is gradually winning the hearts of viewers.

“Inspirasyon ko ’yung family ko. My dad and sister kasi sabi ko kapag tapos na si Papa like if magre-retire na siya, ako na ang magpapatuloy ng legacy ng dad ko. Tina-try ko talaga ’yung best ko para maging proud sa akin ’yung pamilya ko. I love my dad at saka tinutulungan niya ako bawat pagtapak ko sa showbiz na ’to. Kaya naging inspirasyon ko ’yung tatay ko para gumawa ng magagandang alaala rito sa showbiz industry.”

Anton aspires to be an action star, just like his father. For as long as he can remember, his dad has been giving him tips and tricks for making a fight scene look more convincing in the eyes of the viewers.

“Gusto kong makilala sa action kasi bata pa lang po ako tinuturuan na po ako ni Papa sa pag-action. Hindi na mawawala sa dugo namin kasi ’yung lolo ko nag-a-action din siya,” he shared.

Some of the combat training Anton has been doing these days includes Muay Thai, Pekiti-Tirsia Kali (knife training), and mixed martial arts.

One might think that Anton, being the son of an action star, got into the business through his father’s connections. Not everyone knows that Anton was actually discovered through his sister's TikTok video.

After Cornerstone discovered his TikTok video, Anton met with the guys at the talent agency and got in. It was at a Halloween party when people from Sparkle noticed him, a meeting that eventually landed him a spot in Sparkle Teens' roster of artists in April 2023.

“Nakita lang ako sa story ng sister ko sa TikTok. Pumunta ako doon. And then pinakilala ako ni Sir Mak kay Sir Ericson. So, pina-audition ako. Nakita ako sa Halloween party, nakita ako ni Ms Abby, ayon doon na nagsimula na nandito na ako ngayon sa Sparkle. Nagulat na lang dad ko, ‘Ay, nakuha ka na? Wow!' Kasi ’yung dad ko pina-practice niya ako na maging independent, tumayo sa sarili kong paa. Nagulat mom ko.”

Anton feels grateful to be part of Sparkle, having finally entered the entertainment industry and made his long-awaited dream of becoming an actor a reality.

“I’m really blessed to be a part of this industry kasi hindi ko ini-expect kasi [maraming] tao pinapangarap kung saan ako nakatayo ngayon. I’m really blessed talaga,” he said.

Anton is also thrilled his dad was able to see him perform in All-Out Sundays, which happened a day after he did his official photoshoot for Sparkle.

“Nu’ng birthday ko when I was 16, nagulat siya (Roi Vinzon), ‘Wow, nakuha ka na!’ Kinabukasan mayroong photoshoot sa Sparkle Teens, nag-AOS (All-Out Sundays). Sobrang proud napanood ako first time ng dad ko sa AOS.”

In January 2024, Anton landed a role in Regal Studio Presents: Mannequin Love, playing Gus alongside his fellow Sparkle Teens actors Aidan Veneracion and John Clifford. He also appeared in Walang Matigas na Pulis sa Matinik na Misis in April 2024, where he fought alongside his father, Roi Vinzon, against Bong Revilla.

Anton Vinzon’s first-ever TV lead role came in January 2025 in the GMA Prime drama action series Mga Batang Riles which also stars Miguel Tanfelix, Kokoy de Santos, Bruce Roeland, and Raheel Bhyria. In Mga Batang Riles, Anton charms the viewers with his character named Dagul, the prankster of the Sitio Liwanag boys. Dagul is not getting the love from his family, but he has found a brother figure in Kidlat, played by Miguel Tanfelix.

Anton admitted that he could not believe that he was given a role --- a meaty one --- in a primetime series in just two years after entering show business. Because he knew he was still a bit wet behind the ears, Anton prepared intensively for his role as Dagul in Mga Batang Riles. On the set, he encountered various challenges, including being told to do multiple takes for his sequences, and at times, even flubbing his lines in minor scenes. But Anton did not let those challenges deter him.

“First episode to second, nahirapan po talaga ako,” Anton recalled. “Ito po walang halong biro, nakailang takes po ako sa taping namin. Na-late nga po ’yon dahil sa akin. Saka, grabe, ang liit na ng eksena tapos nagba-buckle pa ako, ang dami kong mali. At pinag-aralan ko talaga ’yung role ko. Sabi ko, ‘Kapkapin ko muna ‘yung Dagul para ma-gets ko ‘yung character.’ And napapagalitan na ako. Pinapa-workshop po ako with Sparkle, Ms. Ana [Feleo], and ayon po talaga natutukan namin ‘yung role. At least hanggang ngayon nandito pa rin, kaya pa rin. Dagul, alam ko na ‘yung character niya, ’yung buhay niya.”

As he learned more about acting, Anton got closer to his co-stars in Mga Batang Riles, on- and off-camera. According to Bruce Roeland, Anton is the most outgoing person on set and the happiest to bond with.

While the good feedback from netizens boosts his confidence, Anton's biggest pride comes from home, his family. To this day, his father Roi couldn’t believe that from being a basketball player, his little boy would go on to become a lead star in a drama action series.

“Noong bata pa ako sinasabi niya na maging mabait ka talaga sa mga tao at stay grounded kahit staff man ’yan o boss, dapat pantay-pantay silang lahat. My dad told me na huwag mong i-expect na magiging mataas ka, i-expect mo dapat ’yung ngayon, kung paano ka mag-grow, kung paano ka matuto sa mga beteranong actor. Kahit staff man ’yan matututo ka sa mga taong ’yon, kaya respetuhin mo sila. I love my dad. I love my family, as well. Sila nagturo sa akin kung paano maging disiplinado, paano maging on time palagi, paano magmahal ng kapwa tao. I respect my dad. And papalakihin ko ulit ‘yung Vinzon family.”

For Anton, he will keep his experiences and lessons from his first TV lead role as his guide as he navigates the long and winding road of showbiz. “Be professional talaga. Stay grounded. Dapat maging mabait ka talaga sa kapwa mo kasi kapag hindi ka mabait saan ka pupunta? Dapat pantay lang kayong lahat and have fun.”