At age 16, he booked his first professional acting credit in a live stage production of the classic musical Cats at the Metropolitan Theater of Manila, becoming the cast’s youngest member.

The film focused on the making of Miss Saigon, which premiered at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the West End.

In 2013, Macapagal landed his breakthrough film role as the desperate family man “Oscar” in the British-Filipino co-production Metro Manila, directed by Sean Ellis.

[9] Since appearing in Metro Manila, Macapagal guest-appeared in the 2015 HBO series Halfworlds, the 2019 Filipino crime drama Watch List, and the 2021 horror anthology film Rabid.

[10] Macapagal was also responsible for the casting of his friend, Filipina actress Dolly De Leon, in the 2022 satirical black comedy film Triangle of Sadness.