On his way

In light of all his accomplishments in his field and the recognition he's received for his work, it's hard to believe that John Lloyd Cruz was initially reluctant about being an actor. He's made no secret of the fact that he entered showbiz because he wanted to help his family financially, not because he necessarily loved acting. It's a confession rarely made in an industry where the most successful are those driven by their passion – or so we're told. "I never thought I could be an actor," John Lloyd says. But when opportunity knocked, he decided to try it out for a year. At first, he had a hard time dealing with "puyatan and waiting around," two aspects of the business that he still dislikes. Soon enough, he discovered that being an actor was rewarding in more ways than one. He says that at one point he realized, "Kaya ko pala umarte." He began to enjoy what he's come to call his craft. The best part? "Ang dami mo magiging ikaw"

Fortunately for John Lloyd, he's had the chance to play many different kinds of characters. Aside from roles in the movies Nagbibinata and lkaw Pala Ang Mahal Ko, he portrayed the young lawyer Yuri in the recently concluded teleserye Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay. The show cemented his position as the Philippines' next great leading man and gave him the chance to work with the likes of Ronnie Lazaro, Johnny Delgado, and Lorna Tolentino. He says the lessons he's learned from his costars have helped him mature as an actor.

They're lessons that he's more than willing to share with others, particularly his costar and love team partner Bea Alonzo, a newcomer who has noted many times that John Lloyd has always made it a point to show her the ropes on the set. Their onscreen relationship in Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay made them one of the most popular new love teams in the country. Their success with the show led to lead roles in the twin bill film My First Romance (their episode "Two Hearts" was directed by Kay Tagals Don Cuaresma), as well as lt Might Be You, a new teleserye set in Pampanga.

As discovery stories go, John Lloyd Cruz's is fairly typical. The actor was only 14 when he was discovered while watching Magic Jungle in a mall with some friends. It all started when he noticed a "man who looked like Andre the Giant" taking an interest in him. John Lloyd was, understandably, slightly disturbed. After the man followed him and his friends for about three hours, he finally approached John Lloyd and gave him a card – he wanted to make the boy a star.

"Star Circle was uso then," he recalls. Sure enough, after auditioning for bit parts on television shows he soon joined Star Circle Batch Five, where he attended basic acting workshops and became one third of the music group Koolits, a trio that included his Star Circle batchmates Mark Solis and Baron Geisler. The group never took off, but John eventually landed roles in Gimik and Tabing llog He even won a Star award for his portrayal of Rovic in the latter show, which led to bigger and better things.

While it's clear that John Lloyd is grateful that he unexpectedly found his passion at an early age, there's also a kind of restlessness about him that suggests that he's itching to accomplish even more than he already has. He appreciates the opportunities he's been given to star in teleseryes and films, but he recognizes that the aspects of showbiz that made him a success – full-time commitments to shows and being part of a love team – may also be limiting him, especially since in some ways they might prevent him from getting the "meatier" roles that he craves. But the transition from "love team prince" to "serious actor" has been made many times before, and John Lloyd Cruz may well be gaining enough power in the industry to be able to do, things on his own terms soon. For the moment, he's doing what he can with patience, intensity, and grace – and the public is tuning in.

Images by Sara Black