Gil was often cast as a main villain in Philippine action films that was popular during the late '80s to the early 2000s.

Gil was also widely known for playing the protagonist of the critically-acclaimed 1982 film Batch '81 and the role of Lorna Tolentino's former Filipino-American boss-lover-killer in the drama-suspense thriller The Elsa Santos Castillo Story: The Chop-Chop Lady, the script of which is inspired by true events.

He was the middle child of actors Eddie Mesa and Rosemarie Gil, and brother of actors Michael de Mesa and Cherie Gil.

Sid Lucero) and Maxine Eve are his children by his first wife, actress Bing Pimentel.

Gil married his second wife, non-showbiz Maricar Jacinto, in 1996; the couple had one child, Stephanie ("Stevie").