2009–2014: Television projects and rise to fame
Martin having typecast for "bold" or erotic roles in indie films like Masahista was an initial obstacle for him to land a role in ABS-CBN's television series. ABS-CBN offered him roles such as a character in a love triangle with Shaina Magdayao and Rayver Cruz roles as well as a gay friend to Judy Ann Santos's character. In both instances the offer for the roles were withdrawn after the production staff learned Martin's history as a "sexy star".
With Jaclyn Jose's encouragement and an endorsement with director Andoy Ranay, Martin managed to land the role in ABS-CBN's Ligaw na Bulaklak. Martin played the role of the main antagonist in the series which premiered in late 2008. Despite Ranay's sudden withdrawal from the production staff, Martin received praised from one of the series' directors who he credits for his television break.
In 2009, he starred in the drama series Tayong Dalawa with Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, and Jake Cuenca where he won Best Drama Actor at the 2009 Star Awards for Television. After Tayong Dalawa, he starred in a remake of a 1990 film titled Nagsimula sa Puso, alongside Maja Salvador, Jason Abalos and Nikki Gil. Because of these projects, Martin was offered contract with Star Magic, ABS-CBN's biggest talent agency.
In 2010, he became part of the cast of ABS-CBN's primetime drama Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo, and had his first leading role in the action series Tonyong Bayawak. The action series is the third installment of ABS-CBN weekly mini-series Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla (Amulet: The Legendary Chronicles of Ramon Revilla). He also starred in his first mainstream film under Star Cinema, Sa 'yo Lamang, and in the primetime series 1DOL with Sarah Geronimo and Sam Milby.
Despite his success in television, Martin starred in another award-winning, critically acclaimed indie film, Kinatay directed by Brillante Mendoza in 2009. The film premiered at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Best Director Award, the first Filipino film to do so. The film gave Martin his Best Actor Award at the 7th Golden Screen Award and Presidential Jury Award for Excellence in Acting at the 2009 Gawad Tanglaw Awards. He was also nominated for Best Actor at the 2009 FAMAS Award. The following year, Martin got his first top billing in an indie film,
Noy, produced by Star Cinema and directed by Dondon Santos. The film was selected as the Filipino entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards, but did not make the shortlist. It was a story about a journalist commissioned to come up with a documentary following the campaign of the character's namesake, Benigno Aquino III, who later became 15th president of the Philippines. In 2011, he led the acclaimed television series Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin, wherein he received the Dekada Award in the Gawad Urian ceremony. He was nominated for multiple awards for his portrayal as Alexander and Javier del Tierro in the series, and won Best Actor in the 20th KBP Golden Dove Awards and Best Drama Actor at the 25th Star Awards for TV.
In 2012, Martin starred in another ensemble series titled Walang Hanggan, an adaptation of the 1991 film Hihintayin Kita sa Langit. He was paired with Julia Montes, as his first official love interest. Because of the success of the series, Coco Martin was dubbed the "Prince of Philippine TV Series". He also starred in his second mainstream film entitled Born to Love You, opposite singer Angeline Quinto. Later, he was cast in a romantic-comedy film directed by John D. Lazatin, Mae Czarina Cruz-Alviar, Frasco Santos Mortiz and Dado C. Lumibao titled, 24/7 in Love. In the same year, a script for a film called Juan dela Cruz was submitted to the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival but failed to make the final list of entries. The entry, directed by Richard Somes, was one of the 7 rejected scripts. Because of this, Cinemedia Films Production Incorporated and ABS-CBN Dreamscape Entertainment unit head Deo Endrinal decided to retool the cancelled film as a television series, which was aired in 2013 with Erich Gonzales. The series had positive reviews and Martin became a household name. The series earned him another Best Actor Award at the 27th Star Awards for Television and at the 12th Gawad Tanglaw Awards.
In 2012, Martin starred in a film by Emmanuel Quindo Palo titled Sta. Niña along with Alessandra de Rossi, Anita Linda and Irma Adlawan. The film was an official entry for the New Breed Full Length Feature Category at the 8th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. The film also won "The Golden Crow Pheasant Award for Best Feature Film" aka Suvarna Chakoram at the 17th International Film Festival of Kerala in India.
Having worked with Director Palo in Sta. Nina, Martin was chosen to star in a 2013 film A Moment in Time together with Julia Montes as his leading lady. The film was shot in Amsterdam and Paris, and was produced by Dreamscape Cinema and Star Cinema. His performance earned him, a nomination for Best Drama Actor at the 2014 FAMAS Awards.
In 2014, Martin starred in Maybe This Time, a film with singer-actress Sarah Geronimo produced by Star Cinema and VIVA Films. In the same year, Martin starred with Kris Aquino in his first ever Metro Manila Film Festival film. The film was a sequel to a 2004 film of the same title also starring Aquino. The film became the second-highest-grossing film at the 2014 Metro Manila Film Festival behind The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin and holds the title of having the highest opening gross of any Filipino horror film. It earned a total of ₱235.0 million at the box office. In the same year, Martin also starred in the period drama television series entitled Ikaw Lamang with Julia Montes, Kim Chiu and Jake Cuenca. The series earned Martin "Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series" at the 13th Gawad Tanglaw Awards and "Best Drama Actor" at the 28th PMPC Star Awards for Television.
