Today, as John Lloyd Cruz turns 22, he’ll be "all wet" again because his birthday happens to be St. John’s feast day. (Reminder: If you wander into San Juan today, be ready to get, well, "all wet".)
"I take a bath first thing in the morning to celebrate not only my birthday but St. John’s feast day," said John Lloyd. "I was named after St. John."
Also on his birthday, John Lloyd takes stock of his past as he looks toward the future.
"I have so much to be thankful for," he said.
Career-wise, yes, but not romance-wise. Since he broke up with Ciara Sotto, according to John, he hasn’t been seriously involved with another girl, not even his perennial screen partner Bea Alonzo (who’s with him in the ABS-CBN soap Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin).
Because of his wholesome image (untainted by the occasional nasty rumor about him), John Lloyd is an in-demand endorser: With Aga Muhlach (his co-star in the new Star Cinema movie, Dubai) for Bobson, Urban Bags, Outland Footwear and Talk N’ Text. (He’s also sponsored by Salon de Manila, Charms and Crystals, Gan Dental Clinic and The Belo Medical Group.)
John Lloyd stands 5’10.5", weighs 160 lbs. and wears size 31" briefs and size 7.5 shoes.
What sort of diet do you follow?
"None. But I avoid fatty food. In the first place, I hate fats. Yes, I eat rice. In fact, kahit kanin ginagawa kong snacks."
What kind of workout do you do?
"None. I’m not active. I’m lazy."
How much liquid do you take per day?
"Six to eight glasses a day, excluding the buko juice and the sago that I usually take with meals."
How much sleep do you get every night?
"It depends. When I have to tape/shoot, I get about four hours. I have problems sleeping, you know. I can’t sleep early. I guess I’m insomniac. During the hours when I’m wide-awake, I watch TV."
What vitamins (or minerals, if any) do you take?
"I used to take several vitamins, kumpleto. But I stopped taking them because somebody told me that taking too many vitamins is bad for the liver. I don’t know if it’s true. I’d rather get vitamins from fruits, not from pills."
How do you cope with stress?
"I close my eyes and shut my mind off the things around me."
What’s your outlook in life; are you a pessimist or an optimist?
"I’m a worrier. I dwell on problems, real or imaginary. I think a lot and maybe that’s why I can’t sleep early."
What do you usually worry about?
"Minor things that pile up. My friends keep telling me, ‘Don’t think too much.’ But I can’t help it."
How do you pamper yourself?
"I go to the mall, I shop, I watch movies."
Don’t you go to the spa?
"No, I don’t. I get sleepy in the spa. I’d rather have a masseur service me at home."
What part of your body is your favorite?
"From the neck up where you find most of your senses (sight, smell, taste, etc.) and your brain."
What part of a woman’s body first catches your attention?
"The complexion. Is it part of the body?"
What part of your body is most vulnerable?
"My head. When I’m irritated or hungry, I get a headache."
What part of your body do you think needs some improvement?
"Oh, my entire body! Weird ang katawan ko, eh. I have flabs but they’re not as big as they used to be. I guess I should start working out."
How’s your nightlife?
"When I have no work the next day, I go to the bars near our house with friends. I used to go to the bars in Makati. I even prefer simply staying home."
Love life?
"There’s life but no love."
Are you vain like most good-looking guys?
"Not really. As an actor, I have to look good all the time, especially when I am in public. I’m not vain in the sense that I’m not meticulous with how I look – you know, na dapat ayos na ayos, complete with makeup, all the time."
How long does it take you to fix yourself (from showering to dressing up)?
"Less than an hour. I used to be a bathtub person. I would linger in the bathtub reading scripts, making phone calls, reading books. But I don’t have the luxury of time, so I now just take a quick shower, fix my hair and dress up. And then off to work I go."
You’re a bookworm. What book are you reading now?
"The Secret Strength of Depression."
What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?
"If not watching TV, reading a book."
And the first thing you do when you wake up?
"Check my cellphone for missed calls and messages."
Do you pray?
"I must admit that I don’t...not so often anyway. For me, praying should be as simple and as natural as breathing. As if you’re just talking to God in a natural manner."
Name three women you think have nice bodies.
"I haven’t seen Juliana Palermo naked but I think she has a nice body. I find Kris Aquino sexy. I don’t like skinny women; I prefer ‘yung medyo fleshy. Mylene Dizon had a nice body. I just don’t know now because I haven’t seen her (after she gave birth)."
And three men...
"Borgy Manotoc. Very natural-looking. I don’t like muscular guys. Piolo Pascual. And Jericho Rosales."
Using body language, how would you make a girl know that you admire/like her?
"I simply look at her and let my eyes do the talking."