Daniel Matsunaga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Daniel Matsunaga
Matsunaga in Shake, Rattle & Roll XV (2014)
Born	Daniel Kenji Silva Matsunaga (1988-11-28) November 28, 1988 (age 36) Brasília, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Citizenship	Filipino
Occupation	Model actor athlete host
Years active	2009–2021
Agent	GMA Artist Center (2010–2012) Talent5 (2012–2014) Star Magic (2014–2021) Brightlight Productions (2020–2021)
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Association football career Position(s) Midfielder Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 2011–2012 Team Socceroo 2012–2013 Pachanga Diliman 2013 Stallion Sta. Lucia 6 (1) 2014 Kaya 1 (0) 2013–2015 Team Socceroo 2020 Maharlika 0 (0) *Club domestic league appearances and goals

Daniel Kenji Silva Matsunaga (born November 28, 1988) is a Brazilian-Filipino model, actor, host, and former professional soccer player. He first became famous in the Philippines after appearing in a special "Cosmo Men" issue of Cosmopolitan Philippines magazine in 2009.

After being discovered as an actor, he started his career with TV shows on the GMA Network. He later joined the reality TV show Pinoy Big Brother on the ABS-CBN network. In 2014, he won the show and was named the Big Winner. As a soccer player, he played for several teams in the United Football League (UFL), which was the top soccer league in the Philippines at the time.

Early Life and Background

Daniel Matsunaga was born in Brasília, the capital city of Brazil. His mother, Gerarda Silva, is Brazilian with Portuguese, African, and Indigenous roots. His father, Paulo Mitsuo Matsunaga, is of Japanese heritage. Daniel has one brother and one sister.

Matsunaga with Heart Evangelista and Jonha Richman

Entertainment Career

Modeling and Acting Journey

Matsunaga's career in the spotlight began when he modeled for Cosmopolitan Philippines. This led to his first acting role in the popular TV series The Last Prince on the GMA Network, where he acted alongside Aljur Abrenica and Kris Bernal.

In 2012, he moved to the TV5 network and appeared in shows like Game N Go and Misibis Bay.

Later, he joined ABS-CBN as a celebrity judge on the show It's Showtime. On May 17, 2014, Matsunaga became a housemate on the reality show Pinoy Big Brother: All In. After weeks of challenges and tasks, he was declared the Big Winner on August 24, 2014.

In 2017, he became the first male celebrity to represent Avon Philippines' Men's Club. The company chose him because they felt he represented a "Modern Gentleman" who is stylish and confident.

Soccer Career

Matsunaga loved playing soccer as a child and dreamed of playing for the Brazil national football team. Before becoming a famous actor, he played for soccer clubs in Brazil and Hong Kong.

In the Philippines, he played in the United Football League (UFL). He started with Team Socceroo in 2011. He later played for other top teams, including Pachanga Diliman, Stallion, and Kaya.

He also played street football for a team called Team Naxional. His team won the chance to represent the Philippines in an international tournament in Brazil called Neymar Jr's Five Football Tournament.

In August 2020, he signed with a new team, Maharlika F.C., in the Philippines Football League. However, he did not end up in the final lineup for the season.

Personal Life

Matsunaga is a Christian. In December 2014, he was granted permanent residency in the Philippines, which allows him to live in the country indefinitely. He has also shared that he would like to become a Filipino citizen one day.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows