Dominic Zapata (born February 14, 1971), is a Filipino television and film director. He is now one of the resident directors of GMA Network since 1997.
Career His most noted work is My Husband's Lover, nominated as Best Telenovela in the 2014 International Emmy Awards held at New York City. The same project also got him a nomination nod for Best Director at the Asian TV Awards in Singapore that same year.
Zapata first became known for directing large-scale soaps, namely Mar's Ravelo's Darna (both versions, first with Angel Locsin and the updated Marian Rivera starrer) and Captain Barbell. He showed his versatility with the musical soap, Diva. He did local adaptations of international titles like the Kim Samsoon (Korea), La Lola (Argentina), Zaido (Japan) and Zorro (US).
His Filipino version of the Korean drama, Temptation of Wife and My Beloved were aired in 2012 while Carmela: Ang Pinakamagandang Babae sa Mundong Ibabaw was aired in 2014. Then came the commercial and critical success of My Husband's Lover. Aside from television shows, Dominic directed films such as Kuya, Mulawin: The Movie, My Valentine Girl, and Boy Pick-up the Movie.
In 2005, he won the Metro Manila Film Festival People's Choice Award for Best Director for his work on Mulawin, the Movie. He also won five citations in the 5th Golden Screen TV Awards. He was nominated in the 2014 Asian Television Awards in the Best Direction category, nominated in the 9th Seoul International Drama Awards and also nominated for an International Emmy Award under the Telenovela category, given by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Filmography Year Title Category 1994–1996 Music Bureau Weekly Music-Oriented Show 1997–1999 T.G.I.S. Batch 2 Weekly Teen Drama 2000-2004 Click Batch 1 and 2 2002–2003 Beh Bote Nga TV Sitcom 2003 Love to Love Anthology 2003–2008 Nuts Entertainment Weekly Sketch Comedy 2003–2004 Twin Hearts TV series 2004–2005 Mulawin 2004 Kuya Movie 2005 Mars Ravelo's Darna TV series 2005–2006 Sugo 2005 Mulawin: The Movie Movie 2006–2007 Mars Ravelo's Captain Barbell TV series 2007 Super Twins 2007–2008 Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan2008 Ako si Kim Samsoon Obra Weekly TV Anthology 2008–2009 LaLola TV series 2009 Zorro 2009–2010 Mars Ravelo's Darna 2010 DivaPanday Kids 2010–2011Comedy Bar Weekly TV Comedy Variety 2010JejeMom Weekly TV Family Comedy 2010–2011 Grazilda TV series 2011 My Valentine Girls Movie Mars Ravelo's Captain Barbell TV series2012My Beloved Luna Blanca Boy Pick-Up: The Movie Movie 2012–2013 Temptation of Wife TV series 2013 My Husband's Lover Magpakailanman TV Anthology 2014 Carmela: Ang Pinakamagandang Babae sa Mundong Ibabaw TV series 2014–2016 Ismol Family Weekly TV Family Comedy 2014–2015 Hiram na Alaala TV series 2015 The Rich Man's Daughter 2015–2016 MariMar2016That's My Amboy Poor Señorita 2016–2017 Alyas Robin Hood 2017 Mulawin vs. Ravena 2018 Victor Magtanggol 2019 Kara Mia 2020 Descendants of the Sun 2021–2022 The World Between Us 2022 BoleraStart-Up PH 2023 Hearts on Ice Royal Blood 2024 Pulang Araw2025My Father's Wife Akusada 2026 Never Say Die The Master Cutter
Awards and nominations EventAwardTitle2006 New York FestivalsTV Programming & Promotion for Best Special Effects (TV-Movie/Mini-Series) Mulawin31st Metro Manila Film FestivalPeople’s Choice for Best Director Mulawin the Movie8th Seoul International Drama AwardsProgrammer’s Choice for Best Drama SeriesTemptation of Wife5th Golden Screen Television AwardsOutstanding Adapted Drama Program2nd International Emmy AwardsBest TelenovelaMy Husband's Lover19th Asian Television AwardsBest Director- NominationPEP List Editor's Choice AwardsTV Show of the Year5th Golden Screen Television AwardsOutstanding Original Drama Program31st PMPC Star Awards for TelevisionBest Primetime Drama SeriesAlyas Robin Hood
References