Rayver Cruz: Wait until dark

Unlike a popular politician who screams in mortal fright at the sight of a cockroach, Rayver Cruz is not afraid of little insects. But wait until dark (that phrase is a nod to the classic Audrey Hepburn movie about a blind girl who fights off a group of male intruders) and, admitted Rayver in an interview with Funfare, that’s when he shivers in fear as his fertile imagination reveals horrifying pictures.

“That’s what happened after I watched horror films,” said Rayver who is cast in Regal Films’ pre-Halloween shocker Dilim, directed by Joey Javier Reyes, in which Rayver helps Kylie Padilla’s character (who has a third eye) in solving mysterious happenings in a boarding house. “My favorite horror-suspense movie is Sixth Sense, very memorable kasi buong gabi akong hindi nakatulog after I watched it.”

Dilim is Rayver’s third horror caper, following an episode in one of the SSR (Shake, Rattle & Roll) franchises and in the Mata episode of Cinco (with Maja Salvador).

Asked what his other fears are, Rayver said, echoing the fear of most everybody, “Losing someone I love.” Also, fear of heights which he overcame by sky-diving (you know, to conquer fear, you confront it).

But Rayver has no fear of being rejected especially when it comes to courting a girl.

“Not being outright turned down naman,” qualified Rayver who, at 25, has had only two girlfriends so far, Sarah Geronimo and Cristine Reyes, the former somewhat clandestine (since it was kept from the knowledge of Sarah’s strict parents) and the latter quite open, spiced up with speculations that Rayver learned a lot from Cristine, well, about the birds and the bees and the flowers and trees… 

“But,” Rayver said in a long-overdue denial, “never ko silang pinag-sabay,” contrary to media reports.

While Cristine has quickly moved on and has had a few boyfriends (one of them Derek Ramsay with whom Cristine has remained good friends) since she and Rayver broke up two years ago, Rayver has opted to be fancy-free.

“Was I traumatized? No. I’m just not the type who would jump into another relationship after a break-up. Hindi ako naghahanap kaagad ng kapalit. I just wait for a new one to come along.”

Kylie is single, in the final stage of recovering from her break-up with Aljur Abrenica (whose career is in limbo pending the case he has filed against GMA Network, the company that discovered and groomed him), and is it possible for Rayver to fall for her, and vice-versa, especially since Kylie’s father Robin Padilla said that he liked Rayver?

“Kylie has the qualities of an ideal girl, madaling pakisamahan, and she has a strong personality which I admire in a woman,” said Rayver, “but as of now we are just friends.”

Maybe Rayver can take pointers (about girls) from his Kuya Rodjun Cruz (whose acting was amply showcased in the GMA shows My Husband’s Lover and Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real) whose romance with Diane Medina (left, as muse of the NLEX Road Warriors) is going strong for a few years now.

Come to think of it, isn’t there any sibling rivalry (professional jealousy) between the brothers who are descended from a long line of Cruzes (their mom is the sister of the late actor Ricky Belmonte)?

“None. He’s with GMA and I’m with ABS-CBN so there’s no conflict,” said Rayver. “We learn from each other; we support each other.”

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