Queens Master Lego Builders, Best Friends, To Compete For $100K Prize

QUEENS, NY — Two Queens friends’ love of toy blocks could earn them $100,000 and national acclaim when they make their television debut on “Lego Masters” Wednesday night.

Jonathan Alcontin and Xavier Viloria told Patch both have a life-long love of Legos they’re thrilled to share when “Lego Masters” airs at 9 p.m. Wednesday on FOX.

"All I ever wanted to do,” Viloria said, “was build Lego bricks.”

Viloria, 33, fell in love with the toy bricks at about the age of eight or nine when his parents told him to pick out a set.

"I just started building and I didn't even realize there were instructions," the Elmhurst resident told Patch. "I was hooked."

Alcontin, of Sunnyside, received his set as a Christmas present.

"I was an only child and I had a lot of time to myself," Alcontin said. "I would entertain myself a lot. From there I would expand my collections to funnel my creativity.”

“Lego Masters” offered Viloria earlier this year the chance to compete against 11 groups to see who could build the best building brick monument with one caveat.

"They were like, 'hey do you want to be on the show?'" Viloria said. "Then they were like, 'now you got to find someone.' I immediately thought Jonathan.”

The pair have been best friends since meeting at St. John’s Preparatory School in Astoria and working together at a Lego store about a decade ago.

Alcontin, a video game designer, helped Viloria, who now works retail in Manhattan, get a job where he worked and they’ve been building together ever since.

It was this move that inspired Viloria to build big, he told Patch.

"Now that I'm in that world, I can talk to people who are just as interested them as I am," Viloria added. "That got the creative outlet flowing again."

In 2012, Viloria started building faces and whole bodies with his sets.

"I like to make organic shapes out of a rigid structure," he said. "I like the challenge."

Alcontin has turned to anime, video games and science fiction movies for inspiration for his builds.

"I turn something that is a sea boat into a mecha-robot," Alcontin added. After the show, Viloria hopes to showcase his Lego sets at conventions.

Alcontin plans on showcasing his work online more and also attending conventions with his best friend.

"I kind of build it and keep it to myself," he said. "I'm a very closeted Lego builder."

Both friends thanked their families for supporting their Lego obsession.

"As much as it is exciting for me and Jon to be on the show, it is also an achievement for everyone that has shown interest in my love of Legos and wanted me to be recognized for the stuff that I create," Viloria said. "It's a nice thank you from Jonathan and me."