John Lloyd Cruz: It’s hard to be on top

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

Ogie Alcasid and Michael V. started Angelina and Yaya as a skit in "Bubble Gang." Their alter egos became so popular that they eventually hosted their own hit game show, "Hole in Da Wall." Now, they star in their own movie, "Yaya and Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie." This time, it's not just a short skit but an entire story with other crazy characters and rollicking situations sure to send the viewers roaring with laughs.

Angelina is given her own parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arespacochaga (played by Aiko Melendez and Jomari Yllana). The film's presscon was structured like a children's party to celebrate Angelina's 7th birthday party complete with balloons, games, spaghetti and cake. Aiko and Jomari were there acting like the doting parents of Ogie who's actually older than both of them.

Aren't viewers tired of watching Ogie in drag after "Desperadas" and her last outing "Oh My Girl" that failed to make audiences laugh?

"Iba naman si Angelina," he says. "Mas mahirap siyang gawin kaysa sa past movies ko as I have to be in character all throughout the film as a seven-year-old brat. Also, I have to portray her in such a way na cute pa rin ang dating niya at hindi yung sobrang bratinella na kaiinisan ng viewers."

In the movie, Michael V. as Yaya finally loses his patience over the wild antics of Angelina and decides to resign for good. Angelina eventually realizes how much she misses Yaya even if they have a love-hate relationship. While Yaya is away, Angelina discovers that there's a terrorist plot in their school aimed to assassinate the Duchess of Wellington who'll soon visit them. The terrorists see her and kidnap her. When Yaya learns about this, she takes pity on her ward and joins the efforts to rescue her. What follows is a rib-tickling misadventure pitting Angelina and Yaya against the evildoers.

Directed by Mike Tuviera, "Yaya and Angelina" is produced by GMA Films and APT Entertainment, opening in theaters on September 23. Will they be a loser at the tills?

"No, we will be big winners!" say Ogie and Michael. "Nakakasa na nga ang Part 2 nito. That's how confident we are that this will be a blockbuster na dream project for us ni Bitoy."

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John Lloyd Cruz dismisses the rumor that he's having a lovers' quarrel with Ruffa Gutierrez which is why she was seen crying in the dressing room of "Ruffa and I." Ruffa reportedly learned he wants to reconcile with ex-girlfriend Liz Uy.

"Ano ba yan? Wala na bang katapusan ang mga ganyang intriga?" he says at his solo presscon for "In My Life." "Wala kami ni Ruffa at hindi kami nagbabalikan ni Liz. Maniwala kayo't hindi, wala akong lovelife ngayon. Let's just focus on 'In My Life' as this movie is the most significant thing in my life right now."

No doubt his career has gone a long way since he started at ABS-CBN when he was 14 as a member of the Koolits and "Tabing Ilog" cast. He's been Box Office King three times, has won several best actor and Star of the Night awards, has countless endorserments. No doubt he is now the Numero Uno actor at the ABS camp, eclipsing the careers of other ABS actors like Piolo, Jericho, Diet, etc.

"Mahirap ilagay sa utak yan. Marami akong blessings but, at the end of the day, I'm still that person I want to be when I'm with my family and friends pag-uwi ko, at yun siguro ang dahilan kaya tumagal ako kaysa sa ibang kasama ko. It's separate from our work na very tough at maraming kailangang dalhin at isipin. Pag-uwi ko ng bahay, normal ako, gusto ko lang humilata sa couch at maglambing sa mommy ko. Walang ibang nakamasid sa'yo. Relaxed ang muscles mo as you're in your sANCtuary with your loved ones. Mahirap din when you're on top kasi wala ka nang ibang pupuntahan kundi pababa."

He doesn't want to dwell on his kissing scene with Luis Manzano in the film but reporters keep on asking him about it. "It's not even really a kissing scene but just a very intimate scene. It was shot on a bridge and the intention is not to turn on the viewers but to show the heart of the characters we play. This is not a typical gay film kasi we're not swishy gays here. If you'd look at us, you won't even think na we're gays kasi mukha kaming straight but ang puso namin, nagmamahal sa kapwa lalaki."

After doing the film, did he see the possibility of him falling for another man in real life?

"Naku, on the contrary, nabuksan po ng movie ang puso ko sa katotohanang sa totoong buhay, babae pa rin po ang gusto ko. Kung ano ang dati ko nang gusto before this role landed on my lap, yun pa rin po ang gusto ko."

So how did he approach their intimate scene?

"When we play our roles, ako si Noel, Luis is Mark, kami yung roles namin. We're not John Lloyd and Luis. So we have to like each other on camera."

What can he say about the opinion of some writers who think the movie will not hit it big as Pinoys are not yet ready for him playing a gay role?

"Pananaw nila yun and I respect that. This is really a bold and daring move for me. But hindi ko malalaman kundi ko susubukan, so kailangan kong gawin ito to show na hindi lang ako for romantic comedies at nakakulong lang sa isang maliit na box, na I can do other kinds of roles. Maaring di gusto ng Pinoy ang ganitong tema pero ibang-iba naman ang diskarte, attack, treatment nito so I hope theyit give a chANCe."

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We stayed with Kris Bernal and Aljur Abrenica at the Mulberry Suites in Cagayan de Oro for the "Kagay-An Festival." We asked them if they enjoy doing out-of-town shows like this.

"Of course," says Kris. "Kasi it gives us the chANCe to visit other cities here in our country. First time namin dito sa Cagayan de Oro and we're awed by the warmth of its people."

"Kundi kami pinag-show rito ni Kris, hindi pa namin mararating ito," says Aljur. "And it's nice to know ang dami palang nanonood dito ng show naming 'All My Life.'"

What can Kris say about the case filed against Aljur?

"I'm confident he'll clear his name. Marami namang sumusuporta sa kanya who know ang tunay niyang pagkatao na hindi siya makakagawa ng mga binibintang sa kanyang acts of lasciviousness. Ako, I will always be here for him."

How did Aljur feel when it was rumored that he met with Rich Asuncion secretly while he was shooting the movie "I'll Be Waiting for You" with Kris in Bohol?

"You can ask Kris kung may time ako to do that. She knows everyday ang shooting at laging puno ang sked namin. Nakapunta lang kami sa scenic spots like Chocolate Hills because we shot some scenes there. Walang time mamasyal. And I don't even know if Rich really went to Bohol. If ever she did, wala rin namang masama kasi dun nakatira ang parents niya. Pero hindi talaga kami."

How's he and Baron Geisler after he accidentally hit Baron during a fight scene?

"Okay na kami. Even while we were still in Bohol, pinag-ayos na kami ni Direk Maryo de los Reyes."

Is it true Kris burned her arm while shooting the movie?

"No," as she showed us her right arm. "What happened was I got sunburned in Bohol so pina-laser peeling ko rito sa Manila. Sumobra naman kaya parang nasunog, but mawawala rin naman ang parang mapang yan sa arm ko."

In "All My Life," Kris as Romina is not her usual self after she meets an accident and needs an operation. Romano (Zoren Legaspi) arrives at the hospital and hurts Aljur as Jules. Romina's family won't allow Jules to see her so he decides to go abroad with his band to earn money. When Romina regains consciousness, Sally (Manilyn Reynes) tells her Jules has left her to go abroad. Romina can't believe but Perry (Paolo Avelino) takes this as a chANCe to win Romina's heart. Meantime, Lindsay (Jade Lopez), Romina's friend, accidentally goes to bed with the gay Agatha (Jay Aquitania) and becomes preggy.

***

Cesar Montano says if ever he'd get elected as Bohol governor, he still won't give up his work in films. "Film is a powerful medium and I want to show more of Bohol through the magic of cinema," he says. "Because of my film, 'Panaghoy sa Suba,' which was shot in Bohol, mas maraming naka-interest bumisita roon. Now, I want to do a film on our hero, FrANCisco Dagohoy, who led the longest revolt against the Spaniards in thePhilippine history. His rebellion lasted for 87 long years and is very good material for a historical film."

Cesar is excited with this weekend's "The Singing Bee" on ABS-CBN, as top singers, bands, basketball players, beauty queens, taekwondo champs and courtside reporters will be competing with each other. Tomorrow, Saturday, New Wave singers Lou Bonnevie, Victoria Agbayani and Cookie Chua will be competing with several band members: The Dawn, Orient Pearl, Rizal Underground, and Rockstar. On Sunday, PBA players Enrico Villanueva, Gary David and KG Canaleta will face beauty queens Patricia Fernandez, Catherine Loyola, and Michelle Braun, along with billiard players Gandy Valle, Joven Korea and Renemar, taekwondo jinns Rani Ortega, FrANCesca Camille Alarilla, and UAAP courtside reporters Pac of UST, Rikki of UP and Kryzelle of FEU.

Meanwhile, congratulations to ABS-CBN "TV Patrol News" ANChor Julius Babao and "Bandila" ANChor Ces Oreña-Drilon for winning the 2009 Most Outstanding Male News Presenter and Best Female Field Reporter of the Year in the COMGUILD Center for Journalism 4th Annual Conference of Journalism and Communication Students of the Philippines held recently at the AFP Theater, Quezon City. This is the second time Babao received the same recognition from COMGUILD.

Congratulations also to Ricky Carandang, Niña Corpuz, and Nadia Trinidad who received fellowship grants from prestigious international groups. ABS-CBN News Channel ANChor (ANC) Carandang just got back from his 20-day International Visitors Program in the United States. He was the only Filipino in the program. Corpuz attended the International Training Center of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Turin, Italy to continue a course on "Communicating Labor Rights" through a fellowship grant from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Trinidad left last Aug. 24 for the US to join the prestigious John S. Knight Fellowship at Stanford University. She is the only Filipino among eight journalists who were selected to take an extensive study on innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Source: Malaya

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