Nico Antonio shares why he finally took the Bar Exam years after law school
- Nico Antonio revealed he delayed taking the bar exam after advice from his mother and wife
- Acting opportunities and career milestones led him to prioritize showbiz over law
- Personal reflections, industry uncertainty, and inspiration from a late bar passer pushed him to try
- The actor passed the 2025 bar exams released on January 7
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Actor Nico Antonio has opened up about the personal and professional reasons that led him to finally take the bar exam more than a decade after finishing law school, ABS-CBN reported.
Source: Instagram
In an interview with journalist Bernadette Sembrano on her YouTube vlog, Nico shared that he graduated from law school in 2014 but chose not to immediately take the bar exam after receiving candid advice from his mother, lawyer Joji Alonso, and his wife.
“Balak ko sana mag-bar but my mom dissuaded me. My wife dissuaded me also,” he said.
He recalled being told that his emotional nature and temperament were not suited for the legal profession at the time, and that failing the exam could take an emotional toll on him.
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Nico added that another turning point came during an acting workshop with director Laurice Guillen.
“During the break she gave me a pep talk, she asked me, ‘Ano ba ang gusto mong mangyari sa buhay mo?’” he shared.
He said Guillen urged him to choose between acting and law, which soon led him to focus on his acting career after landing a role in the hit series "On the Wings of Love" in 2015.
“It was fate telling me, choose this,” Nico said.
Years later, a combination of factors pushed him to reconsider law. Nico said he was inspired by a 62-year-old woman who passed the bar as a first-time taker in 2023.
“She did it, if she could do it, bakit hindi ako?” he recalled thinking.
He also cited the impact of ABS-CBN’s franchise loss and growing concerns over artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry.
“Nakikita ko yung AI, pinapalitan na ’yung tunay na tao na umaarte,” he admitted.
Before committing, Nico sought approval from his mother and wife.
“’Yun lang kailangan ko ’yung approval nila,” he said.
Nico Antonio is among the 202 degree in AB European Studies before entering law school.
Jerico Alonso Antonio, better known in the public eye as Nico Antonio, is a well-known Filipino artist whose career now bridges entertainment and law. Born on May 24, 1983, he is the eldest of four children of Reynerio Antonio and respected film producer and veteran lawyer Atty. Joji Alonso. Nico completed all levels of his formal education at Ateneo de Manila University, where he earned a degree in European Studies. Influenced by his family’s legal background, he later pursued law, first enrolling at San Beda College of Law before transferring to San Sebastian College–Recoletos de Manila. He finished his Juris Doctor degree while working full time, juggling late-evening classes with an increasingly busy showbiz career.
Nico initially gained recognition in the music industry as a member of the vocal group Voizboys, but it was in independent films where he established himself as a serious actor. His transition into law has since added a new dimension to his professional journey.
Recently, Nico Antonio and fellow actor Luke Jickain were named among the 5,594 new lawyers announced by the Supreme Court on January 7, 2026. Nico’s achievement came at a fitting moment, as he had just portrayed a lawyer in the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Unmarry, turning fiction into reality. Meanwhile, former model Luke Jickain passed the Bar on his first attempt after a long break from law school, a milestone made more meaningful by the fact that he once inspired the struggling law student character in the film Bar Boys. Their success underscores a growing trend of Filipino celebrities proving that creative careers and academic rigor can go hand in hand.
In a related development, perseverance was also highlighted by 59-year-old Eduardo Rivera Regio, who finally passed the Bar after 11 attempts. Beginning his journey in 1993, Regio endured repeated setbacks, including near-passing scores in 2015 and 2023. A Land Bank employee and former public servant, he said his determination was fueled by a desire to show his five children the value of persistence. Among the 11,425 examinees of the 2025 Bar, Regio’s story stands as a powerful reminder that success comes at different times for everyone.
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